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February 2020, Vol. 15 No. 4
Contents WEST COAST West Coast
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16
18
22
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Warrnambool 17 Apollo Bay
18
Cobden 18
CENTRAL Geelong 22 Port Phillip West
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Port Phillip North East
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Mornington Peninsula
28
Port Phillip Surrounds
30
Western Port North
32
Western Port South
33
Phillip Island
34
EAST COAST Gippsland Lakes
38
Corner Inlet
38
Lakes Entrance
39
Bemm River
40
Marlo 40
NSW SOUTH COAST Bermagui 42 Mallacoota/Eden 42
VICTORIAN FRESHWATER Wagga Wagga
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Robinvale 85 Yarrawonga 86 Albury/Wadonga 87
From the Editor’s Desk... It’s been a testing month for Victoria. Some of our favourite fishing areas and holiday destinations have been under attack from one of the worst bushfire seasons many of us have lived through. And we all watched as Mallacoota became ground zero for national and international attention. In the recreational fishing community, we all know people affected. Some of my mates are regulars at Mallacoota every year and they were faced with a terrifying decision – pack up your family and drive through severe fire areas to get home or stay with your family and ride out the event. Scary when you have young kids. At the time of print, they’ve all made it home and are planning their next trips because they’re aware
of how vital tourism is to most of these communities. As anglers, this is what you can do to help in the next year – visit these communities when they’re ready to take you and spend money at the local businesses. Remember that a lot of these places were emptied out at the time of the year that they make most of their revenue.
TOURNAMENT ANGLER GUIDE You’ll also see inside the 2020 ABT Tournament Angler Guide. This is stitched into every single Fishing Monthly magazine nationwide in February. Even if you’re not directly interested or involved in tournament fishing, be aware that plenty of the techniques and baits that you use today have had
their origins in the bream, bass and barramundi events. Ironically, the second event of the Costa BREAM Series was scheduled to be held at Mallacoota in early February and ABT anglers from all over Australia love this East Gippsland venue. ABT’s aware that it’s important to start spending money back in Gippsland as soon as possible, so have moved this event to Gippsland Lakes. The second round will now be a Mallacoota Fundraiser and it will be great to be able to put some cash back into that tightknit community. Remember that ABT events are for everyone. In both the BREAM and the BASS events, we have a system where you don’t even need a boat, you’re paired with anglers that own boats each day. It’s a great way to steepen the learning curve and add that extra dimension to your fishing.
Wangaratta 88 Eildon 89 West/South Gippsland
89
Shepparton 90 Crater Lakes
90
Nagambie 91 Ballarat 92 Bendigo 93
Flyfishing 82 Gamefishing 29 Hotspot 37 Tasmanian Lake Levels Tournament News Track My Fish
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Editorial Manager: Jacqui Thomas
Production: Keith Hawley Karen Millward
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Trade and Services Guide
102
Victorian Tide Times
110
What’s new fishing
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What’s new boating
111
WIRF 100
Sub-Editors: Nicole Penfold Bob Thornton Lucette Eggleton Field Editor: Kelly Hunt Publishers: Steve Morgan Matthew Drinkall
SPECIAL FEATURES Which line to use?
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New science for snapper stock management 12
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Mykah (8yo) from Warragul holds a lovely calamari he caught at Sorrento.
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Which line to use, braid or monofilament? WESTERN PORT STH
Jarrod Day jarrodday@iprimus.com.au
There has always been a conundrum about fishing line: what to use and when. Choosing the right fishing line is about as important as choosing the right bait or lure for the fish you’re targeting. Sure, if you’re an occasional angler you can put anything on your reel, but if your fishing session only happens once in a blue moon, then you’d want to be making your choice on reliability so you don’t have your line fail when you hook into a solid fish. There are many factors that come into play when choosing your mainline, such as price, strength and line type. Today, braid and monofilament fishing line options are endless, but with so much variety, which one do you choose?
When fishing with light tackle, it makes all the difference being able to feel every bump and movement of the lure to manipulate how it swims and encourage the fish to bite. BRAID I’ve been working in the fishing industry for the past two decades and
single strand, and the more common braids tend to be available in a four or eightstrand braid. Four-strand braids are cheaper than eight-strand braids. We are also now seeing the introduction of 6 and 12-strand braids from some manufacturers. Braids are made all over the world, with Taiwan, China, India, Germany, USA and Japan being the main producers. Undoubtedly, Japan produces the world’s leading PE braid with YGK and Toray being the most well-known, but they aren’t cheap. Then in the USA, Honeywell would be one of the next largest producers, with their braids falling under the Spectra or Dyneema name. The difference between Dyneema and PE occurs
microfibre and are usually blended with a gel during the manufacturing process to create a more robust and abrasive-resistant braid. PE braids tend to be thinner and less abrasive resistant, which you’ll notice should they fray or become hairy with use. PE braids are made using a similar process to Dyneema, however, the term PE is the rating given to the line to ensure a consistent measurement of breaking strain and diameter. In saying that, the measurement can be skewed depending on the brand of PE braid. While both have pros and cons, you do need to decide when purchasing your braid what situations it will be used in. For instance, a Spectra braid is best suited to situations
looking back to the day I started, by golly braid has changed! I still remember back when I started, braid
Working steep banks with spinnerbaits for yellowbelly demands the use of braid. This is so you can feel what the lure is doing and can work it in and around timber without getting snagged.
Braid is extremely sensitive, allowing you to detect every bite from any fish, especially whiting.
RINCON
Like the California point break it was named for, the Rincon has a classic West Coast straight bridge, wrapping style lines and edgy curved temples.
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FEBRUARY 2020
OPTIMAL USE: • Sight fishing in full sun • High contrast
was limited to Spiderwire and Fireline before a few others filtered through into tackle stores. Braid might be a new thing to some anglers, but it has in fact been around in some form since the 1950s. Originally, it was made from nylon and cotton and today has been revolutionised with the introduction of PE or polyethylene fibre. The main reason braided fishing line was developed was due to monofilament line being too stretchy. A team of scientists used a nylon line to create a stronger, less stretchy and thinner fishing line that we know as braid today. Available in many forms, it is PE braids that are leading the way in braid development, mainly because the polyethylene fibre used is able to be made thinner and stronger due to technology advances. Braid is made from a series of fibres woven together to form one
during the manufacturing process. Dyneema and PE braids are made from ultra high molecular weight polyester fibre, but what makes them different is the size of the microfibres that make up the strands. Spectra braids tend to be made from a thicker
when targeting Murray cod, yellowbelly, barramundi, mangrove jack and the like, where you’re casting into thick timber or snags, and abrasion resistance is required. PE on the other hand, being a finer diameter braid, is better suited to
Big, heavy swimbaits can be tossed about like a rag doll when eaten by a big cod. With no stretch in the braid, the hooks can tear out. Running fluorocarbon as a mainline can be beneficial in this situation.
When you hook a kingfish using braid, you can really up the pressure and stop them before they bust you off. situations for casting distance or in open water where structure won’t cause damage to the braid. In these situations, it may be casting for calamari, flathead, mulloway, bream, snapper or gummy shark. But then again, many anglers targeting kingfish use PE braids when jigging around structure, and this is because of the diameter of the braid preventing the current from having any influence over the vertical fall of the jig. Aside from abrasion resistance, braid also has zero stretch. This means that should an end of the braid be tied directly to a hook or other piece of terminal tackle, there is no
give or buffer to absorb the impact. This can cause the hook to tear or pull out of the fish. To prevent this,
anglers can join a length of ‘leader’ or ‘trace’ material to the end of the braid via a PR, FG, Slim Beauty
Braid does not stretch, so you have to use a length of leader as the shock absorber.
or Double Uni knot. This length of leader will be the shock absorber preventing the hook from tearing out during a battle. Another fact about braid to know is that it floats and is susceptible to wind. This means that if you’re using light weight lures or unweighted baits in conditions when it is windy, you could miss the bite due to the excess line waving around in the air. On average, braid is about 1/3 of the diameter of monofilament fishing line (for the same breaking strain) making its bite detection extraordinary. However, if the lure or bait is light in weight coupled with wind, it
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can be difficult to see the moment a fish takes the offering and you could miss it. In calm conditions, if a lure or bait is taken the rod will instantly load, indicating that a fish has taken the offering. This is particularly helpful when bait fishing for gummy shark and snapper in tidal areas such as Western Port or Southern Port Phillip Bay, as well as lure fishing for flathead, bream, trevally and trout. MONOFILAMENT With all the pros of braid, it almost seems as if monofilament is obsolete, but this is far from the truth. Monofilament has been around from what seems like the dawn of
time. Monofilament was first produced back in 1939 by the DuPont company following the invention of nylon, the first synthetic fibre of its time. To this day, monofilament is still one of the most widely used fishing lines for many reasons. While it might not be as thin or responsive as braid, monofilament still does have its place in the market. Monofilament, or mono as it is also known, gets its name from being a single strand of line. Monofilament lines are produced by using a mixture of polymers that are heated and then extruded through tiny holes
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9
Offshore offerings open lots of opportunities MALLACOOTA/EDEN
Kevin Gleed captainkev@wildernessfishingtours.com
Over the holidays, the Eden Mallacoota area was abuzz with visitors and the offshore fishing has been excellent. Sand and tiger flathead have been really on the bite, with fish of good size caught
out of Eden right through to west of Mallacoota. The key is to keep moving until a patch of fish can be found. Plenty of gummy sharks have been caught and the fish are spread out with anglers catching them from a number of locations. Schools of undersized kingfish have been around but once you find the bigger fish, you can catch kingies to around
This 62cm tailor grabbed a soft plastic.
90cm live baiting, jigging and trolling. If you use the Bastion Point boat ramp it’s best to try and avoid the low tide period, as the entrance to the harbour is very shallow. Fishing in all the local estuaries has fired up and dusky flathead have come on the bite. The lake at Mallacoota has been fishing exceptionally well with plenty of fish caught over the size limit of 55cm and plenty in the 80-85cm bracket. Fish are feeding on the many prawns in the system, so any lure resembling a prawn is a good choice. When fishing for a feed, anglers have had no problem catching a bag limit of smaller eating size fish. Big tailor have also been caught, with fish to 70cm not uncommon. Plenty of these fish earn their freedom as they bite through the leader and swim off with your lure in their mouth. The upstream areas are the best areas to fish if targeting bream. Salmon are in the lake and won’t be leaving, as the lake is closed. Unfortunately, the lake has
Young Jarrod was happy with an 83cm flathead caught in Harrisons Channel. been opened prematurely the last two times, with the last time opened purposefully just to let water out, dragging sand with it and now the entrance area is choked with sand. The future is not
looking promising – gone are the days when boats headed out to sea, crossing the bar. Rain is needed for the bass fishing to fire up, as all the local creeks and rivers have stopped flowing.
• This report was supplied prior to the devastating bush fires that engulfed the area. Our thoughts and best wishes are with those who have been affected and hope for a speedy recovery of the area.
Berley is the secret for summer success BERMAGUI
Darren Redman djsxstreamfishing@bigpond.com
No matter what areas you may be fishing, whether it is offshore, along the beaches, from the rocky shoreline through to the estuaries, there is no doubt that if you try using berley it will increase your catch rate and may even produce some species often not encountered just by using bait or lures. Estuary fishing couldn’t be better with warm water throughout the systems making for good fishing. On the tidal flats, using squirt worms or nippers with the rising tide will produce whiting, bream, blackfish and a host of other species. Small lures and flies will work too and if you haven’t got a boat, the weather should be warm enough to wade as the tide recesses. The places fishing the best in the Bermagui River have been around any form of structure, regardless of tide. These areas give fish cover and a safety zone and may come in the form of weed beds, rock and oyster bars, drop-offs or artificial structure like bridge pylons and boat jetties. You don’t have to be throwing baits and lures right into the structured areas. Try holding out from these areas and bring the fish to you with berley so they can be fought 42
FEBRUARY 2020
Mac tuna often visit in the warmer months and are partial to a high-speed lure. out in clear water to reduce the chance of break-offs. It’s surprising how far fish (especially bream) will travel from their safety zone when enticed by a scent. Offshore game fishing will be at its best with large numbers of marlin, tuna, sharks, and mahimahi patrolling the vast baitfish schools that come with the warm summer water. The edge of the Continental Shelf, Twelve, Six and even the Four Mile reefs will all hold their share of baitfish and with them will be the predators. For marlin, every season is different, as tides, moon phases and current dictate where the fish will be holding. A well-set lure pattern trolled behind boats will produce not
only marlin but other species as well. If water temperatures are up, start trolling close to shore and work your way out to find where the fish are holding. Once they’re found, work the areas over, either staying on lures or using baits. Sharks are best targeted with berley and for best results, use plenty of tuna in it. Out over the shelf will be better with makos, blues, hammerheads and tigers all in the warm water. Berleying the Twelve Mile will also produce sharks with the added bonus of being able to bottom fish. The step out from Tilba back towards Bermagui has good numbers of sand flathead, red gurnard and the odd gummy shark frequenting there. Closer to
shore out from Camel Rock, plenty of small to mid-range sand flathead are being caught. South of Bermagui, the reefs through to Goalen Head and as far out as the Twelve Mile have been producing large amounts of quality bottom dwellers. Snapper, mowies, tiger flathead, kingies and a host of others can all be encountered in increasing numbers. With warm water pushing right into the shoreline, beach and rock anglers have a great chance for some good pelagic action. The deeper rock platforms around Bermagui Headland, Mystery Bay to the north and Bunga to the south have been seeing a host of
different surface feeding fish come within range of land-based anglers. Those wishing to target species such as kingfish, tuna, sharks, the occasional marlin and to the lesser scale salmon and bonito from the rocks may do so using a variety of techniques. Lure fishing has gained popularity again with the introduction of large plastics to the scene. High-speed retrieves with large metal lures have not been forgotten and have been producing a variety of different speedsters. However, live baiting is still the favoured way of producing large fish from the rocks.
There are some cracking bream over the shallow flats in the Bermagui River.
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We are ready to roll! From a little company established in 1998, ABT’s done some pretty big things over the years. Established in the era of consolidated media and a real bait fishing and trolling culture, I truly think that we have changed the way we fish. You guys are innovators and early adopters. You’re
always the first to take on new tackle, techniques and gear and happy to share the fruits of your labours. Every year, more and more of you are happy to run cameras and show the fans what you’re doing out on the water. ‘Who Shares Wins’ has never been more relevant or more widely adopted. Thank
This is where we all want to be – holding up the perennial trophy at the end of the season and enjoying the accolades being an ABT winner offers. The new boat is nice, too. 4
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you for that. It helps the industry grow, our sport grow and it helps you raise the bar as anglers. Increasingly, we are able to reach more and more people with what we do. Fifteen years ago, it was magazines and the AFC TV show that promoted growth in our sport. Nowadays we still use the magazine network (after all, you’re reading this in one) of Fishing Monthly Magazines, and a variety of other channels to get out our other content. Last year, ABT produced videos reached 549,000 people through our digital platforms. That number rises every year. All of it has a hub on the ABT website (www.abt. org.au). Each event, the front page story for that event has links to the preview stories, results, image galleries, videos and everything else we publish - wherever we publish it. So you don’t need to trawl through a site, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram to get what you need. Just visit the site and it’ll all be there for you. On that note, it’s worth mentioning that we will be transitioning our platform for our live weigh-ins from the Facebook platform to our YouTube channel in 2020. It may take a while to train our viewers to look for it there, but remember, it’ll also be embedded in ABT’s page for that event. If in doubt, go to www.abt.org.au. If you’re a YouTube
Main: You’ll see this van kicking around the ABT circuit again this year, sometimes with a stage trailer on the back and sometimes with the Fishing Monthly boat. Say g’day if you see us on the road! Above: The ABT website is the hub of all ABT information and media streams. You’ll find the 2020 weigh-ins embedded here from this year forwards. subscriber, the channel to follow is ‘ABT Tournaments’. Make sure you subscribe and hit the little bell – that way you’ll be notified when we go live from each weigh-in – just like Facebook occasionally does for you now. And like we see every year, you can watch it from your phone, from your computer at work or streamed to your 70” telly at home! We have a new boat sponsor this year – Bluefin Boats is back. Bass Cat is still a minor ABT sponsor (through Manning River Marine) but the declining Aussie dollar has put the brakes on a Bass Cat for a major prize for the moment. We’ve given away plenty of Bluefin boats in the past, some at BASS Electric Conventions and some at the ABT Grand Finals. Graham Franklin and Neil Kelly won a pigeon pair at the Lake
Macquarie BREAM Final in 2017 and Jeremy O’Connell won one at a BASS Electric Convention at Hinze that I saw on the water at the Australian Open this year. Brad and his team from Bluefin Boats have been long time supporters of ABT. This year, we have a prize boat for the boater winners of both the BREAM and the BASS Grand Finals AND for the winner of the BASS Electric Grand Finals. That’s three Bluefin boats that’ll go to new owners at the conclusion of the tournament season. A BassPro 498 in the BASS, a Bass Pro 463 in the BREAM and a decked out P-Series in the BASS Electric. And if you think that we’re just giving away tinnies, think again. Bluefin’s new Alloycraft Bass Pro
models have the looks, the storage and the affordability to be a serious contender for boater bucks when it comes to getting on the water. Check out their rigs on www. bluefinboats.com.au. ABT also gets great support from outboard motor suppliers. After all, at our first BASS series in 1999, the average horsepower on a tournament boat was under 30hp. Nowadays, most fields average between 150 and 200hp and we are definitely spending more money on our boats than ever before. Mercury in the BREAM and Evinrude in the BASS offer owner bonus programs to reward ABT anglers who perform well and support their product. We also have some out-of-industry sponsors who help the machine roll. Neil Carstairs from Mortgage
Corp immediately saw the value of live broadcasting and has been helping us do it ever since. Without Neil’s help you’d still be wondering what’s going on at weigh-ins and on the water. Instead, we can stream it to you – LIVE! What you mightn’t know is that Neil can also help you with your fishing. He’s a specialist at re-financing your mortgages in your favour. The way it works is that the less you have to pay the banks, the more you can spend on boats and doing what you love. Seriously, give him a call if you think that you’re a slave to your bank and see what he can do about it for you. It won’t cost you a cent to ask and he has helped more of your fellow anglers than you’d think. And lastly, of course, there’s the broad range of tackle sponsors that keep ABT ticking. We’ve always had a theory that a lot of companies kicking the can a little bit is the healthiest thing for our sport. A GFC, dozens of natural disasters, a massive change in the media landscape and a generational change in the anglers and we are still going strong thanks to their support. They provide the product for the prize packs and some coin to pay our
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After 20 years, there’s plenty of history being created. Aaron Sharp named the Queensland Open trophy ‘Geoff’. After all, he’s been looking after it for a lot of its life. hard working ABT staff. New sponsors on board this year include VMC hooks, Megabass and we see the return of Atomic, BKK Humminbird and ProLure. We have a new ABT Tournament Director starting this year, so we hope that you’ll make him welcome.
Want to know who it is? You’ll find out at the BREAM Queensland Open when he starts his role. Nicholle Smith has become the backbone of ABT sponsorship and media and Kym Rowbotham the hub of all entries at the ABT head office in Shailer Park
in Queensland. Plenty of you met them during the year and at the Grand Final dinner on the Gold Coast. Keep playing nice with these ladies and they’ll make your tournament smooth and enjoyable. And finally, there’s you guys. Thank you for your business and your
membership of ABT. Your membership fees help to keep the wheels turning back at the office and it is appreciated. We’ve had excellent uptake of the digital subscription tokens that we send out each month with the ABT member email newsletter. Instead of a single,
posted copy of the magazine for your state, we now offer you all four of the Fishing Monthly magazines in a digital form for you to read at your leisure. Going to a tournament interstate? No worries – read up about the areas before you go. That’s where it’s powerful. Not getting your ABT member newsletter? Call the office and make sure that we have your correct email address. Also, check your Junk Mail folder, sometimes your mail server doesn’t know the difference between quality email content and that letter from the Nigerian millionaire that wants to give you all the cash. Prefer a printed copy? Call the office and Kym will swap you across to a print version for your state. Call (07) 3387 0888. There are several event changes in 2020, you can read about them in the pages of the 2020 Tournament Angler Guide. We’ve added a BARRA event in Tinaroo, added an event to the Costa BREAM Series, changed the Samaki BREAM Queensland Open to a multi-venue, weekend event and we’re leaving the BASS Pro tour exactly as it is! See you on the water in 2020.
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Samaki Queensland Open changes for 2020 The Samaki Queensland Open has had an interesting history. It’s an event that has had many names over the years. It was an Invitational at the old Brisbane Tinnie and Tackle Show and it’s been both a teams and singles event at the Cleveland Boating, Caravan and Outdoor Expo for a number of years. And now 2020 sees the format become more mobile and locked into a two-day, weekend footprint. The Daiwa BREAM Australian Open uses multiple venues to test anglers across the tournament days. Brisbane’s waterways have the same potential, so from 2020, the Samaki Queensland Open will feature two
There’s a great mood involved in a Queensland Open event. Anglers fishing a wide arena tend to look after each other and share some great days on the water.
How’s this for a mean assortment of breamers? We expect fields to increase in 2020 with a reduction in days to two-days and a weekend footprint. Payouts are based on 100% of entry fees paid back plus added prizes.
SAMAKI QUEENSLAND OPEN Event: Samaki BREAM Queensland Open Dates: 22-23 February 2020. Venue: Gold Coast (1-day), Moreton Bay (1-day). Venue order will be weather dependent. Entry Fee: $550, 100% payback. Coverage: Full ABT Live weigh-ins plus Garmin highlights cameras. Format: Boater-only with paired observers is available.
days on two different sections of Brisbane and surrounding waterways. And with the massive arena divided, anglers will need to formulate different plans if they’re able to take the trophy off encumbent Queensland Open Champion, Jamie McKeown.
The arena will be divided at the Powerlines at the mouth of the Logan River. ABT Director, Steve Morgan said, “The split of the Sydney arenas has had nothing but positive feedback in the Australian Open, so we’re looking To page 8
McKeown displays the bait that caught him the winning fish in the 2019 Queensland Open – the Tiemco Lonesome Sweeper.
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Fast Ripping. Hard Stopping. The RipStop® and new RipStop® deep tail design creates a fast ripping, hard stopping, flashing swimbait action. Its forward motion stops on a dime, with a subtle shimmy before coming to a rest, then ever so slightly lifts its head with a super slow rise. Cast and wind, wind and stop, twitch, snap, rip and suspend, fish it your favorite way for all species of gamefish. RPS09 | RPS12 | RPSD12 |
7g 14g 15g
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9cm 12cm 12cm
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Running Depth: 0.9-1.2m Running Depth: 1.3-1.6m Running Depth: 1.2-2.4m
| Suspending | Suspending | Slow Rise
rapala.com.au
IN STORES NOW
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forward to rolling out that theory in the Queensland version. “We’re also aligning the event with a weekend footprint to see if we can encourage more Queenslanders to come and test themselves in this boater-only, Open format. “Naturally, we’ll also have spots available for observers, so that if you want to spend a day aboard with some of Queensland’s best breamers, you just
Tournament Angler Guide need to let us know and we can allocate you with the leading anglers. It’s a great way to accelerate your learning curve.” McKeown, who is currently looking after both the BREAM Australian Open and the Samaki BREAM Queensland Open trophies, added, “It’s such a big arena and you’ll need to have a variety of spots and plans if you want to take the title in 2020. “And you don’t need to be a local to do well.
We’re unsure how often this will happen. Jamie McKeown won the 2019 Daiwa Australian Open and the 2019 NuLook Floors Queensland Open in the same year. Amazing effort!
Dave Mackenzie (commonly known as TNB: Tristo’s Non Boater) chanced his arm alone at the 2019 Open and finished just out of the money. His name is on the perpetual trophy plenty of times.
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abt.org.au Last year South Australian, Wally Fahey, fell one legal fish short of a win by focusing on a simple, canal fishing pattern and sticking to it for the whole event. Get in the groove and anyone can take home the win,” he continued. The other change for the Queensland Open this year is the time of year. Originally held at any time between March and September, the last few years have seen it run in spring. The move to late summer will mix it up again,
with bream in a different phase of their yearly cycles. Are you keen? You just need an ABT capable boat (3.7m or greater with 20hp or greater) and a 60L recirculating livewell. Fill out the entry forms when they become available and you’re in.
BREAM QUEENSLAND OPEN
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Moreton Bay rat Denis Metzdorf is always up there at a Moreton Bay event. His success in the Queensland Opens, Australian Opens and Grand Finals has elevated him into the top 5 ranked BREAM anglers at the end of 2019. The Queensland Open gets you plenty of rankings points.
ALL FISHERMEN ARE CREATED EQUAL.
SOME JUST USE BETTER LINE. AND BETTER LINE JUST GOT EVEN BETTER WITH THE NEW COLOUR, FIRE CAMO!
NEON LIME
FIRE CAMO
COASTAL CAMO
www.sufix.com.au
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Tournament Angler Guide
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Barra events expand in 2020 Arguably, the ABT BARRA tour is the best fun you can have fishing. Socialising by day and catching barra by night, the 50-odd anglers who make the trip each year sample the best that the Mackay and surrounds can offer when it comes to catching big, impoundment barra. In 2019, there was plenty going on in BARRA events. We added the Venom Rods BARRA Australian Open at a resurgent Lake Awoonga to take advantage of this fishery, which is coming back strong. A 100% payback and some great prizes from Venom will
Mick Detenon broke through for his first BARRA event win at Faust in 2019. Let’s hope he can continue the momentum in one of the six 2020 BARRA events.
Who could forget the 137cm Kinchant Dam beast that graced the deck of John Campbell’s boat in 2019? At a tad under 50kg, the 2020 events will still reward big fish with their estimated weight, but the AOY points will reward numbers of barra a little more. This fish set social media alight!
ensure that this event grows from year to year. In 2020, this event will be held on the lead up to the early October full moon, a few weeks later than the 2019 event. According to Awoonga guide, Justin Nye, this is the best time of the year to catch these fish. It’s a three-day event with the final night landing right before the full moon. And, for the first time in over a decade, ABT BARRA is headed back to Tinaroo Dam. A lake famous
What would a BARRA Tour be without a Colin Brett? This man is dangerous with a barra rod or a beer in hand. for world record barra, it’s a fishery on the rise and according to locals, it’ll fish great on the early November full moon when the event is scheduled. There are two full moons in November. The one at the end of the month is
traditionally when the Zerek BARRA Tour is held, and 2020 will mimic the popular rotation of lakes in a weeklong, four-event series that will end up crowning the 2020 BARRA Team of the Year. There’s a calendar hereby for you to lock in the dates,
www.keitechaus.com C R E AT E , I N N O VAT E , D O M I N AT E
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DEALER ENQUIRIES CONTACT BADEN
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but there’s also a full BARRA Tournament Angler Guide published later in the year, so keep an eye out for that in the Fishing Monthly publications. BARRA TEAM OF THE YEAR There was a lot of discussion on the 2019 BARRA Tour about trying to reward the teams who catch a limit of fish. With the length/ weight curve used to run the
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Tournament Angler Guide
abt.org.au events, a big barra can beat a whole limit of little fish. ABT won’t be changing the app-based system that converts verified lengths into weights of fish in 2020, but we will be modifying the points system that we use to decide the Angler of the Year to reflect the numbers of fish caught. Teams have always received 100 points for an event win and one less point
for each place down the list they finish. In 2020 there will be a bonus point awarded for each barra caught in the session (up to a limit of 5 fish). Therefore, you can now technically get up to 105 AOY points in a one day event, and each fish caught matters in the AOY race. So we now have a Team of the Year trophy that’s skewed to reward consistency, and an event system that’s designed
Jimmy Reid’s now retired from running tournaments and weighing fish, but you may well see him around with a rod in the hand in 2020 events. to reward big fish. Finally, the 2020 Team of the Year will count your top 5/6 events, allowing you to drop or miss a round. Canny anglers will also realise that a three-day event will offer plenty of opportunities
for bonus points (up to 15 bonus points available in a three-day event) where a single day event will only offer potential for an extra five points. That makes the Australian Open look
appealing, doesn’t it! Want to get on board? Lock in the dates, stock up on your Zereks and organise your time off. We’d love to have you there for any or all of the BARRA events in 2020.
2020 BARRA EVENTS Date Event Sep 29 - Oct 1 R1: Venom Rods BARRA Australian Open Oct 30-31 R2: Edge Rods Tinaroo 2-Day Nov 26 R3: Wilsons Lake Kinchant Event Nov 27 R4: Teemburra Dam Evening Event Nov 29 R5: Faust All-nighter Dec 1-2 R6: Faust 2-Day
Dylan Brier-Mills is stoked that the Zerek Barra Series is coming to Tinaroo in Spring 2020. He’s a gun on the lake and reckons that fishing will be ‘grouse’.
Location Lake Awoonga Tinaroo Dam Kinchant Dam Teemburra Dam Peter Faust Dam Peter Faust Dam
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KOMODO RODS Fast, powerful one-piece 30T Toray carbon blanks. Hero Hi-Grade guides. Five models that cover bass to barra, including an 8’0” 8-15kg swimbait beast.
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Tournament Angler Guide
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Humminbird BASS Electric Open to boom in 2020 ABT
Joey Urquhart
With the new year upon us and the regular BASS electric season about to get underway, let’s fast forward to the end of the season to the pinnacle of the calendar, the BASS Electric Australian Open. 2019 saw the inaugural Valleyhill BASS Electric Open take place at Wyaralong Dam in Southeast Queensland, and following
its initial success, it’s back in 2020 with a new naming sponsor: Humminbird. It promises to be bigger and
Day 1 Highlights
better while offering 100% pay back in cash plus prizes to all bass anglers wanting to get their hands on the trophy. Most people won’t have heard of Wyaralong Dam as it only finished construction in 2011. Only weeks after construction, however, the large catchment area received massive rainfall which filled the dam in a matter of weeks. Located about 15 minutes’ drive west of Beaudesert and only a 1-hour drive from Brisbane and northern NSW, it’s perfect for day trips.
This puts a new meaning to catching them in the trees. Blades fished right amongst the timber yielded results in 2019.
Two typical size Wyaralong bass. That’s right – this is the average size when you fish reaction baits in the right places. These fish came from heavy timber.
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Wyaralong is an up and coming lake that is jam-packed with plenty of big bass and huge numbers of small bass – but rest assured that the by-catch of carp and tilapia will keep you busy. The dam offers great access for all types of boats, whether it’s a 3m tinny or a 20ft bass boat, with great car park facilities to accommodate all trailers. You can leave your petrol motors attached, you just
can’t use them. BRINGING IN THE BASS Wyaralong is really a bass fisher’s dream, offering everything from rocky banks, sunken timber and lily pads to reed-lined foreshore. There’s something for every angler to target, no matter what your favourite technique is. 2019 saw the bar being raised yet again in the BASS Electric Australian Open held there. Wyaralong turned
it on with nine 6kg+, 5-bass limits, with the largest for the tournament coming in at just over 8kg. The Big Bass prize was fiercely contested, and the eventual winner tipped the scales at 2.03kg. It is really one of those lakes where you can catch them on anything, although there were some stand-out lures from the 2019 Open. Day one leader Charles West chose to target sunken timber using his lipless
cranks to great effect, and I also opted for the same technique, which helped to put me in the top three going into the last day. Talking to anglers after the tournament showed that more then half the field opted for this same technique, while eventual
Day 2 Highlights
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Tournament Angler Guide
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There are plenty of these in Wyaralong – big timber standing in open water. The bass love these areas.
Adrian Wilson weighed a cracking bag on Day 2 of the 2019 BASS Electric Australian Open with quality fish like this.
Want to be treated like a BASS Pro angler? The BASS Electric Australian Open has the same payout percentage and coverage as the BASS Australian Open on Glenbawn. Boom.
winner Jake Schwerin fished the same structure throwing a spinnerbait, keeping it in contact with the timber at all times. The trusty old blade played a big part in filling people’s limits, although the average fish size on blades was a lot smaller than those caught on reaction baits. You can see lots of the angler highlights in the videos captured at the event – just scan the QR codes hereby or search on ABT’s YouTube channel (ABT Tournaments). WHAT’S IN STORE IN 2020 Jumping forward to this year’s event, I think we will see a lot more of this lake
unlocked as anglers search and find that something a little different. In saying that, I think if you were going to fish this event you would be silly not to have a lipless crank tied, and searching different ground from the community spots could prove crucial. Rain could also play a big part in this event. Having large amounts of rain that cool the water down could see the edges fire with jerkbaits, but that’s totally weather dependent. Another way to bring in a large limit I feel could be the very popular skirted jig. It’s a technique that hasn’t been fished there a lot and To page 16
Dean Thompson’s old man was the inaugural BASS Pro Angler of the Year in 1999. The young bloke can catch them pretty well, too.
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Tournament Angler Guide
abt.org.au dam permits you to leave your petrol motor on the boat, there’s no excuses not to come. For more information on this event or any of the BASS electric events jump onto www.abt.org.au and follow the links to the entry forms and rule sheets. As a wrap, I personally love this dam and if you love catching XOS bass on a number of different techniques you will be mad if you miss this one. Will we see that elusive 10kg limit come in or even a 3kg bass? I know one thing for sure and that’s there’s every possibility of both happening. Hope to see you there.
From page 15
if done on the right structure at the right time could be the winning combination. Be assured though that anything could produce a big bag as it’s really undocumented and there’s a lot more to learn about this lake. The Open format allows anglers to fish for a 5-fish limit while not having the pressure of someone else in the boat. You also have the chance to take home some big prize money and at only $250 per angler entry, its great odds. This event is open to all boats, providing they are only run by electric power and given that Wyaralong
There’s a lot of great looking country in Wyaralong. Bring your own favourite baits and techniques to dissect it for yourself.
Adrian Wilson spends a lot of time at Wyaralong. “The secret is out,” he said after the 2019 Open.
A small electric-powered boat or a big bass boat are both fishable in Wyaralong. You can leave your petrol motor on while fishing the event.
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Tournament Angler Guide
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QUIET BY NAME POWERFUL BY DESIGN THE MOST POWERFUL BEST TOP-END SPEED AND ACCELERATION THE MOST EFFICIENT FISH ALL DAY AND THEN SOME THE QUIETEST GET IN CLOSER WITHOUT SPOOKING FISH OWN YOUR SPOT POWER TO ANCHOR REGARDLESS OF WIND CONDITIONS
SUITABLE FOR FRESHWATER ONLY abt
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WHAT’S NEW FISHING SFT TAKUMI
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SFT is a new tackle brand to hit Australian shores, and the range includes some serious lures for serious offshore anglers. Anyone who keeps an ear to the ground would have already heard of the SFT Takumi lure last tuna season in South Australia. The Takumi has been the must-have lure to use, with countless fish caught on it. The Takumi comes in three sizes, 75mm, 95mm and 125mm. It can be trolled or cast, and being a weighted lure it tracks straight and quite fast, allowing it to be trolled at speeds up to 15 knots. Boasting fully wired though construction and Owner trebles straight out the pack, the Takumi also runs well with inline singles for catch and release anglers. The SFT range also includes lures to suit salmon, kingfish, GTs, mulloway, barramundi, snapper and more. You can check out the range and stockist locations at the SWL Distributions website. You can also follow SFT Australia on Facebook and Instagram. www.swldistributions.com.au
DAIWA LEGALIS RODS
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The new Daiwa Legalis series is light in the hand yet heavy in quality. Featuring advanced design and excellent value for money, this rod series performs well above its price point. The Legalis’ Braiding X graphite blank, with its robust and rugged construction, boasts superior lightness, sensitivity and responsiveness. The Legalis’ impressive blank is matched by its equally impressive hardware, with stainless steel O ring guides, Daiwa Surround Hold reel seats and a combination of cork and EVA grips providing comfort, control and stylish design and looks. With a range that includes 16 models (10 spin and six baitcaster), the Legalis series has tapers and designs to suit a variety of angling types, from ultra-light estuary to heavy-duty freshwater and inshore. If you’re in the market for a good quality budget baitcaster, check out the range at your favourite tackle store. www.daiwafishing.com.au
NEW ZMAN COLOURS
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There have been some exciting new ZMan colour additions, including purple death, the Wright stuff and hot craw. Purple death is making a name for itself in both the fresh and salt, thanks to its UVreactive green belly, translucent purple back and micro glitter that adds a natural scale flash. It is available in both the 3” MinnowZ and 4” DieZel MinnowZ. The Wright stuff colour is named after US angler Jesse ‘Redfish’ Wright, who helped design it. This natural translucent brown colour contains a mix of black, gold and copper fleck, making it dynamite in dirty and tannin-stained water, along with targeting species that reside around muddy and weedy environments. Available in the 3” MinnowZ and 4” DieZel MinnowZ, these two new colours will be on the menu for flathead, barra, jacks, mulloway, bass and more. The hot craw colour has a dark back over a bright red, with a black and gold glitter. Hot Craw is an excellent reaction colour, and it stands out from the natural colour range offered in these models. It’s available in both the 2.5” TRD CrawZ and 2.75” TRD BugZ. The 2.5” TRD CrawZ, 2.75” TRD BugZ and 3” MinnowZ have six per pack, while the
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PRODUCT GUIDE 4” DieZel MinnowZ has five per pack. Price: SRP $11.95 www.z-man.com.au
TICA BRUTE WOLF REEL
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TiCA has released a new large sized spinning reel for the budget conscious angler, and it’s jam-packed with quality features at an affordable price. The TiCA Brute Wolf features a high tensile strength slim body frame that helps to keep weight down. Other features include a forged aluminium spool, computer-balanced rotor, multi anti-reverse, TiCA’s IOS Intelligent Oscillating System, and four TiCA rust-resistant bearings. The Brute Wolf also offers a robust 10kg of drag pressure, and comes with an extra large, round EVA power handle for extreme cranking power. The Brute Wolf will retrieve 90cm of line per handle turn on its 4.4:1 ratio, and will hold 320m of 20lb line. All in all, it’s the perfect entry level reel for the angler wanting a large line capacity while fishing the rocks or surf. Price: SRP $70 www.jurofishing.com
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TASSIE DEVIL BLADES 5 AND SPOONS The new Tasmanian Devil Blade features a uniquely designed spinner blade which has been created to match the famous Tasmanian Devil lure. The blade provides a distinct, enticing action as it spins through the water. The Devil Blade range features custom Tasmanian Devil paint designs that have been created specifically for freshwater species. Devil Blades are available in two sizes, 3.8g and 5.4g, and each lure is equipped with quality terminal tackle and VMC treble hooks. Another new release is the Devil Spoon, which has the dual attraction of vibration and flash. As the spoon travels through the water it flutters from side to side and emits a vibration that attracts fish, even in cloudy water. The polished underside of the Devil Spoon produces a flash attraction which is particularly effective in clear, running water, and it’s a proven trigger for predatory species. It’s available now in 7.5g and 12.5g sizes. www.jmgillies.com.au
BIWAA BALTIK 7” PADDLE TAIL
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The Baltik Swimbait 7” is one of the newest members of BIWAA’s soft swimbait line-up, and has been designed by one of BIWAA’s most innovative pro staffers, Kevin Hernandez. The Baltik Swimbait 7” looks as good as it performs, and is great for a wide variety of presentations. It can be fished with great effect at any speed. This big 7” paddle tail is what you need if you are targeting barramundi, mulloway or cod. You can rig it with weighted or unweighted weedless hooks, or use a jighead with a 7/0 hook. Other features include: durable and long lasting plastic formulation; 3D eyes; photorealistic paint designs; and 3D scales to create an ultra lifelike appearance. The BIWAA Baltik Swimbait 7” is available in six colours (08 – herring, 19 – aurora gold, 22 – hitch, 008 – pearl white, 303 – pro blue, 305 – lavender) and comes in packs of two. You can view the full colour range on the EJ Todd website. www.ejtodd.com.au
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visit www.tacklejunkie.fish for the latest tackle news - AS IT HAPPENS!
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PRODUCT GUIDE
WHAT’S NEW FISHING
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SAMAKI MANGROVE JACK
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The Manic Jack shirt takes red dogs to a new level! Aggressive by nature, this powerhouse of a species pounces at speed, attacking the Samaki Redic lure – and lurking in the background is the school of pups waiting for an opportunity to join in on the feast. The lightweight fabric is perfect for all outdoor elements, shielding you from the harsh sun with UPF50+ protection. The soft touch 100% polyester material is comfortable on the body, and has the added feature of being breathable, keeping you cool and dry. Samaki designs are brought to you by Australian anglers who love to design Australian species. These shirts are available in adult, youth and kids sizes, ranging from size 2 through to a 5XL, allowing the whole family to get in on the action and out onto the water. You can find more information and stockists on the Samaki website. You can also see the latest releases, catch photos and special promotions on Facebook and Instagram. Price: SRP $59.95 (adults), SRP $49.95 (kids) www.samaki.com.au
RAPALA X-RAP MAG CAST
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Built heavy and aerodynamic for extreme casting distances, the new Rapala X-Rap Magnum Cast delivers even in the most demanding saltwater fishing conditions. Heavy-duty construction ensures that the X-Rap Magnum Cast stands up to the strongest of saltwater beasts. Featuring a perfectly balanced swimming action for fast retrieves, it will run straight even with the fastest cast-and-burn presentations. Its fluttering action on the drop also adds lifelike flash. Other features include: full wire through construction, extreme casting performance, perfect balance, new generation high definition colours, 3D holographic eyes, and durable in-line VMC single hooks. For more information head to the Rapala website, or look them up on Facebook (www.facebook. com/rapala.australia) or Instagram (@ rapalaaustralia). www.rapala.com.au
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SAMAKI TEFLON KNIVES
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Following an extensive design process, Samaki have produced a knife to suit all anglers. This knife fits comfortably in your hand, is built strong with a German stainless steel blade, and is rust resistant with a Teflon coating. The ultra-sharp German stainless steel blade is of the finest quality, with excellent durability and longevity, and a Teflon coating for rust resistance. The handle has been carefully shaped and moulded to suit a variety of anglers’ hands, fitting comfortably and allowing you to apply pressure when necessary. The two-toned Samaki design allows for a good grip and protection of your hand. Our sheaths are custom designed from the ground up, and have a sharpener at the tip for that quick touch up, a scoop for innards removal, rear belt clip for fast access and screw holes for attachment to your bait board or chopping board. This sheath has it all! With two lengths of 6.5” and 7.5”, Samaki offers a fine boning blade, two all-rounder fillet knives, and a super flex fillet. For more information and stockists, check
out the Samaki website. You can also join them on Instagram and Facebook for updates and catch photos. www.samaki.com.au
ZEREK ICE GIGOLO
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The Ice Gigolo is a classic ice jig that is 40mm long and available in six colours. Weighing an easy-to-use 10g, the Ice Gigolo is ideal for targeting suspended Australian bass, redfin and trout in our many lakes and reservoirs. Work it with a subtle hop or with light taps on the rod butt to shake the Gigolo in the fish’s face to ensure solid strikes. With a specifically placed tow point that allows the Ice Gigolo to dart from side to side easily, this lure is fantastic for shut down and hard-totempt fish. Equipped with two strong single hooks on the ends and a belly treble underneath, hookup rates compare very well with all other ice jigs on the market. Clever anglers adjust this lure’s capabilities by removing the belly treble and placing a sinker on the hanger to give the lure greater depth capabilities without the loss of action. www.wilsonfishing.com.au
LIVETARGET SLOW ROLL SHINER
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The award-winning LiveTarget Slow Roll Shiner features Injected Core Technology (ICT) which produces a lifelike ultra-realistic metallic core with lifelike eyes and scale patterns produces large amounts of flash and providing perfect balance, while the outer Exo-Skin generates a hard-thumping paddle tail action. The result is a perfect looking, shimmering baitfish profile inside a larger, clear paddle-tail soft plastic. Unlike other soft plastics, the Slow Roll Shiner’s thumping tail creates a whole body rolling action. This subtle and enticing roll is irresistible to a range of species, including bream, bass, flathead and barra. It can be rigged weedless for fishing in snaggy country, and it’s also very effective when rigged on a traditional jighead and retrieved along the bottom. LiveTarget Slow Roll Shiners are currently available in six colours and three sizes. The 3” and 4” models come in a pack of four, and the 5” version comes in a pack of three. LiveTarget lures are distributed by EJ Todd, and you can check out the full range on their website. www.ejtodd.com.au
DAIWA X TIDE COLLAB
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It’s time to dress to impress with the Daiwa X Tide Collab range. Featuring a more generous sizing than previous collabs, the range ticks the boxes in both looks and comfort and welcomes some new stylings to the popular Daiwa X Tide Collab line-up. Featuring six pieces in the range, including two short sleeve T-shirt designs (Barramundi and Locked Up designs), Lake design long sleeve tee, and two-toned (black and camo) Nature Boardshorts, the new collab series is Daiwa streetwear with that classic Tide flavour. On the water the new Nature Jersey and Facemask will have you protected from the elements with their SPF 50+ rating, and the contemporary style will stand out in a crowd on the beach, boat or headland. Look good and stay protected this summer with the Daiwa X Tide Collab summer series. www.daiwafishing.com.au
Please email contributions to: nicole@fishingmonthly.com.au FEBRUARY 2020
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WHAT’S NEW FISHING
PRODUCT GUIDE
JIG STAR SHIMANO BLUE STARWALKER LURES 13 ROMANCE Jig Star evolved after its founder and acclaimed jigging expert Chris Wong in New Zealand had spent many years jigging with some of the world’s most renowned big fish anglers from Japan, USA, Southeast Asia, South Africa and New Zealand. Hundreds of hours were spent testing products. One of his latest releases is the Starwalker, an inexpensive but productive topwater stickbait that has proven highly effective on yellowtail kingfish, tuna and giant trevally. Starwalker lures cast like bullets, are perfectly weight balanced, and don’t tumble during casting. These lures feature a hi-tech laser etched holographic finish, and come in eight vibrant natural baitfish finishes. Starwalker lures are 18cm long and are available in both floating (100g) and sinking (130g) models. Each lure features a wire through body construction for added strength, and stainless steel tow points. These lures come un-rigged to allow the angler to determine their chosen configuration. Jig Star recommends using 8/0-9/0 inline hooks, such as Jig Star In-Line Hooks, to ensure a perfect swimming action. To find out more about the Jig Star range visit the Juro Oz Pro Tackle website. www.jurofishing.com
SHIMANO BRENIOUS 14 JIGS The Brenious NT (bottom style) jigs are an exciting new way to fish soft plastics, introduced to Australia direct from the Japanese domestic market. This innovative snag resistant jig is designed for bottom style fishing and can be hopped, slow rolled, jigged and dead sticked and consistently accounts for fish in a diverse range of environments. This finesse jig can be used with a variety of plastic styles in the Squidgy Bio family and has proven deadly on a range of Australian species ranging from bream, flathead, snapper, trevally, bass, and yellowbelly. The Brenious NT jigs are available in three weights (5g, 7g and 10g) and four colours (flash purple, flash green, flash pink and suika red). Price: SRP $8.95 www.shimanofish.com.au
PRO LURE FISHTAIL
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Designed by Shimano Japan, the new Blue Romance series incorporates the most popular actions from the Australian TK3G series and unique Shimano rod components. Featuring Shimano’s High Power X graphite blanks, which features 0 and 90° wrapped graphite sheets and spiralled Infinity Tape prevents the rod twisting during the cast and the fight. A CI4+ reel seat provides weight reduction advantages, EVA grips for functionality and comfort, and Fuji’s classic K aeries Alconite guides throughout. There’s a choice of spin rods in one and two-piece in a range of line weights, from ultra-light up to heavy-duty. Baitcaster users are well covered also, with a single piece 5’8” and a 6’0” option featuring the same componentry, but with trigger grip reel seats. www.shimanofish.com.au
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PLATYPUS STEALTH 17 FC LEADER Manufactured in Japan to exacting specifications, Platypus Stealth FC is an advanced fluorocarbon leader that offers cutting-edge technology and excellent value for money. With over 120 years of line development and manufacturing in Australia, Platypus has comprehensively tested its fluorocarbon leaders to deliver a world-class product. This leader has extreme abrasion and impact resistance, excellent knot strength and a refractive index close to that of water, making it virtually invisible underwater. Stealth FC also has a quicker sink rate than mono, making it ideal for maintaining contact with baits and lures when sinking, while not absorbing water and in turn maintaining its strength throughout extended fishing sessions. An elastic line tamer comes with each spool, protecting and controlling the leader on the spool, while allowing easy dispensing via the eyelet on the line tamer. This avoids the spaghetti mess of leaders without keepers, and the difficulty of locating the end of the leader in hank style, clamshell spools. Platypus Stealth FC is available in breaking strains from 2lb-50lb, and spool lengths from 50-100m. Price: SRP $18.95 - $22.95 www.fishplatypus.com.au
RAPALA 15 RIP STOP
Over the past 12 months Pro Lure have been working on some modifications to the popular Fishtail soft bait. In order to increase the versatility and make the lure easier to rig, several changes have been made. A shallow split belly has been added to aid weedless rigging with worm hooks, and the dorsal fin has been removed, replaced with a shallow groove along the back, making it easier to rig straight and align jigheads, as well as having a protecting channel for weedless worm hook points to sit snugly. The final change is a slight narrowing up front so that standard jigheads will sit cleaner. The addition of a white albino colour to the range and more rigging options will provide more possibilities for the Fishtail. The Pro Lure Fishtail is available in three sizes, 80mm, 105mm, and 130mm. Trade enquiries can be directed to sales@ prolureaustralia.com.au. www.prolureaustralia.com.au
16
BROUGHT TO YOU BY
15
16
18
The new Rapala Rip Stop is described as ‘fast ripping – hard stopping’. Its unique boot tail design acts as a break when paused, and when the lure stops it perfectly suspends, triggering the bite. The one-of-a-kind tail design generates a fast-ripping and flashing swimbait action. The unique body style lessens forward travel after each twitch, delivering an action that is unlike anything the fish have ever seen. Built with a secondary lip towards the rear of the bait, the Rapala RipStop Jerkbait stops on a dime, and produces a subtle shimmy before coming to a rest, then ever-so-slightly lifts its heard with a super-slow rise. You can fish it for a range of species using a variety of techniques, and cast it far with little effort. This suspending lure is available in two sizes, 9cm (7g, 0.9-1.2m running depth) and 12cm (14g, 1.3-1.6m). There is also a Deep version, which is 12cm long and dives to 1.22.4m. www.rapala.com.au
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PRODUCT GUIDE
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Mangrove Outdoors M-Series Coolers – built tough, excellent cooling The 2020 cooler market isn’t quite as crowded as the sublimated fishing shirts scene, but the number of offerings – both good and bad – has certainly grown significantly in the last few years. When Mangrove Outdoors launched mid-way through last year, this Aussie small business set out to break the mould and offer features you won’t find in most other coolers at a price that’s not going to cost you a second mortgage. While there are big plans in place to expand the Mangrove Outdoors range, their first offering is fairly simple: three different sized coolers (20L, 45L and 70L) in three colours (Uluru Red, Daintree Camo and Thredbo White). Accompanying the coolers is a small range of accessories and apparel. Each is well made and features only subtle labelling.
The rubber latches keep a great seal but are easy enough to open that my 9yo daughter, Asha can easily open them.
20L CONSTRUCTION Rotomolded in the same fashion as your kayak might be, the walls of the coolers are made from BPA-free, UV-stabilised material and are smooth and easy clean after a trip. In between those walls is plenty of high-density poly foam insulation to keep your essentials cooler for longer. From the first time you pick them up you can feel they are built to last, and every cooler has its own unique pattern. FEATURES It’s clear that plenty of thought and research has been put into configuring each of the current sizes. All come with strong XL-sized hinges which don’t protrude from the main body, have comfortable non-slip handles, and oversized rubber latches that keep a tight seal but are easy enough to use that my 9yo daughter can open them. Perhaps my favourite feature though is the marine-grade, slip-resistant pad with a pair of cut-outs that fit your stubby perfectly. It also provides extra insulation and makes it comfy to sit on. The 45L and 70L models come standard with a dry goods basket, drink holder and an acrylic cutting board which also doubles as a divider. This is very handy for keeping your catch separate from your other food and drinks if you decide to keep a couple for the table. All models feature lockable lids and tiedown loops so you can leave them in the boat or ute tray without having to worry some scumbag will help themselves to your precious cargo. On the Mangrove Outdoors website there’s a handy guide of just what you’ll fit inside your new icebox, measured by beers + bags of ice. From my own ‘research’ they are accurate, and are as follows:
• 20L: 12 beers + one bag of ice • 45L: 30 beers + three bags of ice • 70L: 60 beers + four bags of ice When you add the storage basket to the larger two models you can also keep those other fishing trip essentials fresh and cool, – i.e. a couple of servo pies, a box of Pizza Shapes and two king-sized Chunky Kit-Kats. PERFORMANCE So far so good, but what happens when the sun starts to sizzle and you need to keep the T-bones and marlin cans cold? This is was the most impressive part for me. The M-Series coolers exceeded all my expectations when it came to
Plain old servo party ice was lasting up to three full days in the smaller two coolers, and when I went on a camping trip and took the big rig, I used the supplied info sheet and combined block ice I froze myself with 4L ice-cream containers. I was able to get five days of stable, dependable cooling before heading home for a much-needed shower! This is with all with very little maintenance from myself as far as opening the bung to drain the excess water. If I was more attentive it would have extended the life of the ice even further, but for the purpose of this review I wanted to just let it do its thing and report back on what you guys can expect as a basemark for performance.
OVERALL To say I’m impressed by the Mangrove Outdoors M-Series would be the understatement of the year. My family spends a lot of time in the outdoors, and being able to keep food fresh and drinks icy-cold away from home makes our lives so much better. For my kids to be able to easily grab themselves a drink or snack without me having to get up again might just be my favourite feature. With prices ranging from $229-$449 with free shipping available to most areas, Mangrove Outdoors are making it easy for Aussie fishos and families to have a premium quality cooler without the price tag you might see from overseas owned companies. If you’re tired of poor performance and durability from your current ice-box, jump onto www.mangroveoutdoors.com.au and order one for yourself. - RUPE
45L internal temperatures and how long the ice lasted in the red-hot Queensland summer. I’ve had all three out and about with me camping, at Christmas BBQs and running around the Gold Coast broadwater islands on a sweltering New Years Day. Each time they stood up to the heat and to my kids constantly opening them, despite growing levels of threats from myself!
70L
Please email contributions to: nicole@fishingmonthly.com.au FEBRUARY 2020
97
BAIT & TACKLE
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Naaj Marine 0421 955 371
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Korr Lighting She Left
www.korrlighting.com.au www.hdvcs.com.au
GT Lures
www.fishlures.com.au
FG Wizz
www.fgwizz.com.au
Kris Oakley Marine Services (03) 9794 5524 JV Marine World Braeside (03) 9798 8883 JV Marine World Laverton (03) 9368 7100 Nautical Marine (03) 5984 1666 Melbourne Marine Centre (03) 9703 2003 Regal Marine (03) 9874 4624 Streaker Marine (03) 9729 8288
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The Flyfisher Melbourne (03) 9621 1246
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BOAT HIRE Lake Eildon Houseboats (03) 9397 6977 Boab Boat Hire Shepparton (03) 5822 2108 Boab Boat Hire Echuca (03) 5482 1992
This section in V&TFM 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. 102
FEBRUARY 2020
HOLIDAY ACCOMMODATION WEST COAST
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ALL YOUR FISHING MONTHLY GEAR
Warrnambool Holiday Park (03) 5562 5031
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• Easy access for boats • 10 cabins (3 with ensuites) • LPG gas refills • Kiosk
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OPEN
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03 5687 1385
Shallow Inlet Caravan Park (03) 5687 1385
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$320 + GST for 6 months Email : pjung@fishingmonthly.com.au HOLIDAY ACCOMMODATION
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www.marlocamping.com.au Marlo Ocean Views Caravan and Camping Park, Marlo (03) 5154 8268
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Timeout Fishing Charters 0400 440 705 South-West Fishing Charters, Portland 0418 306 714 Gone Fishing Charters 0409 007 068
CHARTER BOATS Able Fishing & Charters, Williamstown (03) 9502 3777 ACE Fishing Charters, Bonbeach (03) 9773 4183 Adamas Fishing Charters, Barwon Heads (03) 5254 3320 Big Red Fishing Charters, Queenscliff 1800 805 587 Blue Magic Fishing Charters, Rowville (03) 9759 5301 Geelong Charters & Fishing Trips, Geelong (03) 5275 7107 Katrina Louise Charters, Cheltenham 0402 828 140 Kestrel Charters, Queenscliff (03) 5258 1783 Queenscliff Fishing Charters, Queenscliff 0458 504 058 Pro Red Fishing Charters 0421 442 775
Phone Cases From
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Rip Charters Fishing Trips, Sorrento (03) 5984 3664 Saltwater Charters, Queenscliff (03) 5258 4888 Off The Hook Fishing Charters 0419 554 916 St Kilda Fishing Charters, St Kilda (03) 9770 2200 Western Port Fishing Charters, Hastings (03) 9769 5544
Far Out Charters, Lakes Entrance 0428 401 819 Prom Coastal Charters, Yanakie (03) 5687 1248 or 0429 935 583 East Gippsland Charters 0400 564 032
FRESHWATER Angling Expeditions Victoria, Tawonga (03) 5754 1466 Highland Trout Lakes, Ballarat (03) 5368 9574 Millbrook Lakes Lodge, Ballarat (03) 5334 0404
TASMANIA & FLINDERS ISLAND Ausprey Tours, Launceston (03) 6630 2612 Gone Fishing Charters, St Helens (03) 6376 1553 Fish Wild Tasmania, Hobart 0418 348 223 Flinders Island Adventures, Flinders Island (03) 6359 4507 Trout Territory, Northern Midlands (03) 6397 5001
NSW SOUTH COAST
Bemm River Holiday Accommodation & Boat Hire, Bemm River
From
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Reel Affair, Merimbula freecall 1800 233 247 Espirit Charters, Bermagui (02) 6493 4104 or 0407 260 110 Freedom Charters, Eden (02) 6496 1209 or 0415 602 446 Headland Fishing Adventures, Merimbula (02) 6495 1134 Island Charters, Narooma (02) 4476 1047 or 0408 428 857 K9 Fishing Charters, Merimbula (02) 6495 1681 Merimbula Marina, Merimbula (02) 6495 1686 or 0427 951 080 Narooma Charters, Narooma 0407 909 111 O’Brien Charter Service, Bermagui 0407 214 124
Clocks $
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MANY DESIGNS TO CHOOSE FROM ON A WIDE VARIETY OF PRODUCTS ALL MADE TO ORDER
FISHING GUIDES (03) 5155 1323 ♦ 0418 516 555 ♦ 35 Roadknight Street, LAKES ENTRANCE
Lazy Acre Log Cabins, Lakes Entrance (03) 5155 1323
CHARTER BOATS WEST COAST Portland Fishing Charters, Portland (03) 5523 3020
NSW SOUTH COAST Wilderness Fishing Tours, Mallacoota 0424 625 160 Aussie Fish Estuary Adventures (02) 6495 9902 or 0400 062 504
CHANDLERY & ACCESSORIES Anchor Right (03) 5968 5014 Salt-away 1800 091 172 or www.salt-away.com.au Techni Ice (03) 9783 1922
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103
FUN PAGE AND COMPETITIONS TYPES OF LURE COLOURS
CAMO
REFLECTIVE
IMITATION
LUMINOUS
NATURAL
HOLOGRAPHIC
FLUORESCENT
FLASH
METALLIC
SHINY
CHROME
BRIGHT
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DULL
TRANSLUCENT
ULTRAVIOLET
Name: Address:
P/Code:
The first correct entry at the end of each month will win the prize pack. SEND ENTRIES TO: VIC Find-a-word Competition, PO box 3172, Loganholme Qld 4129
VIC FEBRUARY 2020
Phone (day):
GEORGE & NEV by Michael Hardy
Complete the Find the Word and go in the draw to win a Fishing Monthly Prize Pack containing a limited edition neck scarf and a Fishing Monthly environmentally-friendly tote bag.
SPOT THE
10 DIFFERENCES
BARRA COUNTRY by Brett Currie
ORIGINAL
FIND-A-WORD
Congratulations to Trilby Oakes, 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. – V&TFM
SUBSCRIBER PRIZE
The subscriber prize winner for December is N Dawes of Swan Hill, who won an Alvey prize pack valued at over $300. All subscribers are entered in the monthly subscriber prize draws. Prize delivery takes up to 8 weeks. – V&TFM
S Brightwell of Mordialloc, N Foot of Lara, R Sanders of KooWeeRup, J Drummond of Moe, R Batty of Brighton, A DeBresser of Apollo Bay, B Riley of Jamieson, R Shrimpton of Rosebudy, G House of Ferntree Gully, K Schnitzer of Cooma, M Rose of Capel Sound, W Henley of Park Orchards, Jett Booth of Miners Rest, D Parry of Stawell, W Hester of Cohuna, D Boros of
Korumburra, F Oleszko of Braybrook, A Strange of Cardigan, R Price of Mildura, D Robinson of Carisbrook, B Rafferty of Maryborough, B Sharp of Mendouree, C Gevvetsen of Walkerville, J Thomas of Broadford, L Neilson of Rochester, T Stevenson of Mooroopna, L Greaves of Doreen. Prize delivery takes up to 8 weeks. – V&TFM
LAST MONTH’S ANSWERS
FIND THE ZMAN LOGO
104
FEBRUARY 2020
GUESS THE FISH?
This month’s Guess the Fish Answer: Giant Gruoper
The answers to Find the ZMan Logo for December were: 8, 10, 16, 19, 38, 40, 44, 52, 53, 60, 66, 70, 82, 88, 94. – V&TFM The Find the ZMan Logo prize winners for December were: M Meyer of Dartmouth, G Smith of Stawell, N Bryant of North Albury, B Delphine of Emerald, C Hehir of Belmont, K Tripp of Glenroy, R Coombes of Vermont, D Gillett of Portarlington, D Coltish of Tatura, M Miller of Euroa, M Fryer of North Balwyn, W Johnson of Morwell, M Moulding of Lakes Entrance,
Answer:
boats & kayaks
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Inside story...
Stessco is an Australian owned and operated family business. With a love of fishing and boating, Stessco has built a wide-ranging network of dealerships, with the goal of providing customers with dependable, value-for-money aluminium boats. Stessco prides itself on the wide variety of options available which can be added to the already wide range of different vessels.
Made for...
Anglers who are after a reliable tinny that can be customised to suit their individual requirements and fishing style.
This month...
Bob Thornton climbs into the new Albacore 620 with a Yamaha F200hp. Check it out on page 112!
1300 00 CLUB (2582)
CLUBMARINE.COM. AU
*Terms and conditions apply
106 Have a plan ‘B’ when kayak fishing Tom Wilson discusses the importance of having a backup plan when you take the yak out!
108 Get around your ramp knowledge
Wayne Kampe passes on some valuable tips to make your time at the boat ramp more comfortable.
114 Anglapro Core CSR444
Steve Morgan has a run in this fantastic sportfishing rig, powered by a Suzuki 50hp 4-stroke!
FEBRUARY 2020
105
Victorian Tide Times
2020 2020 Local Time
POINT LONSDALE – VICTORIA POINT – 144° VICTORIA LAT 38°LONSDALE 18’ S LONG 37’ E
JANUARY Time m JANUARY Time 0506 1048 WE 1653 2249 WE
1 1 2 0538 1126 2
TH 1733 TH 2325
3 0609 1202 3
Time 1.61 0506 0.54 1048 1.36 1653 0.35 2249 1.57 0538 0.52 1126 1.33 1733 0.42 2325 1.52 0609 0.51 1202 1.29 1815
m
18’ S of High LONG 144° 37’ E TimesLAT and38° Heights and Low Waters Times and Heights of High and Low Waters MARCH FEBRUARY Time m Time Time FEBRUARY m Time MARCH m m
Time m Time m 0536 1.53 0458 1.68 05360.41 1.53 10390458 0.421.68 1137 11371.37 0.41 17001039 1.490.42 SA 1753 17530.50 1.37 2246 0.271.49 2339 TH 1700 SA 2246 0.27 2339 0.50 0537 1.65 0606 1.49 06060.39 1.49 11250537 0.351.65 1210 12101.36 0.39 17511125 1.480.35 SU 1834 FR 1751 SU 1834 1.36 2333 0.351.48 2333 0.35 0616 1.60 0014 0.57 00141.44 0.57 12120616 0.301.60 0638 06380.38 1.44 18481212 1.460.30 MO 1243 12431.34 0.38 SA 1848 1.46 MO 1919 1919 1.34 0020 0.45 0052 0.65 00521.39 0.65 06580020 1.550.45 0714 07140.38 1.39 12590658 0.271.55 TU 1316 13161.32 0.38 SU 1259 TU 1953 1.430.27 2012 1953 1.43 2012 1.32 0108 0.56 0132 0.73 01321.33 0.73 07420108 1.480.56 0753 07530.38 1.33 13480742 0.271.48 WE 1355 13551.31 0.38 MO 1348 WE 2101 1.410.27 2111 2101 1.41 2111 1.31 0159 0.67 0220 0.82 0159 0.67 0220 0.82 0832 1.41 0840 1.28 0832 1.41 0840 1.28 14421442 0.290.29 TH 1442 0.38 1442 0.38 TU TH 22082208 1.411.41 2216 22161.32 1.32 02580258 0.770.77 0319 0.88 0319 0.88 09300930 1.351.35 0937 09371.24 1.24 15441544 0.310.31 FR 1540 15400.37 0.37 WE FR 23132313 1.421.42 2328 23281.35 1.35 04070407 0.820.82 0432 0.90 0432 0.90 10351035 1.301.30 1047 10471.22 1.22 1652 0.32 1652 SA 1652 0.32 0.35 TH SA 16520.35
16 16
1.61 0.54 TH 1.36 0.35
17 17
1.57 0.52 FR 1.33 0.42
11
22
Time 0554 0554 1156 1156 SU 1844 SU 1844
16 16
m 1.61 1.61 0.17 0.17 1.56 1.56
0007 0.47 17 0007 1.55 0.47 170634 0634 0.17 1.55 1240 MO 1240 MO1940 1940 0051 0051 0717 0717 TU 1326 1326 TU2039 2039 0138 0138 0805 0805 WE 1414 1414 WE2140 2140 0230 0230 0901 0901 TH 1510 1510 TH2244 2244 0333 0333 1007 1007 1619 FR 1619 FR2348 2348 0453 0453 1118 1118 1732 SA SA 1732
0.17 1.51 1.51 0.57 0.57 1.48 1.48 0.22 0.22 1.45 1.45 0.66 0.66 1.40 1.40 0.28 0.28 1.39 1.39 0.75 0.75 1.32 1.32 0.35 0.35 1.36 1.36 0.81 0.81 1.25 1.25 0.40 0.40 1.36 1.36
18 18
33
18 18
0.50 19 4 0000 0641 0000 1.47 0.50 4 0641 1.47 19
44
19 19
5 5
20 20
55
20 20
6 6
21 21
66
21 21
7 7
22 22
77
22 22
8 8
23 23
88
0051 0051 1.39 1.39 23 0614 23 0614 0.78 0.78 SU 1227 1.23
FR 1815 FR
1.52 0.51 SA 1.29
SA 1239 0.49 SU SA 1239 1902 1.27 0.49 1902 1.27 0039 0.59 0715 0039 1.41 0.59 0715 0.48 1.41 MO SU 1316 1316 SU 1.25 0.48 1956 1956 1.25 0120 0.68 0120 0.68 0753 1.36 0753 1.36 1358 0.47 0.47 TU MO MO 1358 2058 2058 1.25 1.25 0208 0208 0.78 0.78 0838 0838 1.31 1.31 0.46 WE TU 1444 1444 TU 1.28 0.46 2203 2203 1.28 0305 0305 0.86 0.86 0930 0930 1.27 1.27 TH WE 1537 1537 WE 0.44 0.44 2310 2310 1.33 1.33
0.83 0.83 1.22 1.22 0.42 0.42
SU 1227 1.23 1839 1839 0.41 0.41
1.451.45 0.90 0.90 00160016 0035 0147 0415 00351.42 1.42 0147 1.43 1.43 9 0415 24 24 05250525 0.830.83 9 9 1029 1.24 1.24 0549 0722 9 24 1029 05490.86 0.8624 0722 0.71 0.71 FR 1142 1.28 TH 1640 0.40 SU 1205 1.25 MO 1328 1.27 TH 1640 0.40
FR 1142 1.28 18001800 0.310.31
SU 1205 1.25 1805 18050.31 0.31
MO 1328 1.27 1934 1934 0.39 0.39
Time 0504 0504 1108 1731 SU 1108 2318 SU 1731 2318 0534 0534 1138 1809 MO 1138 MO 1809 2352 2352 0607 0607 1208 1850 TU 1208 TU 1850
11
22
33
0027 0027 4 4 0641 1240 WE 0641
WE 1240 1936 1936 0103 0103 0717 0717 1315 TH 1315 TH 2030 2030 0145 0145 0802 0802 1400 FR 1400 FR 2133 2133 0238 0238 0901 0901 1457 SA 1457 SA 2245 2245
55 66
77
Local Time APRIL APRIL Time Time m
m Time m m Time m 0529 1.59 0538 1.44 1.51 0529 05381136 1.44 0.32 1.51 11321.59 0.12 0.34 1132 11361826 0.32 1.55 0.34 18290.12 1.65 1.48 MO WE 1.48 23491.65 0.52 WE 1826 1.55 TH 0.52 MO 1829 2349 0.52 0.52 0610 1.53 0004 0.67 1.49 0610 00040613 0.67 1.40 1.49 12161.53 0.17 0.32 1216 0613 1.40 0.33 0.32 19200.17 1.57 1.47 TU TH 1207 0.33 1.50 1.47 FR TH 12071909 0.58 TU 1920 1.57 1909 1.50 0.58 0031 0.59 0040 0.72 1.45 0031 00400651 0.72 1.35 1.45 06530.59 1.46 0.32 0653 0651 1.35 0.35 0.32 13001.46 0.25 1.45 WE FR 1244 0.35 1.44 1.45 WE 1300 SA 20130.25 1.48 FR 12442000 2013 1.48 2000 1.44 0115 0.67 0119 0.76 0.64 0115 01190739 0.76 1.31 0.64 07410.67 1.37 1.40 0741 0739 1.31 0.39 1.40 13451.37 0.34 0.32 TH SA 1329 0.39 1.39 0.32 SU 21100.34 1.40 SA 13292059 1.41 TH 1345 2110 1.40 2059 1.39 1.41 0204 0.74 0210 0.79 0.71 0204 02100742 0.79 1.27 0.71 08380.74 1.29 1.34 0838 07421326 1.27 0.45 1.34 14361.29 0.44 0.33 FR SU 0.45 1.37 0.33 MO 22100.44 1.34 SU 13262107 1.37 FR 1436 2210 1.34 2107 1.37 1.37 0304 0.79 0216 0.78 0.78 0304 0.79 0216 0.78 0.78 0945 1.22 0903 1.27 1.29 0945 1.22 0903 1.27 1.29 1541 0.52 1440 0.51 0.35 MO 1541 0.52 1440 0.51 TU 0.35 SASA MO 2314 1.32 2217 1.34 2314 1.32 2217 1.38 1.38 1.34 04250.81 0.81 0.83 0425 03360336 0.72 0.72 0.83 11011.19 1.19 1.25 1101 10331033 1.34 1.34 1.25 17000.56 0.56 1604 0.38 SU TU 1700 1604 0.55 0.55 0.38 WE TU 1.34 SU 23222322 1.43 1.43 1.34
16 16
11
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0530 16 16 1133 TH 1845 2355
m 0530 1.44 1133 0.34 1845 1.53 2355 0.69 0618 1.36 1215 0.45 1937 1.44
17 17
22
0618 17 17 1215
18 18
33
0043 0043 0716 18 18 0716 0.74 1.28
19 19
44
19 19
20 20
55
20 20
21 21
66
21 21
22 22
77
22 22
FR 1937
m 1.44 0.34 1.53 0.69 1.36 0.45 1.44
0.74 1.28 SA 1303 0.55 1303 2032 0.55 1.37 2032 1.37 0140 0.78 0140 0829 0.78 1.22 0829 1.22 0.64 SU 1400 1400 2130 0.64 1.33 2130 1.33 0257 0.78 0257 0945 0.78 1.21 0945 1514 1.21 0.71 MO 1514 2227 0.71 1.32 2227 1.32 0418 0.74 0418 0.74 1058 1.26 1058 1.26 0.74 TU 1636 1636 0.74 2319 2319 1.33 1.33 0521 0521 0.66 0.66 1200 1200 1.34 1.34 WE 1744 1744 0.73 0.73
00151.32 1.32 0346 0.85 0.85 04550455 0.59 0.59 0004 0004 1.36 230015 8 0346 8 1150 23 05500.77 0.77 8 1150 1017 1.23 1.2323 8 23 0550 1017 1.46 1.46 0608 0608 0.57 SU 1610 0.40 MO 1214 1.22 WE 1729 0.55 TH 1249
SU 1610 0.40 MO 1214 1.22 WE 1729 0.55 18140.57 0.57 2358 1.37 1.37 1814 2358
1.36 0.57 1.44 1249 1.44 TH 1834 1834 0.72 0.72
0507 0.81 0.81 01101.36 1.36 1.40 00180018 1.50 1.50 0043 0043 9 0507 9 0601 24 240110 1145 1.27 1.2724 06580.68 0.68 9 0601 9 24 1145 0646 0646 0.49 0658 0.44 0.44 MO 1731 0.40 TU 1316 1.28 FR 1330 TH 1256 1.61
1.40 0.49 TU 1316 1.28 TH 1256 1.61 FR 1330 1.54 1.54 19150.55 0.55 0.70 0.70 1915 18361836 0.53 0.53 1915 1915
MO 1731 0.40
1.41 1.41 01160116 0134 0232 01541.40 1.40 1.501.50 0100 1.44 1.44 0013 01341.50 1.50 0232 1.47 1.47 01090109 1.56 1.56 0117 0117 1.44 10 0013 25 25 25 10 0100 250154 0531 0.90 0.90 0659 0814 07460.59 0.591010 06370637 0.790.7910 0625 0.69 0.6925 10 25 10 25 0531 06590.76 0.7625 0814 0.62 0.62 10 0746 06570657 0.30 0.30 0722 0722 0.42 0625 1132 1.25 1316 1.32 1420 1.33 1409 1.37 1353 1.73 1406 1245 1.29 1301 1.37 FR
SA SA 1245 1.29 MOMO 1316 1.32 TU FR 1132 1.25 TU 1420 1.33 1745 1745 0.34 0.34 18581858 1912 2021 0.290.29 19120.26 0.26 2021 0.38 0.38
1.44 0.42 1409 1.37 1.73 SA 1406 WE FR SA 1.62 1.62 TU 1301 1.37 WE FR 1353 TU 20020.53 0.53 1850 0.37 0.37 2002 19301930 0.52 0.52 1950 1950 0.69 0.69 1850
1.541.54 0155 1.52 1.52 02301.44 1.44 1.49 1.49 02110211 1.47 02261.57 1.57 0308 1.50 1.50 01550155 1.60 1.60 0152 0152 260230 11 0110 26 26 11 0155 26 26 110226 260308 11 0110 07380738 0.720.7211 0756 0856 0730 0.54 0.5426 08260.50 0.501111 0638 0.85 0.85 0756 0756 0.38 07560.64 0.6426 0856 0.54 0.54 11 0730 0826 07470747 0.19 0.19 0638 1445 1.81 1440 1341 1.32 1417 1.41 1506 1.38 1406 1.49 1452 1.45 1238 1.28 SA
SU SU 1341 1.32 TU TU 1417 1.41 WE WE 1506 1.38 SA 1238 1.28 0.280.28 2009 2102 1843 1843 0.28 0.28 19491949 20090.23 0.23 2102 0.39 0.39
1.47 0.38 1452 1.45 1.81 SU 1440 SA SU 1.67 1.67 WE 1406 1.49 THTH WE SA 1445 1955 0.35 0.35 20420.53 0.53 0.68 0.68 1955 2042 20182018 0.53 0.53 2025 2025
03131.63 1.63 0339 1.52 1.52 0300 02390239 1.62 1.62 0227 0227 1.49 0244 1.581.58 0244 1.58 1.58 03001.47 1.47 1.58 1.58 02570257 120313 270339 27 27 12 0201 27 12 0201 27 12 27 08470.51 0.5127 0932 0.47 0.47 12 0900 08360836 0.14 0.14 0829 0829 0.35 0825 0732 08300830 0.650.6512 0847 0932 0825 0.39 0.3927 09000.43 0.431212 0732 0.78 0.78 1513 1.50 1545 1.43 1529 1.52 1535 1.83 1515 1.70 1431 1.34 1504 1.61 1338 1.33
1.34 1513 1.50 TH TH1545 1.43 MO SU 1.33 MO 1431 WEWE SU 1338 21010.23 0.23 2138 0.41 0.41 0.280.28 2101 2138 1935 1935 0.22 0.22 20362036
1.49 0.35 MO MO 1515 1.70 TH TH 1504 1.61 FRFR 1529 1.52 SU SU 1535 1.83 2116 21032103 0.54 0.54 2059 2059 0.68 0.68 2048 2048 0.35 0.35 21160.53 0.53
03210321 1.61 1.61 0302 0302 1.49 03561.66 1.66 0407 1.53 1.53 0328 0330 03301.49 1.49 1.64 1.64 03360336 1.591.59 0328 1.63 1.63 28 28 28 130356 280407 13 0249 28 13 28 13 0249 09220922 0.13 0.13 0901 0901 0.34 0821 09370.38 0.3828 1005 0.41 0.41 13 0915 0932 0937 1005 09320.37 0.371313 0821 0.69 0.69 09140914 0.580.5813 0915 0.26 0.2628 1623 1.79 1550 1.70 1431 1.39 1516 1.37 1605 1.57 1621 1.46 1558 1.69 1602 1.57
1605 1.57 FR 1.37 MO 1.39 TU FR1621 1.46 TH TH MO 1431 TU 1516 21500.26 0.26 2212 0.44 0.44 2150 2212 2024 2024 0.19 0.19 21172117 0.300.30
1.49 0.34 TU TU 1550 1.70 FR FR 1558 1.69 SASA 1602 1.57 MO MO 1623 1.79 21472147 0.56 0.56 2133 2133 0.68 0.68 2137 2150 21500.54 0.54 2137 0.37 0.37
04020402 1.57 1.57 0338 0338 1.47 04361.67 1.67 0435 1.53 1.53 0409 0400 04001.50 1.50 1.68 1.68 04100410 1.591.59 0409 1.64 1.64 140436 290435 29 29 14 0334 29 10071007 0.17 0.17 0933 0933 0.34 10240.27 0.2729 1037 0.37 0.37 14 1002 1004 0907 29 14 29 14 0334 1024 1037 10040.34 0.341414 0907 0.60 0.60 09540954 0.520.5214 1002 0.16 0.1629 TU 1709 1.72 WE 1627 1.68 FR 1657 1.60 SA 1656 1.48 SA 1649 1.72 SU 1636 1.60 TU 1522 1.44 WE 1558 1.38
FR 1657 1.60 SA 1656 1.48 TU 1522 1.44 WE 1558 1.38 22370.31 0.31 2245 0.47 0.47 2237 2245 2112 2112 0.18 0.18 21562156 0.330.33
05151.65 1.65 1.571.57 1.70 1.70 04400440 15 0417 30 150515 11110.20 0.20 0953 30 15 0417 1111 10301030 0.480.4815 0953 0.51 0.51 SA 1749 1.59 WE 1611 1.48 TH 1637 1.39
SA 1749 1.59 TH 1637 1.39 WE 1611 1.48 23230.39 0.39 2323 0.380.38 2159 2159 0.21 0.21 22302230 05080508 1.551.55 11051105 0.440.44 1715 FR 1.381.38 FR 17152304 2304 0.430.43
31 31
SA 1649 1.72 2223 2223 0.41 0.41
SU 1636 1.60 2223 22230.56 0.56
1.47 0.34 TU 1709 1.72 WE 1627 1.68 22302230 0.60 0.60 2208 2208 0.70 0.70
1.44 0449 0432 04450445 1.51 1.51 0414 0414 04321.50 1.50 0449 1.63 1.63 30 30 15 1006 1006 0.35 1048 1035 10501050 0.25 0.25 15 30 10350.32 0.321515 1048 0.12 0.1230 SU 1739 1.71 MO 1710 1.61 WE 1756 1.63 TH 1706 1.64
SU 1739 1.71 2307 2307 0.46 0.46
MO 1710 1.61 2257 22570.59 0.59 0505 1.47 0505 1.47 1105 11050.31 0.31 1746 TUTU 17461.59 1.59 2330 23300.63 0.63
1.44 0.35 TH 1706 1.64 WE 1756 1.63 0.72 0.72 23122312 0.64 0.64 2243 2243
31 31
Copyright Commonwealth of Australia2019, 2019,Bureau Bureau of of Meteorology Meteorology Copyright Commonwealth of Australia Datum of Predictions is Lowest AstronomicalTide Tide Datum of Predictions is Lowest Astronomical Times are in local standard time (UTC +10:00) daylight savings savings time when in effect Times are in local standard time (UTC +10:00) orordaylight time(UTC (UTC+11:00) +11:00) when in effect New Moon First Quarter LastLast Quarter Moon Phase Symbols Full Moon New Moon First Quarter Quarter Moon Phase Symbols Full Moon Tide predictions for Port Phillip Heads have been formatted by the National Tidal Centre, Australian Bureau of Meteorology, Copyright reserved. All material is supplied in good faith and is believed to be correct. It is supplied on the condition that no warranty is given in relation thereto, that no responsibility or liability for errors or omissions is, or will be, accepted and that the recipient will hold MHL and the Australian Bureau of Meteorology Australia free from all such responsibility or liability and from all loss or damage incurred as a consequence of any error or omission. Predictions should not be used for navigational purposes. Use of these tide predictions will be deemed to include acceptance of the above conditions. 110
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WHAT’S NEW BOATING POWERWINCH 912 TRAILER WINCH
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The affordable Powerwinch 912 electric trailer winch is designed for power-in and free-wheeling out. Features include an efficient gear train system for smoother pulling action and less amperage draw, a level wind system that prevents snarls and cable wear, aircraft-quality cable fitted with safety hooks, and a super-tough, ABS weatherresistant housing. This winch suits boats from 7-9m L.O.A. The maximum single line pulling capacity is 1587kg, the maximum double line pulling capacity is 2721kg, and the maximum approx. boat weight is 4535kg. The Powerwinch 912 is supplied with a simple-to-install wiring harness that can be hooked up to any 12V auto or truck battery in minutes. www.powerwinch.com
RAILBLAZA RODSTOW
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The RodStow rod holder system is a vertical fishing rod storage rack and caddy for boats. RodStow rod racks will hold your rods above deck, safely and securely, until you’re ready to fish. These rod holders have a removable gimbal pin that you can leave in to support the rod and stop rotation, or remove to let the rod pass through. RodStow is a modular system, so if you buy more you can add them together to make longer rod racks. If you buy a Double or Triple kit you can easily join the components together with the provided stainless steel fasteners, and install it in minutes. The attached storage caddy holds lures, leader and other tackle, and it’s even big enough to hold a small tackle box. The Double kit has one caddy, and the Triple kit has two. Offset mounting is possible, preventing large reels from hitting each other. The vertical RodStow rod rack is suitable for most rods and reels, including spinning, baitcast and game reels, and any length of rod. It’s made from UV Stabilised, fibreglass reinforced engineering polymers, and comes in black or white. Price: SRP $49.99 (Double model with caddy) www.railblaza.com
FUSION MS-RA210 STEREO
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Fusion has launched the successor to the highly popular MS-RA205: the MSRA210. Packed with Fusion Digital Signal Processing (DSP) technology, it delivers an exceptional audio experience in a compact form. The MS-RA210 features a 2.7” optically bonded colour LCD display, built-in Class-D amplifier, Multi-Zone technology in two zones, and Fusion-Link integration. The brilliant, fullcolour LCD display offers colourful album art with information such as the artist, album and track title. Meeting both IPX6 and IPX7 international standards for water resistance from the front panel, the MS-RA210 is built to last in the harsh marine environment. Fusion’s DSP technology delivers premium audio to all speakers, subwoofers and amplifiers. Every step of the audio chain is optimised to deliver a technically superior listening experience, without the need for boat owners to have a technical understanding. Setting up DSP profiles is simple with the free Fusion-Link app. With just a few clicks, you can set up the preconfigured DSP profile to play high-quality audio, customised for your ears and the environment. Precisely calculated loudness curves are optimized to ensure quality audio delivered at every volume level. www.fusionentertainment.com
VESPER CORTEX
PRODUCT GUIDE
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The Cortex from Vesper Marine is the world’s first radio with wireless touchscreen handsets, built-in Class B SOTDMA smartAIS transponder and remote vessel monitoring. Cortex alerts boaters of collision risks, providing information about the potential threat and making it easy to communicate with them. The touchscreen handset makes typically complicated functions easy to use. For example, touching a vessel onscreen and pressing ‘call’ makes a direct DSC call. Cortex continuously shows crossing situations, navigation light sectors and even allows trial manoeuvres while a boater talks on the VHF radio. A 10W speaker output enables louder audio and alerting even while handsets are turned off. Cortex includes dual-watch, favourite channels and onehanded operation. Pressing the man overboard button activates a track back mode on all handsets and marks the waypoint on NMEA 2000 connected MFDs. Cortex combines data such as wind speed, GPS and AIS to prioritise alerts, such as potential collision or anchor drag or MOB. For the full list of features visit the Vesper website. www.vespermarine.com
STAR BRITE HULL CLEANER
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Star brite Hull Cleaner gel formula sticks where it’s applied, to maximise cling time and cleaning power. This product completely covers stains to penetrate and dissolve them. It’s specifically formulated to remove the toughest stains, including rust, dried fish blood and leaf stains. It works on all fiberglass and painted surfaces and is ideal for vertical surfaces. This product does not contain harmful acids, and it’s safe and easy to use. You just spray it onto the surface being cleaned (rubber gloves are recommended), let it remain on the surface until the stain disappears, then rinse thoroughly with fresh water. Stubborn stains or spots may require a repeated application with longer soak time and gentle scrubbing. Price: SRP $35 www.starbrite.com
YELLOWFIN PLATE CC
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All models in Yellowfin’s updated Centre Console series come standard with Yellowfin Plate’s Spartan Console. This rugged, wide console has plenty of room for electronics and grab rails. For additional cover, a Dolphin Pro T-Top can be installed. The biggest of Yellowfin Centre Consoles (7000 and 7600) can be optioned up to the Mega Console. This aluminium folding console is 220cm high with six rod holders, space for a 16” sounder and room for a radio or other accessories in the top. Standard fishing include 6-side deck rod holders, a live bait tank and self-draining deck. The Platinum Pack includes a bow mount plate, removable bait board, deck wash and more. To get up to the 520mm high raised casting platform, there are steps on either side of the boat with a space in the middle so you can fish at sea level or raised up. Inside the casting platform is a large hatch that can fit a big icebox. he strike chair in the Centre Console is wide enough for two passengers and can quickly be reversed with two release pins. Yellowfin Plate owners can be driving one minute and fishing the next, and the Offshore HD Hull will keep drivers stable and dry. www.yellowfinplateboats.com.au
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Please email contributions to: nicole@fishingmonthly.com.au
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FEBRUARY 2020
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Stessco 620 Albacore with Yamaha F200hp - SC
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plenty of dry storage. Overall the ride was very smooth, and the boat handled extremely well and felt stable on the turns. Given the day we had and the centre console configuration of the boat, we did get a bit wet, but if you drove more sensibly than we did you could easily avoid the late shower! The top speed of 68km/h
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Bob Thornton
It’s rare enough that I get to leave the office to test such a big, bad-ass boat, but even rarer that mother nature dishes out some conditions to adequately test it in! Stessco never cease to amaze me by just how many types of boaters they can cater to. From decked out tinnies and jon boats for fishing ponds, to sleek, tournament-ready fishing machines, to familyfriendly runabouts, and all the way to comfortable offshore rigs for the most serious of anglers – they literally do have it all. This time round we were testing out a boat in the latter category, the 620 Albacore, the biggest in its series. This premium fishing rig, with its hi-tech fit-outs, big T-top and dual-axle trailer was a tad intimidating at first, however after a quick tour courtesy of Stessco’s Lance Warren, it was clear to me that this boat was built with the serious offshore angler in mind! A QUICK LOOK Having a quick walk around, Lance told me that this is the largest of the Albacore series, at 6.55m long, with the others coming in at 5.9, 5.6 and 5.42m. “The Albacore series of boats was one of the first boats the Stessco name branded as a centre console sea-going boat, so it’s one of the original Stessco boats,” he explained. And with it being one of the SPECIFICATIONS Length (mm) ....... 6550 Beam (mm) ......... 2480 Depth (mm)......... 1480 Bottom sides (mm) .. 5 Top sides (mm) ......... 4 Max. hp ................. 200 Transom height .....25” Max. people.............. 6 112
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specialised purposes, and sometimes even singular species. This version of the 620 Albacore is the perfect boat for someone who wants to fish offshore but not limit their fishing to only a few species. This is truly a ‘jack of all trades’ offshore boat. Whether it’s dropping baits and jigs for reefies, trolling for mackerel, popping for GTs, or even
PERFORMANCE
Main: With four aboard and the hammers down, this big offshore machine was in its element. Above: The Yamaha F200hp was extremely quiet, even while cruising. originals, it’s clear Stessco have had a long time to modify and perfect the fit-out and design, culminating in a boat that is, as Lance puts it, “tough as nails.” This latest version of the wellproven workhorse is tougher than before, with thicker plate bottom and sides and upgraded horsepower rating. This rig was fitted a Yamaha F200hp (its maximum horsepower), and its optional features included but were not limited to, dual Humminbird Solix units, JBL stereo, BLA Drum Winch, deck hose and a 112lb Minn Kota Ulterra on the bow. All this added up to an impressive looking rig that was not only perfect for taking on just about any offshore fishing challenge, but also a boat with enough creature comforts to entertain any non-fishers. You can get a more thorough rundown of these electronics from Marcel Krieger from BLA by scanning the QR code hereby! TRAILER AND LAUNCHING It always makes sense to put a boat on a trailer designed specifically for it, and this is especially for true for larger rigs such as this one. Stescco offer their customers an extended warranty of five years (on their premium hulls like the Albacore) if they chose
to sit that boat on one of the OEM trailers built by Dunbier. Stessco actually set these trailers up for their boats, so you’ll know you’re getting the best trailer possible for that rig. In this instance, the dualaxle composite design of the trailer made launching and retrieving very easy for two people, with one person needed to connect/disconnect at the winch end and one person at the helm to guide it as it gently slides on or off. Trailing will obviously demand a vehicle with a decent towing capacity, but this is the reality of owning a sea-going boat of this size. ON THE WATER When we motored out of Scarborough Marina, there were four of us aboard; two shy of the maximum persons allowed on this craft. Once underway the first thing I noticed – and it is such a small thing – is the padding around the gunnels, which is a great bracing point for passengers, especially on the choppy day Moreton Bay dished up. The cast deck up the front featured removable padding, meaning the cast deck doubles as a lounge if you just want to enjoy a day on the water with a few snacks, almost like a bowrider. I also liked that with the way the Ulterra was
mounted, it didn’t impede sitting space when stowed. Being a fishing boat, this boat had space to move around the whole boat’s perimeter unobstructed while fighting fish. This is a huge plus when going after bigger ocean going trophies, and while this is going on the skipper can position boat with ease from the centre console. Underdeck and gunnel storage will be very attractive to serious offshore fishers, and the underfloor kill tank toward the stern will negate the need for extra eskies. The large console also allowed for
RPM ...................... km/h ....................... km/L 1000 ............................. 7 ......................... 2.41 1500 ........................... 11 ......................... 2.13 2000 ........................... 13 ......................... 1.46 2500 ........................... 15 ......................... 1.22 3000 ........................... 24 ......................... 1.32 3500 ........................... 35 ......................... 1.54 4000 ........................... 44 ......................... 1.49 4500 ........................... 53 ......................... 1.30 5000 ........................... 59 ......................... 1.00 5500 ........................... 68 ......................... 0.97 WOT ........................... 68 ......................... 0.93 was impressive for a boat this size, however if you wanted to save on fuel and still get to your spot fairly quickly, idling back to around 3500rpm will still get you along at about 35km/h with a fuel economy of 1.54km/L. VERDICT There are many specific boats on the market for very
searching for billfish, this boat would step up to the challenge! With all the bells and whistles this boat had fitted, it would go for around $95,000, however Albacore 620 packages will start at about $60,000. For more information or to find your closest dealer visit www.stessco.com.au.
The slightly rougher than usual conditions allowed the team to really test out the offshore capabilities of this boat.
Top: Entrance from the rear of the vessel is not only easy, but also very safe for younger passengers. Above: Wiring is all internal, but not unreachable – a great balance.
Top: Space is a big feature of the 620 Albacore, which is important when fighting big angry ocean predators, or rocking out to your favourite tunes played through the speaker, as the team may have done… Above: The bait board is an essential piece of equipment to anyone dropping bait for reefies.
The F200hp is one of the more popular models in the Yamaha range, and given the quietness, economy and reliability, it’s not hard to see why.
The room at the stern was fantastic, and the underfloor kill tank had room enough for even long fish such as Spanish mackerel.
That’s one tricked up dash! You can check out Marcel Krieger’s tour of the dash in the video.
Top Left: It’s a small thing, but the foldaway checker plate ladder at the rear makes getting into the boat that much easier. Bottom Left: The BLA drum winch is a luxury for anyone who doesn’t want to be manually pulling the anchor rope all day. Right: The T-top managed to keep the sun off four people, while also not encroach on casting space.
Left: Being able to walk all around the boat unobstructed will appeal to any serious angler, and the padded gunnels make an excellent brace point. Right: The view from the lounge/casting deck up the front shows the internals of a boat that is, as Lance put it, “tough as nails.” FEBRUARY 2020
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Anglapro Core CSR444 with Suzuki 50hp 4-stroke - SC
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Steve Morgan s.morgan@fishingmonthly.com.au
Sometimes it seems overwhelming to make the step from your first boat to a bigger, more comfortable boat that expands your range, safety and fishing options. There are literally dozens of options in this class of aluminium boat in Australia. Considering that a really basic tinny will cost you around $10,000, the guys at North Coast Boating Centre in Coffs Harbour have set up this Anglapro Core444CSR for on-water testing. And it’s come in, as tested and drive away, from under $20,000. So what do you get for double your money? Basically, you get a painted, carpeted, more stable and capable boat with boarding steps, storage and the potential to trick it up into a real fishing machine. Let’s look at the details. The 4.5m hull has a 2.11m beam, which makes this rig very wide for its length. It means that you’ll find stability to be no problems compared with a 3.7m v-nosed tinny. PERFORMANCE RPM.... SPEED.km/h 1000 ....................... 3 2000 ....................... 5 3000 ....................... 8 4000 ..................... 24 5000 ..................... 36 6000 ..................... 52 114
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Main: Open tinnies with smooth sides are increasingly popular on the water. The Anglapro Core CSR444 paired with the Suzuki 50hp tiller is a great rig for under $20,000. It’s at home on open water on calm days, and it can sneak up a shallow estuary with ease. Above: Headed out from Coffs Harbour, the Anglapro was noticeably light in the bow. This can easily happen on a boat test where there’s no electric motor, batteries or fishing tackle onboard. The Core444CSR has 3mm bottom sheet and 3mm side sheets with plenty of internal ribs to support the smooth plate gunwales. Traditionally, strength used to be added with clinkered sides, but more and more aluminium boats feature the smooth sided finish nowadays. Before painting, this rig has the floor frames welded in, an optional bow-mounted electric motor bracket and the rear boarding step and rails attached, as well as a couple of internal side pockets. After being sprayed (this one was
white), the carpeted floors are fitted. Finally, the team from NCBC drop it on a single axle, Australian-made trailer (which you can pull around with virtually any car on the road today) and bolt on the 50hp tiller steer Suzuki outboard, which is fuelled by the remote fuel tank that’s kept out of sight under the rear hatch. Registered and out the door, that’s $20,000. You’ll need to add your own fish finders and electric motor. From a fishing point of view, this is an inshore boat that you can take outside on
calm days. We took it for a spin off Coffs Harbour on a calm day with a few lumps left over from some wind elsewhere. You can watch it in action in the video version of this boat test on the Fishing Monthly Magazines YouTube channel (or by scanning the QR code on this page on your smartphone). Although there was no fuel metering equipment fitted on the boat, we did get a feel for it in a cruise up along the coast. At wide open throttle (WOT) we hit a top speed of just over 50km/h at 6,000rpm. The optimum cruising speed was between 4,000 and 5,000rpm, and we infer well over 50km of range from the remote tank. These boats need a little weight up front to balance the ride and help the rig out of the hole. With all of the weight (battery, fuel, motor and two people) down the
SPECIFICATIONS Length................. 4.5m Beam................. 2.11m Depth .................. 1.1m Bottom ................ 3mm Sides ................... 3mm Capacity ..... 4 persons Hull.weight (basic) ................ 250kg back, it took a little effort to get this boat up on the plane, but once you add an electric motor and some of your gear, it will level out nicely. I would also add a couple of seat bases a little further forward. These can help you balance the load, and they also hold the seats when you’re anchored up and drowning some baits. For more information about the Core CSR444 and to check out the rest of the Anglapro range of boats, go to www.anglapro.com.au.
At rest, the Core is stable and roomy. There’s plenty of room for you and a couple of mates to wet a line.
Using a Suzuki with a 20” shaft, there’s a fair difference between the top of the transom and the outboard mounts. Inflow is caught and channeled away by a channeled engine well.
The step and grab rail is standard on this Core model.
The electric motor mount is optional but a necessity on a boat of this size.
The cranking battery sits inside this rear, starboard side hatch.
There are a couple of rear seat mounts, however a port mount a little further forward would allow for a variety of configurations.
Check out this for a mountain of deck space. The semi-raised front deck is a great compromise for a boat that may spend equal times in calm and open waters.
Like all boats with casting decks, the Anglapro gains plenty of underfloor storage space.
The Core comes with a built in anchor well, allowing anchoring as well as electric motor options.
You’ll see plenty of ribs in the smooth sided design.
There are two long side pockets that will hold all of your gear that needs to be readily accessed.
The Core runs a remote, 25L fuel tank. It’s tucked neatly away under the starboard rear hatch.
The step up onto the front deck isn’t too high and gives you the height you need to see into the water. FEBRUARY 2020
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