TIME FOR AN APRIL ADVENTURE
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Autumn kayak tips • Part II: SUP adventure time •
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Tried & tested Anglapro Outlaw 434 PRO • Quintrex 350 Outback Explorer • Mitsubishi ASX 2WD • SoftGaff AccuMat brag mat •
April, 2018
Features
Exploring Mallacoota • Whether to clip or knot? •
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APRIL 2018, Vol. 13 No. 6
Contents WEST COAST West Coast
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Portland 14 Warrnambool 16 Apollo Bay
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Cobden 17
CENTRAL Geelong 18 Port Phillip West
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Port Phillip North East
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Port Phillip North
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Mornington Peninsula
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Western Port North
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Western Port South
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Phillip Island
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EAST COAST Lakes Entrance
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Marlo 35 Gippsland Lakes
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Corner Inlet
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Bemm River
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NSW SOUTH COAST Bermagui 38 Eden 39 Mallacoota 39 Merimbula 40 Narooma 40
VICTORIAN FRESHWATER Horsham 54 Robinvale 54
From the Editor’s Desk... There’s an old saying, “If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em”. I’m talking about the amount of ‘screen time’ that we are exposed to on a daily basis. It’s a global thing. In the last year I’ve seen the same scenes in China, Japan, Australia and the USA. Busloads, cafes-full, streets full of people totally engrossed by what’s on their phone rather than what’s going on around them. I suppose it’s a symptom of our exposure to this new technology - until we become desensitised to this constant stream of information, we’ll wade into it and see how it feels. In the meantime, how are we reaching these people? We’re broadcasting fishing into their information streams. It was only a year ago that we decided to give
Live Streaming from boats fishing in a tournament a try. It was BassCat’s Craig Simmons who twisted our arm to do it after USA-based Aussie bass pro, Carl Jocumsen, was getting real reach delivering content live from his boat. It was an instant success, although clumsily done, which led us to refine what we do. A year on, we’ve just finished delivering coverage of the ABT’s Franklins Australian Open – Australia’s toughest bream fishing tournament that’s held on Sydney Harbour and the Hawkesbury River. From those clunky beginnings, we’re beginning to deliver action through your
screens that you’ve never been able to access before. You could pick one of several boats who were live streaming – or even watch all three at once if you had a big enough screen (and data plan)! There were more cameras on other boats that recorded the action, these were edited down into 5-minute highlights packages (for those of us who aren’t as fanatical and only want the juicy bits). If that wasn’t enough, you could watch the starts and the weigh-ins live as well. You want screen time? At least we’ll deliver you something more relevant than watching cats jump into the air when you put a cucumber behind them. The technology is cool: we use waterproof, Garmin VIRB cameras that can run all day off the power in the anglers’ boats. These are capable of recording
the information, rendering it to a size for streaming and getting to a Live YouTube event in less than 30 seconds. We’ve come a long way in just a year. I’m looking forward to what we can do in 2019. So, please stay glued to those screens and let us deliver you the action live from the water, because we know that’s where you’d really rather be. Or, as you’ve done already, grab a copy of Victoria and Tasmania Fishing Monthly and take some time away from your screen. You know that we take away all of the clutter and give you a product that never runs out of power, costs $6.95 instead of $1,695 and is proven technology that’ll endure through any blackout or internal crash. True story.
Yarrawonga 55 Jindabyne 56 Wangaratta 58 Shepparton 59 Ballarat 60 Eildon 62
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Crater Lakes
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Central Gippsland
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TASMANIA WRAP
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BOATING AND KAYAK
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REGULAR FEATURES
VICTORIA FISHING MONTHLY Business Office: Unit 1, 11 Knobel Court, Shailer Park, Qld, 4128 Phone: (07) 3387 0800 Fax: (07) 3387 0801
Back to Basics
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Chappy’s Hotspot
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Managing Editor: Steve Morgan s.morgan@fishingmonthly.com.au
Dam Levels
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Fun Page
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Editorial Manager: Jacqui Thomas
Inland Fisheries Service
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Spearfishing 46
Sub-Editors: Bob Thornton Nicole Penfold Cordelia Adams
Tasmanian Lake Levels
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Field Editor: Kelly Hunt
Tournament News
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Track My Fish
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Trade and Services Guide
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Victorian Tide Times
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What’s new fishing
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What’s new boating
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SPECIAL FEATURES
Production: Jenna Milburn Karen Millward Keith Hawley Website: www.fishingmonthly.com.au Distribution: Gordon & Gotch Pty Ltd Subscriptions: Kym Rowbotham
OUR COVER A tasty river snapper from a kayak. A Brad Sissins image.
TO SUBSCRIBE SEE PAGE 85 FIND THE GAMAKATSU LOGO COMPETITION PAGE 61 Victorian and Tasmanian Fishing Monthly magazine goes on sale the last week of each preceding month (latest sale date 31st of the month).
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Qld Fishing Monthly Pty Ltd ABN 72-010-542-195 All material is © copyright, and cannot be reproduced in part or in full, by any means, without written permission of the Managing Editor. The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the publisher.
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APRIL 2018
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Review: Mitsubishi ASX 2WD
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Whether to clip or knot?
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SINCE 2004
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Publishers: Steve Morgan Matthew Drinkall
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Marvellous Mallacoota
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Melbourne Metro
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Bendigo 64
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Bonnie Doon
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MEMBER
Fishing Diary Angler: Paul Lennon Date: May 15th 2016
Location: Port Stephens Conditions: NE 5 kts, on changing tide
Black Magic Tackle: KL 8/0 hooks and 40lb Tough Fluorocarbon Note: “I use the big KL hooks because they offer the best hook up rate when
live baiting in deep water, regardless if its a soapy or a 60 pounder!”
A HOOK FOR EVERY OCCASION:
KL Hooks • • •
The best quality high carbon steel gives Black Magic hooks superb strength and a long point life. They are made in JAPAN and are chemically sharpened. By matching this strength and sharpness with a barb that is smaller than most other brands we provide our customers with a hook that has unequalled penetration. Try Black Magic hooks on your next fishing trip and experience the difference!
Follow @blackmagictackle on Facebook and Instagram to see the latest catches and enter in our competitions.
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high carbon steel for extreme strength lengendary design ensures most fish hook themselves in corner of the mouth caught everything from bait fish to marlin Made in Japan
Hooks sizes: 06, 04, 02, 01, 1/0, 3/0, 4/0, 5/0, 6/0, 7/0 and 8/0.
the best by test... www.blackmagictackle.com
Marvellous Mallacoota and its fishing options a good move to travel nine hours to your destination and simply hope you find a few fish. Unfortunately for us, the reports were not great. Mallacoota (‘Coota) had not been fishing overly well on the lead up to our trip, however we were still determined to give it a red-hot crack and
SWANSEA
Jason Scerri coloratolures@hotmail.com
Mallacoota is a long drive from home for my family but a place we love to visit. Recently we set off on our third trip to Mallacoota and hopes were high that it would also be our most successful fishing wise, as our previous attempts had seen problems of one kind or another that let us down on the fish front. PAST EXPERIENCES Several years ago we hit Mallacoota with our Hobie kayaks. Although it was a fun trip, Mallacoota is a large waterway to fish effectively in kayaks. Sure there are pockets, but to make the most of this place we needed a boat. We returned two years later and this time we ventured there with our Gale Force in tow. Again, this trip didn’t go to plan and motor problems saw the best part of the trip sitting in the drive fixing the engine issues. After a few more years had passed and we have a new boat in tow, the decision was made to pack the gear and make the nine-hour trip south along with our Stratos boat and see if we could finally find some good vibes in Mallacoota. ABOUT THE TOWN Mallacoota is a lovely destination on the far East Coast of Victoria and only about a one-hour drive south of Eden on the NSW Far South Coast. Admittedly, Mallacoota does not have a great range of restaurants to offer, however there is enough there to get by and as I mentioned, with Eden just an hour north there are plenty of eating options there to please the whole family.
Bella with her 29cm bream that couldn’t refuse an Asakura lure. Mallacoota’s fishing scene is obviously heavily about bream fishing in particular, but in saying that there are also some of the best beaches you will come across, and more often than not you’ll have these beaches all to yourselves. There is also a huge number of off road tracks for those who enjoy a little four wheel driving,
and in the town centre itself you will also find a sweet little putt-putt golf course, which is great fun for the family. Before any trip away like this, I put a huge effort into researching how the location has been fishing. I touch base with mates that have fished there recently and try to put a game plan together for the trip. It’s not
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.
GREEN MIRROR: Enhanced vision and contrast for fishing inshore and on flats. • Copper Base • 10% light transmission
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OPTIMAL USE: • Sight fishing in full sun • High contrast
gave the vibes a good run with no results. Back at base with our tails between our legs, we set a new game plan for day two on the water and decided to work some locations that had produced a few fish on our previous trips. With the wind up again but predicted to drop by the afternoon,
our afternoon session chasing the bream. With the boat refuelled, new knots tied and a variety of lures again rigged and ready for action, we were soon back on the water, but this time we concentrated on fishing a number of different flats throughout the top and bottom lakes. This proved to
The author’s best pair for the trip. Coming in around the mid to high 30cm range, they’re great fish and extra fun on the flats. see if we could produce the goods. OUR TRIP Joining me again this time for the trip was my wife Caroline and daughter Bella. Both love their fishing and get as excited as I do as the thought of some chunky black bream on lures. Unfortunately, not only were the fishing reports not great, but the weather reports were looking equally depressing. The first three days in ‘Coota were uneventful on the fish front due to the strong winds and rainfall. Of course, this is the ideal time to take advantage of some family time by exploring, and we had a great time doing just that. For us, no trip to ‘Coota is complete without our round of putt putt golf, so we managed to fit that in as well before the weather came good and we could get out and start the hunt for those bream. Day one was spent exploring the Gypsy Point area and did not go to plan. We threw a variety of lures and worked a range of water depths and could not find the fish. We worked soft plastics in the snags along the edges, then tried some deep-diving hardbodies out a little deeper, and also
the decision was made to have good brunch at the local café and do some kite flying on the beach before
be a great move and it didn’t take long before the fish started firing. We worked a number of different lures,
Caroline with one of many mid 30cm fish that fell to deep-diving offerings.
CREATE YOUR ADVENTURES
The results of a quick afternoon session before the weather cut the trip short! but the most effective option was hardbody lures that dived to around the 1.6m mark. Working these slow-floating lures did the trick over the flats and we soon had the whole family into the fish. The first few fish landed were not huge by any means, with the average around 30cm. But I didn’t mind, as this was good enough to keep us entertained and sticking at it, and we didn’t have to
wait too long for the better fish to turn up. As a rule I opt for more brightly-coloured lures in the overcast conditions and with the dirty waters we were faced with, but as much as we tried we could not pull a fish on them. I made the decision to switch to deep-diving Pro Lure D36 and also Asakura DD Hornet lures, and went for more subtle, natural colours and that was the turning point
not only for this session, but for the remaining trips during our visit. It was a bit of an odd bite, with most fish not striking the lures until the retrieve was basically over, with the fish hitting the lures literally a few metres from the boat. We had planned our trip to take place outside of the school holidays, which meant boat traffic was not an issue. We could hit a school of bream and simply
485 SCORPION For more information visit
www.horizonboats.com.au or call your nearest dealer Chelsea Yamaha
13 Ashley Park Drive Chelsea Heights Victoria 3196 Phone 03 9772 1277 robert@chelseayamaha.com.au
Michael Parker Marine
4 Erica Court Albury NSW 2640 Phone 02 6043 1578 mick.parker.marine@bigpond.com
Swan Hill Power Products 40 Nyah Road Swan Hill Victoria 3585 Phone 03 5032 2116 warren@shpp.com.au
Wonthaggi Motorcycles & Power Equipment
Mallacoota offers very good launching options. Good ramps are available throughout the system and offer good amenities including cleaning tables and toilets. spot lock with the electric motor and with no other boats zipping around, this allowed us to pull a few fish from the schools, as we came across them before they would lose interest. We would then simply continue the drift until we
located more fish willing to take our offerings. Although not a big day on the water at around three hours, it was a nice little session with plenty of fish landed. This certainly lifted our spirits and had me itching to get back out
there for another crack in the days to come. The next day I was back on the water, but this time for a solo session. I again opted for an afternoon trip with strong winds forecast for the morning.
48-52 Inverloch Road Wonthaggi Victoria 3995 Phone 03 5672 3500 sales@wonthaggimotorcycles.com.au
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APRIL 2018
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WHAT’S NEW FISHING SAMAKI CAMO COD
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Camo Cod is as rustic as the true Australian outback! With shoulders covered in a khaki camouflage, you’ll blend into your surrounding environment easily. The big Murray cod launches from the depths to attack the lure, amid sharp sticks and logs lying atop the dam floor, surrounded by rockery and weed. The natural colours of the Murray cod are enhanced by detail in the design, the accurately speckled finish, the soft wispy fins and the needle-like teeth in that huge bucket mouth. The lightweight fabric is perfect for all outdoor elements, protecting you from the harsh sun with Samaki’s UV50+ resistant technology. The soft touch 100% polyester material is very comfortable, 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. Camo Cod shirts are available in adult, youth and kids sizes from a size 2 through to a 3XL, allowing the whole family to get in on the action. Price: SRP $59.95 (adults), SRP $49.95 (kids) www.samaki.com.au
ZEREK 120MM TANGO SHAD
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purchase at the SoftGaff website. Bulk discounts for tournament organisers and clubs are welcome. www.softgaff.com
SAMURAI 3-PIECE CRUISERS
Samurai has launched four new 3-piece 5’9” travel rods in two weight ranges in both spin and casting built especially for barramundi and cod. These are shorter rods for pinpoint accuracy, perfect for tight country, skinny creeks, mangroves and overgrown river spots. The 16lb and 25lb weights are perfect for heavier creek needs. Cruisers come in an indestructible travel case designed to fit into your luggage and be thrown about the ute with no worries. The travel package includes a spare tip, so if you’re unlucky enough to snap your first while trekking, there’s another in the tube to get you back in the game. Just like the existing Cruisers, the seamless joins makes these rods a joy to use, and high quality AAA cork and stylish aluminium parts make the new Cruisers a classy piece of artistry. For more information visit the Frogley’s Offshore website or go to facebook.com/ samurairods. www.frogleysoffshore.com.au
DEPS NZ CRAWLER
SOFTGAFF ACCUMAT™
SOFT MULLET AND AQUA SHAD
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Japanese fishing tackle giant DEPS have become world renowned for their high quality, and truly unique lures. The NZ Crawler is no exception to this, and is the ideal bait for anglers targeting big freshwater predators. This crazy bait is unlike anything you’ve seen before. It’s a wide-bodied, high-mass jointed lure which is constructed of resin, and it swims across the top of the water, attracting hungry fish with its distinctive swimming action and highly attractive colour combinations. The NZ Crawler features large stainless steel wings that move a lot of water and make a unique sound. There is also a blade at the back that creates a flash to further attract nearby predators, and two super-sticky treble hooks that produce solid hook-ups. If you’re looking for a big profile bait that moves a lot of water and gives the appearance of a distressed fish, frog, rat or bat, try a DEPS NZ Crawler. It’s available in Australia through Dogtooth Distribution. www.dogtoothdistribution.com.au
Housed in a heavy-duty canister, the UVstabilised, non-wrinkle SoftGaff AccuMat has been confirmed for accuracy by precision engineers, and is available in both metric and imperial formats. With a flip-up nose plate for big fish, the AccuMat allows for quick measurement of fish up to 150cm/60” long. Retracting smoothly into the canister after each use, it prevents the creasing and wrinkling inherent to other brag mats (which distorts the measurement), to deliver a precise measurement fish after fish. There is also a SoftGaff app to automatically record details of every catch. SoftGaff’s AccuMat is brainchild of father and son team Ray and John Callingham. “After years of research, development and rigorous testing, we believe the accuracy and quality of the AccuMat is unmatched in the industry,” John said. In particular, the AccuMat’s assured accuracy will be of great advantage to measurement-based tournaments. SoftGaff’s AccuMat is available for
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The 120mm Tango Shad was tested in the steamy jungles of Papua New Guinea, where black bass like to exploit any weaknesses in the system. During prototype testing, the very first 120 Tango accounted for 18 PNG black bass before succumbing to the sticks, and that was without counting the barra caught as bycatch. Trolling to 6m deep, the 120 Tango is constructed from tough ABS plastic in onepiece to ensure maximum strength. Internally there is a casting weight that drops into a slot during retrieve, helping to keep the nose down. The weigh is released to the tail of the lure during casting to provide more accurate casting and greater distance by reducing tumbling during the cast. Externally the 120 Tango is fitted with 4X trebles that are wickedly sharp, and all rings are overstrength to produce a lure that will not compromise in the field. Available in 10 colours, the 120 Tango Shad weighs in at 37g and is built for action. www.wilsonfishing.com
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PRODUCT GUIDE
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The popular Soft Mullet from JM Gillies now comes in three new colours. There are now six colours in the range: blue, gold, plain, bananafish, Guns ‘n’ Roses and Qantas. There are two sizes to choose from – 4” and 6” – and each size comes in all colours. These pre-rigged soft plastic baits have been tested by numerous guides around Australia, and have accounted for some impressive catches. Soft Mullets feel more ‘natural’ to an enquiring fish, and this means the fish will mouth it for longer, giving you extra time to set the hook. Another recent lure release from Gillies is the Aqua Shad range, which was launched last year. Aqua Shads have a special soft touch construction, designed to produce a lifelike swimming action and extreme durability. Each Aqua Shad has an embedded holographic effect in the body, as well as lifelike eyes. There are four proven colours in the range (pearl, fire tiger, gold fish and bunker), and they measure 8cm and weigh 14g. www.jmgillies.com.au
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visit www.tacklejunkie.fish for the latest tackle news - AS IT HAPPENS!
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PRODUCT GUIDE
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WHAT’S NEW FISHING NEW 55MM CODGER 7 COLOURS
PRO-CURE BUTT JUICE
Codger Lures are designed by Graham Saunders from Shepparton in Victoria. His lures are widely known by their upturned bib design and have been a favorite for all serious native fish anglers for many years, particularly around his home town and the cod fishing mecca that is Lake Mulwala. The small 55mm 10+ and 15+ lures have been around since the late 80s and Graham has recently added four new colours to the 55mm range. Like the recent edition of his new Codger surface lures, these new colours will be highly sought after by all keen native fish anglers, and will no doubt have the same success as the rest of the range. To find out more about these and other Codger lures, you can head over to the Trelly’s website or contact Graham Saunders directly on 0407 544 965. www.trellys.com.au
Pro-Cure Super gel combines the best of the laboratory with real ground bait to attract fish and trigger strikes. Pro-Cure’s famous Butt Juice, now available to Aussie anglers. A killer scent on bottom feeders, it’s an easy-to-use super sticky gel formula and a great gift for your fishing buddy. Tested and proven, it combines real ground bait with UV enhancement, powerful amino acids and bite stimulants to fire up the bite. All this combines to attract fish, trigger strikes and make fish hold on longer, in a super sticky formula that sees it stay on any lure cast after cast. The 2oz squeeze bottle offers excellent value for money and the flip up nozzle makes applying Super Gel quick, easy and mess free, with no leakage when stored, so there’ll be no Butt Juice leaking all over the place when you least expect. www.tackletactics.com.au
SAX SCENT WITH CARABINER
DAIWA DUCKFIN LIVESHAD
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There’s good news for lovers of Sax Scent, with their 30mL squeeze tubes now coming with a carabiner as standard. This is a win for convenience for all fishos, as your favourite scent can now be hung from your electric motor remote lanyard, belt loop or anywhere else that’s easy to reach. It will save you valuable on-water time, and also make it easier to keep Sax Scent on your lure and get your rod bent. The Sax Scent 30mL squeeze tubes are available now in tackle stores or from the Sax Scent website. The SRP is $12.95 per tube, or $55 for a pack of five, which includes one tube of each of their flavours: crab, goldprawn, wasabi, bloodworm and abalone. Sax Scent is an Australian made and tested product that is used by successful tournament anglers all around Australia. It catches everything from bass and Murray cod in the fresh through to saltwater species such as whiting, bream, flathead, mulloway and more. www.saxscent.com
The Duckfin Liveshad has an remarkably effective design, which delivers outstanding action that resembles the swimming movements of a real fish. By applying 3D design and modeling around the realistic natural baitfish shape, this premium grade soft bait is one of the most accurate lifelike shads available on the market today. Suited to fast and slow retrieves, the Duck Fin tail creates a strong rolling and swinging action. Combined with its enticing swimming action, the lure’s streamlined shape, fins and large tail make it a very lethal lure. Features include: realistic patterns; 3D eyes; UV active prevents fading; fins for stabilization; and large Duckfin tail. The special soft material is also tough, and can endure multiple takes from predators. There are two models, a smaller size that measures 150mm long and weighs 28g, and a larger model that measures 200mm long and weighs 64g. They are available now in tackle stores around Australia. Price: from SRP $19.99 www.daiwafishing.com.au
MUSTAD LIP GRIPPER
BLACK MAGIC ENTICER COLOURS
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Mustad has upgraded their MT21 Lip Grip with some new additions that make this great tool even better. For starters, the new cosmetics make this tool jump out with anodised blue and black the theme throughout. The grip arms have also been tinkered with, changing from a one arm operation to a two arm operation. The handle has also been toughened up to allow larger fish to be easily controlled. Add in the existing features such as coiled lanyard for securing the tool to your belt or boat, single-handed operation and a weigh scale to 40lb, and this tool is a great accessory whether you are fishing from the bank or the boat. Mustad is distributed by Wilson Fishing, and you can see their full range of tools at www.wilsonfishing.com/Products/ Accessories/Tools. For all the latest news and catch photos visit the Wilson Fishing Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ LWilsonAndCo. www.wilsonfishing.com
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Black Magic’s very popular range of Enticer spinners has been expanded with some new additions. There are now seven colour options to choose from in either a 7g or 12g weight, and the two newest colours are called ‘carp’ and ‘red belly’. Black Magic Enticers feature startlingly lifelike finishes, which imitate a number of juvenile fish species. This finish, coupled with the Enticers’ fluttering action, makes them particularly attractive to predatory fish. They are very effective for both trolling and casting from the shoreline for a number of freshwater and estuarine species across Australia. As you would expect from Black Magic, these lures are manufactured from high quality components including a chemically sharpened treble hook, strong split rings and a swivel to help prevent line twist. Black Magic Enticers are available from Black Magic dealers nationwide. For more information head to the Black Magic website, or look them up on Facebook at www. facebook.com/blackmagictackle. www.blackmagictackle.com
Please email contributions to: nicole@fishingmonthly.com.au APRIL 2018
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WHAT’S NEW FISHING TRLJA TROLLING SQUID JIG
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DTD are European manufacturer of high quality lures and squid jigs. Having taken out the top squid lure award for the past two years at the prestigious EFFTEX tackle trade show, DTD have built a reputation for innovation and ingenuity, and their Trlja Trolling Squid jig is a fine example. The Trlja features a diving bib, which allows the lure to suspend and dive to the desired depth, like a minnow bait. The jig can then be slowly trolled from a boat or kayak so it swims horizontally through the strike zone (usually just above the weed line). Unlike a traditional squid jig, which you jig in and out of the strike zone, the Trlja remains within the zone the whole time. The realistic swimming action, coupled with the bright fluoro colour combinations (which directly imitate rock cod and red mullet) entice the squid out from the weed bed as the lure passes over their heads. Strong stainless steel hooks, durable cloth body, and luminescent glow effect all combine to attract the squid and to then ensure the catch is effectively landed every time. The Trlja Trolling Squid Jig is available in two styles (Trlja and Trlja Platno) and in two sizes (90mm and 110mm). www.dogtoothdistribution.com.au
EUREKA PHANTOM 14 AND VIPER
Eureka Lures Australia has released a dynamic range of game lures this year that are certainly going to prove effective on species such as marlin, tuna, albacore and mahimahi. The Eureka Phantom lure is a short pusher that creates an amazing smoke trail, and can be placed anywhere in a lure spread. They feature a double skirt with an oversized eye and reflective prism head. The Phantom is 8” long and comes in six outstanding colours. The Eureka Viper lure is a Slant Head lure that can be trolled at faster speeds. It dives, pops and swerves and creates a short to medium bubble trail. The Eureka Viper’s weighted head allows it to handle rougher conditions. They feature a double skirt with a reflective prism head. The Viper is 71/2” long and comes in six outstanding colours. www.jurofishing.com
PENN CONFLICT II
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The runner-up for Best Combo at the 2017 AFTA Show was the Penn Conflict II and Regiment II. Incorporating a lightweight yet strong RR30 (Rigid Resin) body and rotor, the Conflict II can withstand the high pressures that braided lines and powerful fish generate, while being light enough to comfortably cast all day. Housed with the RR30 body are seven stainless steel bearings and a computercontrolled CNC gear technology system where pinion, drive and oscillation gears are individually machined to exact tolerances. HT100 carbon fibre drag washers provide smooth and consistent drag pressure under high pressure and heat. There are four models covering a wide range of inshore applications, such as snapper on plastics through to casting metals at pelagics. Gear ratios range from 6.2:1 on the 2500 model to 5.6:1 with 90cm of line retrieve on the 5000. Maximum drags start at 5.5kg in the smaller models to 11kg on the largest. Penn Regiment II rods are a new generation of super light but powerful 5-piece travel rods. With a long tip and short butt, these lightweight, low diameter, fast action blanks are fitted with special Fuji intermediate rings for the perfect compression curve. Other features include: SLS3 blank construction; BCRLTSG guides; aluminium reel seat; and Cordura Tube. There 44
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PRODUCT GUIDE
are three models, all 2.1m long, ranging from 10-50lb. www.pennfishing.com.au
FISH INC FLY HALF
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The Fish Inc. Lures Fly Half 80mm popper is built tough, with heavy-duty ABS construction and solid wire through body design, to punch above its weight, and comes fitted with HD Owner trebles. At 16g it casts like a bullet, and its unique keeled belly design and balanced weight allows it to be retrieved easily with a walk-the-dog retrieve, popped with a subtle pop, or popped more aggressively to move plenty of water and create more noise. As well as providing casting distance and balance, the internal weight also emits a low click when the lure is walked or popped, drawing fish in. The finish quality and colours are to the normal top shelf standard produced by Fish Inc. Lures, with either a chrome look finish or internal foil design that creates flash, attracts strikes and helps the fish to zero in on the surface presentation. This bite-size lure has already accounted for a stack of species, including jacks, barra, trevally, tailor and salmon. It’s currently available in eight colours, including blue ghost, tidal form, bronze sardine and sugar coral. Price: SRP $19.95 www.tackletactics.com.au
OCEA PLUGGER FULL 17 THROTTLE
Full Throttle is the name, and full throttle is how these specialised rods are meant to be fished! This Japanese Domestic Market (JDM) saltwater spin rod series from Shimano is being widely embraced by the Australian offshore fishing fraternity as the pinnacle in casting and fish fighting performance. Utilising Shimano’s exclusive nano alloy High Power X Spiral graphite blanks, Ocea Plugger Full Throttle rods can propel and then work surface lures like the Ocea Spouter or Rock Dive with ease, and then comfortably handle a 60° fighting angle once hooked up — which will happen pretty quickly. As befitting rods of this standard, every element is top of the line. PE 4-8 braid ratings, lure weights from 20-150g, heavy-duty Fuji DPS reel seats, Fuji Titanium guides with SiC inserts for minimal friction build-up, and twopiece design with the ferruling underneath the foregrip means that Plugger Full Throttle rods are designed with big pelagics in mind. www.shimanofish.com.au
VMC 7116 CB HOOKS
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The new VMC 7116 CB Saltwater Trolling/ Fly series has arrived. Incorporating a forged, octopus style, wide gape, nonoffset long shank, this range is ideal for rigging light game skirted lures or tying large saltwater flies. CB stands for the new Coastal Black finish, unique to VMC. It’s the ultimate combination of an innovative coating for extreme corrosion resistance and a premium hook finishing process for maximum sharpness, offering the longest lasting black finish in the saltwater market today. Chemically sharpened to perfection, the unique VMC Needle Sharp ground needle point design combines maximum resistance and sharpness for exceptional penetration. Available in 2/0, 4/0, 6/0, 8/0, 9/0 and 10/0 sizis, these hooks will assist in targeting many species including marlin, GTs, barra, tuna and golden trevally. www.rapala.com.au
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PRODUCT GUIDE
WHAT’S NEW FISHING
SoftGaff AccuMat – the ultimate in accuracy ™
TESTED
In today’s world of outstretched arms, clever camera angles and noses that grow like the fabled puppet Pinocchio, a brag mat has become more important than ever before when recording your catches, checking for a PB and, most importantly, making sure your fish is bigger than your fishing buddy’s!
That’s why we were so excited when the local postman dropped off a couple of perhaps the most technically advanced fish measuring tool to hit the shelves – the SoftGaff AccuMat™.
Brett Habener with a typical size barramundi from the trip north. This fish and many others hit the deck after falling for a Lucky Craft Pointer AU series jerkbait.
Developed by lifelong fishing tragics John and Ray Callingham, the AccuMat has been painstakingly designed and engineered to be the most accurate and efficient ‘brag mat’ on the market. In fact it’s so different from the competition that both the AccuMat and its accompanying smart phone app AccuLog™ have had international patent applications lodged.
WHAT’S SO DIFFERENT ABOUT THE ACCUMAT? The first thing you’ll notice is just how neat and tidy it is straight out of the box. I’ve only got a small 2000 model 4m Quintrex Hornet Trophy tinny to get me around on the water, and I like to carry too many rods, reels and especially lures so space is at an absolute premium inside my boat. With the AccuMat being able to be so easily wound back up into its own hard shell, it’s there when you need it but not in the way or flapping around in the breeze when you’re traveling. The outer shell of the canister is sleek, robust and bright yellow so it’s hard to misplace. The mat itself is very supple and won’t wrinkle, giving you a much more exact measurement of your fish. Manufactured from UV-resistant and mould/mildew-resistant material, the AccuMat has been designed to not fade, stretch or warp. No Metal, No Rust, No Worries AccuMat uses exactly zero metals in its construction so there’s no need to worry about rust and corrosion. This means you
can pull out the mat, wet it down to make life easier on your fish’s scales and wash the mat at any time without a worry. One mat will provide you with years and years of hassle-free use. DAD TALKS IN INCHES BUT I TALK IN CM Never fear, AccuMat are available in both metric and imperial versions up to 150cm/1500mm and 60”. THE APP Plenty of fishing-related smart phone apps have been released over the years,
but few of them have stuck around and not many worked – especially here in Australia. I have a feeling though that the AccuLog app will buck this trend and become a hit with us notoriously hard to please Aussie anglers. Available for Apple iOS and Google Android, the AccuLog digital fishing app helps you record dates, times, locations, methods and, with the help of your AccuMat, the size of the fish. I’ve had it on my phone for only a few weeks and a couple of fishing trips, but I’ve found it easy to use and navigate, as well as share pics to my increasing number of social media accounts. All your photos are kept in a neat gallery and it’s got a very intelligent and predictive list of species pre-loaded, so storing and accessing your data becomes quite easy. Each AccuMat has its own unique ID number right below where the fish’s nose goes, so it’s visible to the app and it uses this to recognise your account. We’ve had a little trouble getting this to work sometimes, but I suspect that’s a user error rather than a software or design error. THE PRICE Fishing gear is no different from any other purchase in life, in that you get what you pay for. The AccuMat isn’t cheap at a suggested retail price of $99, but with the way it’s put together this is probably the last brag mat you’ll ever need to buy. The AccuLog smartphone app is $2.99 from either app store.
WHERE TO BUY The AccuMat is still fairly new to the market, so while it is stocked in some tackle stores already, the network isn’t as large as I assume it will soon be. For now, if you can’t find it in your local store, jump onto www.softgaff.com and purchase it there.- RUPE
None of the fish caught on the weekend away testing the AccuMat™ were monsters but being 4 competitive young fellas you can be sure every one of them went on the mat to see who’s fish was bigger. Every millimetre counts!
APRIL 2018
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Mario jigs Geneo for victory Victorian breamer Mario Vukic kick-started the 2018 Costa BREAM Series in grand style with the 2017 runner-up claiming victory in the opening round of the tour, the Costa Mallacoota BREAM Qualifier held on 13-14 February. Proving that he’s the angler to watch when the Costa tour comes to town, Vukic went one step better than his runner-up title in 2017 to claim victory in the opening round of the 2018 Costa BREAM Series. Fishing the Genoa rock walls for the event Vukic keyed in on a 100m stretch as the pick of the areas to fish and it was here that he fished a deepwater soft plastic and Cranka Crab approach to catch his fish each day. “My game plan was to find a location that would produce numbers of fish.
STORM
Mario Vukic with a brace of Mallacoota winning bream. lure,” explained Mario. The approach paid dividends with Vukic catching 25 legal fish on day
BIG BREAM Glen Sturrock claimed the Daiwa J-Braid Big Bream Prize with the BREAM tour veteran picking up the $500 winning fish on day one on a super wakasagi coloured OSP Dunk crankbait. Caught off a snag on the edge it was Sturrock’s only fish for the session. For more information on the Costa BREAM Series head to www.abt.org.au. – ABT
Then it was a matter of picking through them and catching the occasional bigger fish – the fish that you want to have in your bag
one and another 20 legals on the shortened day two, his limit coming by 12pm on day one and by 9am on day two.
While the ZMan was Mario’s bag filler it was a 3” Gene Larew Baby Hoodaddy and a light Cranka Crab that delivered him his upgrades for the tournament. On day one it was the Hoodaddy that delivered the upgrade magic in a technique that was a mixture of aggression and inactivity, Mario explained. “The key with the Hoodaddy was to give it a series of aggressive flicks then deadstick it and allow it to sink back down on slack line. It looks just like a prawn coming back down to the bottom when you work it this way.”
Glen Sturrock caught the standout fish at Mallacoota claiming the Daiwa J-Braid Big Bream Prize with his day one kicker fish.
Visit www.abt.org.au for entry forms. For general enquiries phone ABT on (07) 3387 0888. 70
APRIL 2018
when you deliver it to the scales,” explained Vukic. Vukic’s go-to lure first up each morning was a motor oil coloured 2.5” ZMan GrubZ rigged on either a 1/16oz or 1/12oz jighead. Its presentation involved casting it tight to the edge then hopping it down the rock slope and back to the boat. “The bank dropped off into about 15-20ft of water and it was as I hopped the lure off the slope and just as it was about to hit the bottom that most of the fish bit the
On day two it was the Cranka Crab that proved the hero with Vukic catching a kicker fish on it. “After catching my limit on day two the plan was to move to the shallows but I decided to tie on a Cranka Crab and it paid off. I caught a 1kg+ fish which anchored my bag, and in the end it was this fish that helped me claim the event win,” explained Mario. The kicker fish in his 3.59kg day two limit it was enough to enable Vukic to leapfrog Dan Mackrell into 1st place to claim his maiden win on the Costa BREAM Series, on a waterway that carries much personal significance. “My parents brought me to Mallacoota when I was a child, and now as a parent I bring my kids here as well. It’s a place that is dear to myself and my family, so to win my first event here is very fitting and further adds to the specialness of the win and our love of ‘Coota,” explained Mario. For his win Vukic cashed a $3200 winner’s cheque and pencilled his name in as a qualifier for the Costa BREAM Grand Final in Victoria in November. The victory also cemented his name as one of the anglers to look out for when the Costa tour comes to Victoria.
TOP 10 BOATERS Place Angler
Fish Weight (kg)
Payout
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10 8/10 10/10 10/10 10/10
$3,200 $1800, Duffrods Big Bag (3,76kg) $1300, 1st Mercury Bonus $1150, 2nd Mercury Bonus $975, 3rd Mercury Bonus $800 $650 $500 $500 $500
Mario VUKIC Daniel MACKRELL Jarrod HEALEY Tom DEER Cameron WHITTAM Jesse ROTIN Tim VICKERS Clint VOSS Brad ROBERTS Braddley YOUNG
7.11 7.10 6.29 5.87 5.86 5.70 5.69 5.44 5.32 5.21
For full result listings, see www.abt.org.au
Mack attack at Coota Dan Mackrell compiled two solid days on the water at Mallacoota to claim 2nd place in the boater division to punch his ticket for the Costa BREAM Grand Final and head home $1800 richer for the weekend. Fishing the Narrows area for the tournament the Frogleys Offshore sponsored bream pro, like many anglers in the field, chose a soft plastic approach to catch his fish, namely a 2” motor oil colour curl-tail grub rigged on a 1/20oz Seeker jighead. Working areas of varying
depth from 50cm on the edge out to the secondary drop-off in 2.5m, Mackrell fished tight to the bottom. “The fish were positioned tight to structure regardless of the depth so it was important to keep the lure in touch with the bottom,” explained Dan. It wasn’t solely a soft plastic approach for Mackrell, especially on day one, as the Victorian breamer fished the shallow flats with a 65mm Atomic Seekerz jerkbait in Tim’s prawn colour. “The key with the jerkbait
was the pause; you wanted to let it sit motionless for a long time to get the fish to eat it,” explained Mackrell. Out in the deep fishing his jighead rigged soft plastic, Mackrell found plenty of baitfish with tailor and bream sitting underneath them looking for an easy feed. While Dan could find the bream and the bait, it wasn’t until later in the day that the bream started to play. “They didn’t really fire here until mid-morning so I spent time fishing other locations while I waited for them to turn on,” explained Mackrell. When they did turn on the action was fast and furious with Dan catching 30 legal fish for day one and a dozen on day two. It was a late start for the bite to turn on day two and it wasn’t until the last hour and half of the reduced four-hour session that he caught his first fish. “My non-boater had four
DUFFRODS BIG BAG Event runner-up Dan Mackrell secured the Duffrods Big Bag for the tournament, with the Atomic-sponsored angler claiming the prize for his 5/5, 3.76kg day one limit. The standout limit for the tournament, Dan’s XOS sack was enough to give him the lead heading into day two, but unfortunately wasn’t enough to hold off Mario Vukic for the event win.
BREAM SERIES
Dan Mackrell found the big fish at Coota, falling 10g short of claiming victory. fish and I had nothing, so I was starting to get a little worried. I reminded myself to stay focused, and the fish eventually came, including my limit and a few upgrades,” explained Mackrell. Weighing in a 3.34kg
limit for the session Mackrell unfortunately didn’t have enough weight to hold off eventual winner Mario Vukic, falling 10g short of claiming victory. “To lose and to lose by that little definitely
hurts,” explained a heartbroken Mackrell. The tackle Mackrell used included Samurai Reaction rods (models 101 and 181), Daiwa Ignis reels, 8lb Unitika Aorika and X4 braid and 3lb Unitika fluorocarbon leader.
Badrock bags out for Coota non boater victory Doug Badrock punched his ticket for December’s Victorian Costa BREAM Grand Final with the Bright-based tournament gun claiming a comprehensive non
Zman Grub on jighead
boater victory at Mallacoota. Fishing with Robert Lee on day one Badrock started his day fishing the northern side of Goodwin Sands, throwing a brown
suji coloured Atomic Jerk Minnow, and twitching and pausing it above the weed beds. “The lure and technique paid off and I caught my first fish for the session. We then
Cranka Crab
15-20’ deep
TOP 10 NON BOATERS Place Angler
Fish
Weight (kg) Payout
1
10/10
6.07
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Doug BADROCK
Costa Prize Pack, 1st Hobie Bonus Simon JOHNSON 10/10 5.27 Tonic Sunglasses, Prize Pack Bowan JOINER 9/10 4.96 Atomic Arrowz rod, Prize Pack, 2nd Hobie Bonus Blair BRYANT 7/10 4.30 Daiwa LT Exceler reel, Prize Pack, 3rd Hobie Bonus Grant OLIVER 7/10 4.07 Prize Pack Stuart WALKER 7/10 4.06 Prize Pack Michael THOMPSON 6/10 3.83 Prize Pack Ben SHUEY 6/10 3.64 Prize Pack Paul LANGLEY 6/10 3.44 Prize Pack Chris HEAD 6/10 2.94 Prize Pack For full result listings, see www.abt.org.au
moved and headed to the southeastern side of Goodwin Sands,” explained Badrock. Fishing water 0.9-1.3m deep, the pair keyed in on an area that had plenty of weed and, most importantly, sand patches scattered throughout. “This is where I caught all my legals for the day, and just like the fish I caught earlier they fell to a slow-rolled, twitched and paused Atomic Jerk Minnow. The slower, the better was definitely the key when it came to the retrieve,” explained Badrock. Badrock’s two go-to colours for his Atomic Jerk Minnow were a brown suji and a brown colour. While the Goodwin Sands’ bream loved Badrock’s Jerk Minnows and choice of colours, they did make him work for them and it wasn’t until the last ten minutes of the session that he caught his fifth fish for the day. Sitting in 5th place at the end of day one and paired with day one leader Dan Mackrell for day two, Doug was feeling positive about what day two had to offer. With angling time a premium on day two due to the reduced session, Badrock wanted to get them and he wanted to get them early, and that’s definitely how it played out. Fishing in 1.5-3m of water the pair spot locked on a particular location, targeting fish feeding on baitfish in the area. “The bream were sitting bellow the baitfish and it didn’t take long to get them to bite. I caught four fish in the first 40 minutes – the fourth was fat 39cm yellowfin,”
Doug Badrock claimed a solid victory in the nonboater division at the Costa-presented event. explained Badrock. Doug’s fifth fish proved hard to catch and it wasn’t until the last 20 minutes of the session that he caught it. His gun lure was the bloodworm and motor oil coloured 2.5” ZMan GrubZ rigged on a variety of jigheads, ranging from 1/12-1/8oz in weight. “The 1/8oz was the go-to when the wind really got up because you could cast further and keep the lure in contact with the bottom,” explained Badrock. While Badrock and Mackrell caught fish throughout the session the bites came in 10
minute windows. “The bites came in waves and we found as the day progressed the quicker hops and twitches would draw the best reaction from the fish,” explained Badrock. Badrock weighed in a 5/5, 3.35kg limit to claim victory and secure an 800g win over Simon Johnson in 2nd place in doing so becoming the owner of a new pair of Costa sunglasses, securing a berth in the Costa BREAM Grand Final, and claiming his first win on the Costa BREAM tour.
WINNING TACKLE Rod: G.Loomis TSR 862-2 Reel: Daiwa Steez 2004 Line: 10lb (0.6 PE) Sunline Castaway PE Leader: 3lb Sunline FC Rock Lure: 2.5” ZMan Grubz in motor oil rigged on either a 1/16oz or 1/12oz jighead, 3” Gene Larew Baby Hoodaddy and an olive coloured light Cranka Crab. Shrimp flavoured Pro Cure scent was also added to the lures. APRIL 2018
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Cam crushes field for Gippy win
STORM
Cam Whittam added another BREAM trophy to his mantel piece at round two of the Costa BREAM Series with the gun Victorian breamer compiling a 10/10, 10.37kg limit to claim victory in the 2nd event of the Viccy Tour, the Atomic Gippsland Lakes BREAM Qualifier on 17-18 February. Calling upon his extensive knowledge and experience fishing the vast Gippsland Lakes fishery, Whittam fished two key areas to claim the win. On day one he focused on the Mitchell River flats and on day two the Mitchell River flats and the shallow reef at the mouth of the Tambo River. Fishing the shallow reef on the Mitchell River flats – an area that many boats in the field were fishing – Whittam found the fish, but found getting them to bite wasn’t always easy. “I was fishing in 3-4ft of water and picked up
Atomic Gippsland Lakes victor Cam Whittam holds aloft a pair of his tournament-winning bream. sitting in 2nd place at the end of the day. Returning to the Mitchell River flats at the start of day two, Cam once again found the going hard. At 10.30am, with only two fish in the
DAIWA J-BRAID BIG BREAM Wayne Hamilton claimed the Daiwa J-Braid Big Bream Prize at Gippsland Lakes with the Gippsland local securing the $500 prize on day two for his standout fish caught in 3ft of water at the Mitchell flats on a hardbody. The tackle Hamilton used to catch the prizewinning fish included a 2-4kg Duffrods Broken Bones rod and Daiwa Ignis 2004 reel.
Visit www.abt.org.au for entry forms. For general enquiries phone ABT on (07) 3387 0888. 72
APRIL 2018
and pinpointed fish with my Humminbird Helix sounder; getting them to bite however proved more challenging. The bite was ultra timid and I missed 8-10 fish each day, because they weren’t really committed in their bite,” explained Whittam. Fishing the Mitchell River flats on day one Whittam threw a two-lure punch, throwing a deep brown suji shrimp Jackall Chubby and a 2.5” ZMan GrubZ – the latter was used to catch his kicker fish. “There was plenty of algae in the water which greatly reduced the visibility. The Chubby was the perfect lure for these conditions because of the combination of rattle and UV, particularly when the sun was low and there was less light penetration into the water,” explained Whittam. The presentation for the Chubby involved a slow retrieve, bumping the bottom and walking the lure over structure as it swum through the water. The timid frugal bite proved challenging on day one with Whittam only catching five legal fish and a couple of undersize fish for the day. What he lacked in numbers he made up for in size with Cam weighing in a 5/5, 5.26kg limit to be
well, he pulled up stumps and changed location, heading to the mouth of the Tambo River in search of more productive water. Whittam also made a change in lure, swapping to an OSP Dunk in a variety of different colours. Cam’s changes paid dividends, finding fish at the Tambo that were more eager to eat than the timid fish at the Mitchell. “The fish at the Tambo were far less pressured and were more committed to eating the lure; getting them to the boat however was the hard part at times. I got
dusted by at least six fish for the day,” explained Cam. Within 30 minutes of arriving at the Tambo Whittam had filled his limit, his eventual bag weighing 5.11kg anchored by two 38.5cm fork-length fish. Weighing in two 5kg+ bags for the tournament Whittam claimed the victory in a canter, winning by a 2.16kg margin over event runner-up Jamie McKeown. In victory Whittam added $3100 to his career earnings and additionally value added his rewards with the $250 Mercury Bonus.
The big fish came out to play at Gippsland with Wayne Hamilton securing the Daiwa J-Braid Big Bream Prize.
TOP 10 BOATERS Place Angler
Fish
Weight (kg)
1 2
10/10 7/10
10.37 8.21
3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Cameron Whittam Jamie McKeown
Payout
$3100, 1st Mercury Bonus $1700, Duffrods Big Bag, 2nd Mercury Bonus Warren Carter 10/10 7.96 $1200, 3rd Mercury Bonus Brad Hodges 10/10 7.27 $1150 Christian Wardini 10/10 6.49 $950 Kris Hickson 8/10 6.42 $800 Grant Kime 9/10 6.08 $600 Mario Vukic 9/10 5.76 $500 Mark Cribbes 7/10 5.59 $500 Brad Roberts 7/10 4.95 $500 For full result listings, see www.abt.org.au
Yellow fever for podium finish Queensland Breamer Jamie McKeown made the long trip from home on the Gold Coast to Victoria for the opening rounds of the 2018 Costa BREAM Series with the 2017 BREAM Grand Final runner-up fishing like he was still at home chasing yellowfin bream rather than the black bream of the south to claim a top two at the Gippsland Lakes event. Fishing for the rarelytargeted yellowfin bream of Gippsland Lakes McKeown keyed in on the rock walls at Lakes Entrance during the pre-fish and it was here that he fished during the event. “After I found them
during the pre-fish I was confident that I’d have them to myself during the tournament because guys rarely target them down here. I perhaps wasn’t so confident that they would last for the whole tournament,” explained McKeown. Hitting the ground running on day one, McKeown went straight there from the start and started fishing. He worked water and walls in the 2-9m depth range. “The key was to look for walls with plenty of current flow and cast into the eddies. Sink your lure down to the bottom and if you could get it there, the
DUFFRODS BIG BAG Queenslander breamer Jamie McKeown picked up the Duffrods Big Bag with the Gold Coast tournament veteran catching the tournament’s standout bag on day one, a 5/5, 5.62kg limit of yellowfin bream caught from the rock walls at Lakes Entrance.
bream would generally eat it,” explained Jamie. The lure that he used was the lure that delivered him so much during last year’s Grand Final – the Cranka Crab. McKeown threw the 5.9 and 9.5g models in spotted and brown colours. “It was hard aggressive fishing. In many ways it was like jack fishing on the Gold Coast – super aggressive bites followed by a strong tussle to stop the bream finding its way home,” explained Jamie. The action was fast and furious from the get-go on day one with Jamie filling his limit by 9.30am. Upgrades followed throughout the session, and when McKeown dropped a 5.62kg limit of yellowfin bream on the weigh-in scales back at the Metung Hotel he turned heads and made plenty of people sit up and take notice. “Black bream have always dominated our events
in Victoria. There’s yellowfin down there but they rarely get considered as a viable option during a tournament. To see Jamie bring a bag of them in – and a bag that size – is something that’s never been done before,” explained ABT Tournament Director Simon Goldsmith. Day two however was the real challenge with a change in current flow and line breakage issues plagued McKeown’s day on the water. “The current wasn’t running the same, so it was more difficult to get the lure down to the fish. I also lost a few key fish because I’d run out of my main leader material and I had to use something else that wasn’t as robust in rocky situations. While Jamie found the quality of fish he’d been on the two days prior, regretfully he only managed to put two fish in the well. Weighing in a 2/5, 2.59kg limit for the
we moved out and fished the shallow reefy main flat,” explained Joiner. The bite when fishing the timber was anything but subtle with a pause of his lure followed by an aggressive hit. On the shallow flat, however, the fish were a bit more reserved with the
bream giving a slight nudge of the lure before Joiner would set the hook. The approach was exactly what the fish wanted with Joiner catching 12-15 fish for the session, including five legals and three upgrades. Weighing in a 5/5, 4.19kg limit on day one Joiner was
BREAM SERIES
Event runner-up Jamie McKeown zigged when many anglers zagged, catching yellowfin bream on the rocks walls at Lakes Entrance to secure a podium finish. session McKeown slipped from 1st to 2nd to head home with thoughts of what may have been and growing plans for redemption in the 2018 Gippsland Lakes event.
The tackle McKeown used for the event included Samaki Zing Extreme and K2 rods, Ecooda Hawke II reel, 8lb Samaki braid and 6lb leader.
Joiner grubs and cranks to maiden victory Mallacoota breaming wunderkind Bowan Joiner once again showed his angling prowess with the talented East Gippsland angler claiming victory in the non-boater division of the Atomic Gippsland Lakes BREAM Qualifier.
Fishing the Mitchell River flats on day one Joiner and his boater target flooded timber in 3-10ft of water and finding bream holding tight to the base of the timber. “We worked through the area and once we fished all the timber we could find
Deep Jackall Chubby
OSP Dunk
Zman Grub on Jighead
Victorian young gun Bowan Joiner claimed the non-boater title at the Atomic-presented event.
Weedy bottom
Rocky bottom
TOP 10 NON BOATERS Place Angler
Fish
Weight (kg) Payout
1
7/10
6.52
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Bowan Joiner
Costa Sunglasses, Prize Pack, 1st Hobie Bonus Tomas McIntosh 8/10 6.46 Tonic Sunglasses, Prize Pack, 2nd Hobie Bonus Wayne Hamilton 7/10 6.04 Atomic Arrowz Rod, Prize Pack, Daiwa J-Braid Big Bream, 3rd Hobie Bonus Peter Breukel 9/10 5.89 Daiwa Reel and Prize Pack Glen Sturrock 8/10 5.47 Prize Pack James Morgan 6/10 5.25 Prize Pack Grayson Fong 5/10 5.18 Prize Pack, Simon Johnson 8/10 4.90 Prize Pack Craig Johnson 7/10 4.64 Prize Pack Jason Sellings 7/10 3.97 Prize Pack For full result listings, see www.abt.org.au
sitting in 1st place heading into day two. A different boater and different location greeted Joiner on day two, with the Mallacoota local fishing the jetties at Paynesville. With a jighead rigged ZMan GrubZ tied on Joiner would skip his offering in under the structure to the waiting fish. “The fish were holding on the structure waiting for the current to deliver them food. The key was to skip the lure as far back into the shade as you could, let it sink to the bottom, then give it a
series of small hops and jerks as you worked it back to the boat,” explained Joiner. It was hard fishing with Joiner only catching two legal fish for the session, the first coming at 10am and the second at 2.20pm. Despite falling short of weighing his full limit for the session, Joiner had just enough to hold off a strong finishing Tom McIntosh for the win. The tackle Joiner used to catch his tournament winning fish included a Millerod 2-5kg Brawler rod matched to a 2500 Shimano
Stradic reel spooled with 6lb Sunline braid and 6lb Sunline FC Rock leader, and a Millerods 1-3kg Twitch Freak rod matched to a Daiwa 2506 Luvias reel spooled with 4lb Sunline braid and 4lb Sunline FC Rock leader. The lures he used included an OSP Dunk 48 in H-23 colour regularly smeared with S Factor, and a 2.5” ZMan GrubZ in motor oil and watermelon red flake colours rigged on 1/24oz Nitro jigheads.
WINNING TACKLE Rod: Duffrods Broken Bones BB 2852 and Titanium Series T8522 Reel: Daiwa Certate and Luvias 2506 Line: 12lb Sunline Castaway PE Leader: 4lb Sunline FC Rock Bream Special fluorocarbon Lure: Deep Jackall Chubby in brown suji shrimp, 2.5” ZMan Grubz in motor oil rigged on a 1/12oz jighead, and OSP Dunk in a variety of colours APRIL 2018
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FUN PAGE AND COMPETITIONS FISHING MONTHY STAFF FAVOURITE FISH
BATTERED
SALMON
CRUMBED
MAHIMAHI
REDFIN
CEVICHE
MULLOWAY
TROUT
BREAM
MURRAY COD
BASS
SNAPPER
THREADFIN
BARRAMUNDI HOOKED
FINGERMARK
GOLDFISH
CORALTROUT
NEMO
SMOKED
WHITING
Valley Hill Rocketeer Slicer
BIG
SOOTY GRUNTER SWEETLIP 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 APR 2018
Phone (day):
FINS SCALES & TALES by A. Both
The Rocketeer Slicer from Japanese tackle giant Valley Hill is a real feat of Japanese design and engineering. The Rocketeer Slicer has a unique metal plate at the nose of the jig, which lets you secure line in two places, and ensures a superior swimming action even through debris. In addition, its tail system lets you cast more effectively into the wind. The Rocketeer Slicer is available in two sizes (3.0 and 3.5) and 13 different colour combinations. It has proven to be highly effective on Australian squid. www.dogtoothdistribution.com.au
SPOT THE
10 DIFFERENCES
GEORGE & NEV by Michael Hardy
ORIGINAL
FIND-A-WORD
Congratulations to Peter Gigliotti from Coburg North, who was last month’s winner of the Find-a-Word Competition! Monthly winners receive a sponsor prize. Prize delivery can take 8 weeks. – VFM
SUBSCRIBER PRIZE
The subscriber prize winners for February are C Yang of Point Cook, A Bourchier of Toolamba, M Hunt of Warrnambool and M Ting of Elsternwick, who won a Salt-Away kit voucher valued at $97.45. All subscribers are entered in the monthly subscriber prize draws. Prize delivery takes up to 8 weeks. – VTFM
Bay , K Voros of Korumburra, H Kirk of Hadspen, J Saunderson of Chelsea, T Mathieson of Patterson Lakes, T Sweeney of Emerald, L Murray of Sale, H Siesmaa of Ferntree Gully, M Fryer of Balwyn North, I Lovel of Bealiba, D Hill of Cranbourne North, P Cobb of Berrigan, D Robinson of Carisbrook, K Dowell of Highton, G Whinney of St Albans, T Kubeil of Euroa, P Reed of Wangaratta, D Hedley of Hamilton,
B Lewis of Brookfield, J Hines of Leopold, B Stokes of Morwell, P Geale of Georgetown, A Pollard of Darley, B Peeters of Colac, D Wyatt of West Wodonga, B Shelton of Romsey, M Williamson of Alexandra, J Laszczyk of Newborough, M Lea of Caramut, S Ward of Curlewis, D Kelly of Camberwell, R Cunningham of Horsham. Prize delivery takes up to 8 weeks. – V&TFM
LAST MONTH’S ANSWERS
FIND THE GAMAKATSU LOGO
GUESS THE FISH?
The answers to Find the Gamakatsu Logo for February were: 9, 16, 19, 20, 23, 26, 31, 34, 36, 42, 80, 83, 89, 93, 110. – VTFM
80
APRIL 2018
This month’s Guess the Fish Answer: Mangrove Jack
The Find the Gamakatsu prize winners for February were: A Melis of Reservoir, P Wight of Selby, W Henley of Park Orchards, D Charalambous of Morwell, R Parry of Stawell, H Skeer of Millicent, B Meaney of Tungamah, N Bryant of North Albury, R Buckley of Sunderland
Answer:
boats & kayaks
In the skipper’s seat
Inside story...
At Anglapro they share their customers’ passion for both fishing and boating. The hulls are built by a team that draw from this passion to provide anglers with a true fishing weapon. From estuary fishing boats to offshore angling machines, Anglapro have boats to suit almost every type of angler.
Made for...
Anglapro build tough boats for Australian conditions, and this is something they pride themselves on. The end result is a safe and great riding craft for anglers with a sense of adventure.
This month...
Peter Jung takes a look at the Anglapro Outlaw 434 PRO, powered by a Mercury 40hp. Check it out on page 90.
82 Yakking in the cold
Corey Gallaghar provides a checklist for the kayakers preparing for the onset of the cooler weather.
86 Exciting new Mercury technology Editor Steve Morgan visited the States recently to check out some new innovations from Mercury.
88 Brand new SUP
Justin Willmer has caved and bought his own SUP, and discovers even more about these fantastic crafts.
92 Quintrex 350 Outback Explorer
Wayne Kampe checks out the smallest member of the new Outback range from Quintrex.
WHAT’S NEW BOATING HONDA V6 OUTBOARDS
1
Honda Marine has just launched its redesigned and improved BF175, BF200, BF225 and BF250 V6 outboard motors. Targeting the heart of the boating market, the refreshed Honda ‘V6’ models mark the newest evolution in the company’s product line, integrating innovative design, a sleek new style, enhanced reliability, streamlined maintenance and an expanded number of rigging options for ease of use. Whether boaters are weekend cruisers or commercial (including government and law enforcement) users, these enhanced V6 motors deliver what every marine enthusiast wants— maximum time on the water. “With multiple rigging options and with Honda’s legendary durability and reliability as standard, these new Honda Marine engines will provide best power and performance from the initial blast to top end speed,” said Rod Day, Sales Manager at Honda Marine. www.honda.com.au
150 PRO XS FOURSTROKE
2
Building on the success of the Mercury 115 Pro XS FourStroke, Mercury Marine has created its new 150 Pro XS FourStroke – an engine which sets a new standard in the 150hp high-output category. Mercury’s new 150 Pro XS more than lives up to the legendary Pro XS reputation for superior hole shot, top-end speed, and durability. This new FourStroke is an ideal fit for performance-oriented boating; for recreational, fishing and competition applications. “The new 150 Pro XS is based on one of Mercury’s most successful and widely adopted engine platforms – the Mercury 150hp,” said John Buelow, Mercury Marine vice president of category management. “Building on this solid foundation, we’ve engineered the new performance-tuned 150 Pro XS to be the quickest, lightest and most advanced high-output outboard in its class.” The new 150 Pro XS boasts fast acceleration, light weight, large displacement, high torque, improved fuel efficiency, smooth performance, corrosion protection, and much more. www.mercurymarine.com.au
NAVIONICS+ REGIONS
3
Navionics, the leader in content and location-based services for the recreational boating market, have announced the release of Navionics+ Regions in seven coverage areas throughout Australia and New Zealand. At the affordable price of $165 AUS per region, Navionics+ Regions is a tremendous value that includes Nautical Chart, SonarChart 0.5 m HD bathymetry map and Community Edits. Daily chart updates and advanced features are included for one year. “For the vast majority of boaters and anglers, the coverage of one Navionics+ Region preloaded with Nautical Chart and SonarChart, allows them to take full advantage of the outstanding capabilities of Navionics+ at a more affordable price point,” said John McDonald, Sales Manager at Navionics Australia. Navionics charts are updated every day with official information, while SonarChart and Community Edits are continuously enhanced by regular contributions from fellow boaters. To keep their charts current, customers can download updates anywhere within the coverage area from the website. Price: SRP $165 www.navionics.com 84
APRIL 2018
PRODUCT GUIDE
COMPACT YANMAR 4 3JH40 Yanmar Marine International has launched the latest addition to its family of new generation common rail (CR) diesel engines: the compact Yanmar 3JH40 inboard engine. The 3-cylinder 3JH40 has been developed by leading manufacturer Yanmar as the marine industry’s smallest CR inboard diesel engine. With an output of 40mhp, it will enable a whole new category of smaller leisure boat owners and commercial vessel operators to benefit for the first time from the efficiency and performance advantages associated with the most recent electronically-managed CR fuelinjection technology. Offering minimal fuel consumption and exceptionally low noise and emission levels, the new Yanmar 3JH40 propulsion engine surpasses EPA Tier 3 and EU RCD Tier 2 emission regulations, for virtually smoke and odour-free operation. The 4-stroke, water-cooled 3JH40 is an ideal solution for new builds and repowering applications, such as small motor boats or light duty commercial craft. Weighing 192kg and with 1.642L displacement, the engine can be operated by either standard mechanical cable controls or the Yanmar VC10 electronic control system. www.powerequipment.com.au
MERCURY V6 FOURSTROKES
5
Mercury Marine is excited to introduce its allnew V6 FourStroke outboard family and the expansion of its SeaPro commercial line. Just unveiled at the 2018 Miami International Boat Show, the new engines include 175hp, 200hp and 225hp FourStroke outboards and a V6 200hp SeaPro commercial outboard. Precision engineered from skeg to cowl, all four outboards are built on Mercury’s new 3.4-litre V6 platform, which is designed to be powerful, light, compact and fuel-efficient. It employs a large displacement, naturally aspirated powerhead and proven mid-section and drive-system designs. “This new platform will position Mercury to advance product leadership in the 175-225hp outboard category, and deliver across the board on consumer needs,” said John Pfeifer, Mercury Marine President. “These new outboards address applications across recreational and commercial applications, strengthen our core product lineup by building off the success of our recent programs and delivering on the requirements of our global customers.” www.mercurymarine.com.au
RAYMARINE AXIOM UAV
6
Raymarine have just announced a marine electronics first at the Miami International Boat Show in the United States this year, with the introduction of the UAV integration with Axiom/Axiom Pro MFDs! This leading-edge technology now brings a hands-free, aerial view to the water, ushering in a new era of UAV control and video possibilities for anglers and boaters doing a lot of on-water filming. Not only does it make capturing video footage of fish catches easier, it also increases Axiom’s inherent fish-finding power to include aerial scouting capabilities while you’re out on the water. Currently compatible with DJI Spark and Mavic UAV drones, features include single button launch/track/record functions, GPS link for various ‘follow’ modes, and real-time video streaming on the Axiom MFD, to make filming with a drone even easier! Axiom UAV integration will be available in the spring of 2018.
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Online - ANYTIME
Anglapro Outlaw 434 PRO with 40hp Mercury
- SC
TENT -
RE ONLINE MO
T
me this is an essential part of this style of craft and almost a must if you’re looking to cast lures in places like Eildon. In a nutshell the workspace of the boat was clear and well thought-out. The accessories added by Boats and More suited the style of boat. As
SPECIFICATIONS Length .......................................................4.3m Beam..........................................................2.0m Hull weight .............................................. 350kg Min hp ........................................................40hp Max hp .......................................................50hp Bottom and sides .....................................3mm Max people ......................................................4 quickly realised why Anglapro has a good reputation for producing fishing-orientated boats. The Outlaw 434 Pro is a side console configuration, with a large forward casting deck and small rear casting decks. It felt like there was a lot of room to move and the storage, including a rod locker, was large enough that all the decks could easily be kept clear and available to fish from. I liked the addition of the MotorGuide electric motor. To 90
APRIL 2018
a fan of painted boats, the Anglapro with its white colour scheme also looked pretty sharp to me. LAUNCH AND RETRIEVE Housed on a Dunbier single axle trailer, the Outlaw was simple to launch and retrieve. You have the capacity to drive it on and off if you prefer and launching it by yourself would not be an issue, as you would hope with a boat of this size. As far as towing is concerned, a medium-sized
car is all that is required and the Dunbier trailer with the package on board was a pleasure to tow. FEATURES AND ACCESSORIES The Outlaw 434 Pro has 3mm side and bottom sheets and a roomy 2m beam (hence the feeling of space). It comes standard painted inside and out and has a medium to large size console. The tested boat had a Garmin sounder mounted on the console and also had a switch panel and VesselView gauges flush mounted into it. All were easy to see and easy to get at. The seating behind the console was comfortable and there was plenty of room for all 6’2 of me. There was also some additional storage in the console for smaller items and things that you need to get your hands on quickly. As already mentioned there is good storage space under the forward and rear decks with the addition of a rod locker to store your fishing rods. The front deck also had an optional livewell fitted, which is
handy for those who are tournament-inclined or like to upgrade their fish during a day’s fishing. The electric motor and bracket was also an optional extra. ON THE WATER The ultimate test is always on the water and you couldn’t fault the Outlaw at rest or once you were up and running. It was an exceptional platform at rest and ideal for
DE FOR EX
Main: Once underway the handling and ride of the Anglapro 434 Outlaw Pro was impressive. It sat beautifully on the water and manoeuvred well. Above: The Anglapro Outlaw 434 Pro looked right at home at Lake Eildon.
CO
pjung@fishingmonthly.com.au
Anglapro has based their reputation around building fishing-friendly craft that are built tough with plenty of features. I hadn’t been in one for many years until the opportunity came up at Lake Eildon when the team from Boats and More in Shepparton and Echuca brought along the Outlaw 434 Pro to be tested. Matched with a 4-stroke 40hp Mercury, it was all about presenting a boat that would be ideal for the fishing on offer in Lake Eildon or the estuarine or river waters around the country. FIRST IMPRESSIONS Before getting the Outlaw onto the water I went about taking the photos of the key components of the boat and
all the casting you would do in a day’s fishing. It also had great manoeuvrability when using the bow mounted electric motor. Once on the plane and trimmed correctly the Outlaw was great to drive. It handled nicely and had a soft ride for an aluminium hull. We had beautiful conditions on the testing day at Eildon, so there were no waves or chop to deal with. It did handle the few boat wakes we encountered with ease. The Anglapro Outlaw 434 Pro has a minimum 40hp and maximum 50hp rating. The test boat had a Mercury 40hp 4-stroke on it and it has to be said that it felt a little underpowered. We were able to make a prop change on the day, which helped to improve the hole shot. In future I think I would lean towards a 50hp motor if I was looking at this hull. Please note that this was also the first time the boat had been on the water, so the team at Boats and More
R
Peter Jung
Q
RA
CON
AN THE
FMG
hadn’t had the opportunity to make any adjustments other than prop size to maximise the performance of the boat. FINAL WORD The Anglapro Outlaw 434 Pro is a beautifully presented boat and ideally set-up for casting lures in any lake, estuary or river situation. The stability at rest and fantastic handling underway are the key positives of it, as well as the well thought-out internal layout. The addition of a quality sounder and the MotorGuide electric motor further enhanced its fishability and the ease of towing and launching make this a great medium size package. The price as tested was $32,990 with a base starting price of $23,990. If you want to know more about this boat and the rest of the boats in the Anglapro range, you can go to the Boats and More website at www.boatsandmore.com. au or phone the Shepparton Store on (03) 5822 2108.
The Dunbier single axle trailer not only allowed for easy launching and retrieving, but was also a pleasure to tow.
Top: The foundation of stability at rest with good ride and manoeuvrability all come from a quality hull configuration. Above: The seating in the Outlaw was very comfortable, with plenty of space for the skipper and passenger.
The console was large enough to hold a largish Garmin sounder, all the boat’s switches and the Mercury VesselView4 system. There was also some general storage for your loose items.
The front casting deck of the 434 was big enough for a couple of anglers to fish from and had plenty of storage and a livewell underneath it.
Top: Stability at rest and the additional stealth of the Motorguide electric motor were key positives of the Anglapro. Left: The boat we tested had a large livewell that would suit those who are tournament-orientated or simply like to upgrade their fish during a day’s fishing. Right: The rear deck had plenty of space for storage and to keep the batteries and other things neatly out of the way.
The test boat had the upgraded Mercury VesselView4 system. Inset: It provides all your diagnostic information in a very easy to see format.
Top: The 54lb thrust MotorGuide electric motor was the perfect add-on for the Outlaw and a must as far as this author is concerned. Above: They key to a sportsfishing boat is adequate storage to keep your fishing space free of obstacles. The front deck had plenty of underfloor storage.
The 40hp Mercury 4-stroke was not the maximum hp for the boat. Although it performed well, the author felt a 50hp motor would be the best option for it.
There way plenty of storage for all your gear as well as this rod locker to keep your fishing space clear.
One person can easily launch and retrieve the 434 with driving it on and off the trailer being an option. APRIL 2018
91
Quintrex 350 Outback Explorer with 15hp Evinrude
BRISBANE
Wayne Kampe wkff@aapt.net.au
The Outback Explorer series is a brand new range of boats from Quintrex, complementing the already well received Explorer range of punts. The emphasis on the Outback models is for lighter weight, enhanced dimensions and, best of all, affordability. There are three models in the Outback range –350, 370 and 390 – and there are some extra options available for each rig to cater for individual requirements. The new Explorers offer a wider beam and an enhanced freeboard, so even though they’re only small boats they provide a lot of bang for your buck. EXPLORER 350 The little 350 model is the smallest of the three new Quintrex Outback Explorer tinnies. This baby of the Outback range weighs just
81kg, and it’s sure to be well received by people wanting a lightweight, highly portable boat for a multitude of uses. To start with, it would definitely be handy as an inexpensive tender for a larger rig. Likewise, travellers wanting a lightweight boat to put atop the vehicle or a home away from home on the draw bar of the car will also find the 350 worth a serious look. Other likely owners could well be from the first boat buying fraternity, or those wanting to downsize from a larger rig to something far more portable and less of a hassle to use. A RANGE OF OPTIONS The little 350 Outback Explorer is a 4-person craft with engine ratings up to 15hp. Standard features include two bench seats with flotation underneath, an anchor locker up front plus a small front deck, grab handles and a glove box/ drink holder. Standard, also, is a surprisingly good ride!
SPECIFICATIONS Length...........................................................3.58m Beam.............................................................1.53m Hull weight..................................................... 81kg Persons................................................................4 Engines..................................................up to 15hp Engine fitted..........................Evinrude 15 4-stroke Fuel Tote tank...................................................20L Towing................................... family sedan or SUV 92
APRIL 2018
More on this later. Options for the 350 ranged from a bimini to a carpeted floor, side rails, fuel tank rack, vinyl wraps to add bling, and last but not least a transducer bracket. Although standard construction of the 350 Outback Explorer sees 160mm alloy used throughout, Quintrex also offer an upgrade from 160mm bottom material to 200mm for those boaters planning for some heavier duty work for their rig. EVINRUDE 15 4-STROKE Stepping into the 350 from a pontoon, I was surprised by the inherent stability of this small, puntstyle craft. I also liked the overall rigidity; the floor and sides were obviously well braced within the unit, and for a small boat the 350 had a surprisingly solid overall feel about it. Power on the transom came from a 15hp 2-cylinder Evinrude 4-stroke outboard, which at 52kg was within the 58kg weight range suited to the rig. With myself and a Quintrex rep aboard, we carried out test runs in the Coomera River, which was a perfect, sheltered environment for the little tinny. I found that the Explorer 350 had a surprising turn of speed. With a light hull weight of just 81kg, I expected the Evinrude 15
would make the craft hum along pretty well, but did more than hum – it fairly sang! Planing was between 11.3km/h and 11.8km/h, and 30km/h was an easy cruising speed. With the Evinrude’s hand throttle control wide open it reached 37.3km/h, which was very good performance from a small rig under such modest power. When it comes to boat design, it’s pretty easy to build something that can go fast in a straight line. What’s less easy to achieve is brilliant handling of a little craft like this one. With a well formed waterline entry section up front and a slight amount of vee astern, this 3.5m punt amazed me with its tenacity in the corners. This is one punt that would make it fun to whiz up a mangrove creek to check the pots before the tide gets too low. With the absolutely amazing way in which the 350 cornered under near full throttle (it generated some very serious G-forces in the process) I’d reckon there would be little chance of skidding out of a sharp turn and ending up in the mangroves. The ride was quite good thanks to the work Quintrex have done with the Explorer range in general. The new Explorer’s F-section bow, plus the hull’s clever design, ensured that we could press over wash from other craft
Main: The 350 Outback Explorer may be small, but you get a lot of bang for your buck. Above: This shot of the Explorer travelling fast shows the excellent entry area of the punt-style hull. without having to reduce speed. This is pretty much ideal for any small alloy craft these days. SUMMING UP The new 350 Outback Explorer is definitely worth a look if you’re in the market for a highly portable but equally useful small boat. I liked the ride, the ease of handling plus the roomy layout within the Explorer’s hull. Rigidity of the craft plus a decent amount of freeboard were also much to my liking. With so many people wanting to explore the Top End’s fishing, it’s great to see that there
is an ideal craft for their requirements. The price of the rig as reviewed, ready to go onto the carry racks, would be around the $5490 mark as supplied by Surf Coast Marine on the Gold Coast. To find your local Quintrex dealer go to www.quintrex.com.au. • Quoted performance figures have been supplied by the writer in good faith. Performance of individual boat/motor/ trailer packages may differ due to variations in engine installations, propellers, hull configurations, options, hull loading and trailer specifications.
Hang onto your hat! This little boat does nearly 40km/h with a 15hp outboard on it.
This image displays the excellent side height of the 350 Outback Explorer.
Large boat owners would find the 350 Outback Explorer to be a great tender.
A shelf for the anchor, and seats with flotation underneath are just a couple of the features that make the Explorer such a handy craft. A drink holder and glove box are standard equipment in the little 3.5m Quintrex.
Modest beginnings in the Quintrex factory lead to a quality small craft on the water.
Maximum power is a useful thing in small boat, and the 350 Explorer handled the power very well. APRIL 2018
93
Victorian Tide Times
2018 2018 Local Time
POINT LONSDALE – VICTORIA POINT – 144° VICTORIA LAT LONSDALE 38° 18’ LONG 37’
JANUARY Time Time JANUARY m
Time m 0033 0.81 0033 0.81 0545 1.32 0545 1.32 TU 1152 0.26 1152 0.26 TU1813 1813 1.51 0123 1.51 0123 0.79 0649 0.79 WE 1246 0649 1.35 1.35 WE1904 1246 0.20 0.20 1904 1.61 0206 1.61 0206 0.73 0742 0.73 TH 1336 0742 1.40 1.40 1336 TH1949 0.14 0.14 1949 1.69 0244 1.69 0244 0.64 0825 0.64 FR 1422 0825 1.46 1.46 1422 FR2030 0.10 0.10 2030 1.74 0318 1.74 0318 0.55 0905 0.55 0905 1.50 1505 SA 1.50 1505 SA2107 0.11 0.11 2107 1.75 0352 1.75 0352 0.47 0942 0.47 0942 1.52 1545 SU 1.52 SU 1545 0.15 2141 0.15 2141
18’ of High LONG 144° TimesLAT and38° Heights and Low37’ Waters Times and Heights of High and Low Waters MARCH FEBRUARY m Time Time m Time MARCH m TimeFEBRUARY m
m 1.38 1.38 0.83 0.83 1.22 1.22 0.38 0.38 1.43 1.43 0.79 0.79 1.24 1.24 0.34 0.34 1.48 1.48 0.72 0.72 1.27 1.27 0.31 0.31 1.53 1.53 0.66 0.66 1.31 1.31 0.30 0.30 1.57 1.57 0.59 0.59 1.35 1.35 0.30 0.30 1.59 1.59 0.54 0.54 1.38 1.38 0.31 0.31
Time 0131 0131 0715 0715 FR 1311 1311 FR 1927 1927 0213 0213 0802 0802 SA 1402 1402 SA 2011 2011 0250 0250 0843 0843 SU 1448 1448 SU 2048 2048 0326 0326 0919 0919 MO 1531 1531 MO 2124 2124 0400 0400 0954 0954 TU 1613 1613 TU 2159 2159 0434 0434 1028 1028 1653 WE 1653 WE 2236 2236
m 1.38 1.38 0.73 0.73 1.23 1.23 0.39 0.39 1.44 1.44 0.65 0.65 1.30 1.30 0.37 0.37 1.50 1.50 0.56 0.56 1.37 1.37 0.36 0.36 1.54 1.54 0.48 0.48 1.43 1.43 0.36 0.36 1.57 1.57 0.41 0.41 1.47 1.47 0.37 0.37 1.57 1.57 0.34 0.34 1.50 1.50 0.40 0.40
0447 1.73 1.73 22 0426 0426 1.60 1.60 0508 0545 1.61 1.61 22 0508 770447 77 0545 1026 1142 1026 0.40 0.40 221017 1017 0.49 0.49 1102 1142 0.25 0.25 22 1102 1734 1646 1.51 1626 1.40 1820 1.49 TH SU MO WE
1.56 1.56 0.29 0.29 1.51 1.51 0.45 0.45 1.53 1.53 0.26 0.26 1.50 1.50 0.50 0.50
Time 0416 0416 1046 1046 MO 1645 MO 1645
11
220022 0022 0534 0534 TU 1157
1157 TU1757 1757 0124 0124 0645 0645 WE 1304 1304 WE1902 1902 0220 0220 0746 0746 TH 1405 1405 TH2001 2001 0313 0313 0842 0842 FR 1500 1500 FR2056 2056 0401 0401 0934 0934 1554 SA 1554 SA2147 2147
33 44
55 66
16 16
17 17
18 18 19 19
20 20 21 21
Time 0102 0102 0621 0621 TH 1246 1246 TH 1849 1849 0201 0201 0730 0730 FR 1352 1352 FR 1952 1952 0255 0255 0830 0830 SA 1451 1451 SA 2046 2046 0343 0343 0923 0923 SU 1546 1546 SU 2137 2137 0427 0427 1013 1013 MO 1639 1639 MO 2223 2223 0508 0508 1059 1059 1730 TU 1730 TU 2305 2305
11
22
33 44
55 66
m 1.52 1.52 0.72 0.72 1.37 1.37 0.20 0.20 1.59 1.59 0.62 0.62 1.44 1.44 0.18 0.18 1.65 1.65 0.50 0.50 1.50 1.50 0.18 0.18 1.69 1.69 0.40 0.40 1.54 1.54 0.21 0.21 1.69 1.69 0.32 0.32 1.55 1.55 0.27 0.27 1.66 1.66 0.27 0.27 1.53 1.53 0.34 0.34
16 16 17 17 18 18 19 19
20 20 21 21
Time 0440 0440 1118 1718 TH 1118 TH 1718
m 0.75 0.75 1.30 1.30 0.34 0.34
0038 2 0038 0604 2 0604 1237 FR
1.44 1.44 0.67 0.67 1.36 1.36 0.33 0.33 1.51 1.51 0.55 0.55 1.45 1.45 0.31 0.31 1.57 1.57 0.43 0.43 1.53 1.53 0.30 0.30 1.61 1.61 0.33 0.33 1.59 1.59 0.32 0.32 1.62 1.62 0.26 0.26 1.61 1.61 0.36 0.36
11
FR 1237 1838 1838 0138 0138 0715 1345 SA 0715 SA 1345 1942 1942 0230 0230 0815 1445 SU 0815 SU 1445 2036 2036 0317 0317 0906 0906 1538 MO 1538 MO 2123 2123 0400 0400 0952 0952 1628 TU 1628 TU 2206 2206
33
44 55 66
Time 0521 0521 1139 1750 FR 1139 FR 1750
16 16
m m 0.80 0.80 1.18 1.18 0.55 0.55
Time Time 0109 0109 0559 1238 SU0559 1828 SU 1238 1828 0101 0101 0654 1335 MO0654 MO 1335 1919 1919 0146 0146 0740 1426 TU0740 TU 1426 2004 2004 0227 0227 0822 1511 WE0822 WE 1511 2045 2045 0303 0303 0901 0901 1550 TH1550 TH 2121 2121 0337 0337 0939 0939 1627 FR 1627 FR 2157 2157
11
0045 1.32 17 0045 0638 1.32 0.72 22 17 1246 0.72 1.24 SA 0638 SA 1246 1857 1857 0132 0132 0730 1343 SU 0730 SU 1343 1945 1945 0215 0215 0810 1431 MO 0810 MO 1431 2025 2025 0253 0253 0846 0846 1516 TU 1516 TU 2103 2103 0330 0330 0922 0922 1559 WE 1559 WE 2141 2141
18 18
19 19 20 20
21 21
1.24 0.53 0.53 1.39 1.39 0.62 0.62 1.34 1.34 0.50 0.50 1.45 1.45 0.52 0.52 1.44 1.44 0.47 0.47 1.50 1.50 0.42 0.42 1.53 1.53 0.46 0.46 1.54 1.54 0.33 0.33 1.59 1.59 0.46 0.46
33
44 55
66
Local Time APRIL APRIL Time m
m 1.47 1.47 0.49 0.49 1.50 1.50 0.49 0.49 1.52 1.52 0.39 0.39 1.59 1.59 0.48 0.48 1.55 1.55 0.31 0.31 1.66 1.66 0.48 0.48 1.56 1.56 0.26 0.26 1.68 1.68 0.49 0.49 1.55 1.55 0.25 0.25 1.67 1.67 0.52 0.52 1.52 1.52 0.26 0.26 1.64 1.64 0.55 0.55
m Time m 0540 0.59 0540 1219 0.59 1.42 1807 1.42 0.66 MO1219 MO 1807 0.66
16 16
0030 1.43 17 0030 0624 1.43 0.47 17TU0624 1311 0.47 1.54
TU 1311 1854 1.54 0.63 1854 0.63 0115 1.48 0115 0705 1.48 0.37 1358 0.37 1.65 WE0705 WE 1358 1937 1.65 0.60 1937 0.60 0157 1.52 0157 0746 1.52 0.29 1443 0.29 1.72 TH0746 TH 1443 2019 1.72 0.58 2019 0.58 0238 1.54 0238 0829 1.54 0.23 0829 1526 0.23 1.75 FR1526 1.75 FR 2100 0.58 2100 0.58 0317 1.54 0317 1.54 0912 0.21 0912 0.21 1609 1.74 SA 1609 SA 2143 1.74 0.58 2143 0.58
18 18
19 19
20 20 21 21
0437 7 0437 1033 7 1033 WE 1714
0411 1.48 1.48 0359 1.53 1.53 0407 1.55 1.55 70411 220359 22 0407 1015 0.29 0.29 22 0956 0.22 0.22 0959 0.27 0.27 7 22 1015 0959 0956 SA 1701 1.59 SU 1653 1.70 TH 1640 1.63
0513 8 0513 1113 1113 TH 1756
1.56 1.56 0.22 0.22 1.56 1756 1.56 TH 2322 0.47 0.47 2322
0443 1.54 1.54 0445 1.44 1.44 0441 1.50 1.50 23 0443 80445 230441 1037 0.22 0.22 1049 0.33 0.33 23 1040 0.26 0.26 8 1037 1049 1040 FR 1721 1.63 SU 1736 1.53 MO 1739 1.63
0546 9 0546 1149 1149 FR 1837
0519 1.52 1.52 0521 1.38 1.38 0528 1.45 1.45 24 0519 90521 240528 1116 0.21 0.21 1124 0.38 0.38 24 1126 0.33 0.33 9 1116 1124 1126 SA 1804 1.60 MO 1814 1.46 TU 1830 1.56
0104 0036 0606 0104 0.60 0.60 0036 0006 0.41 0.41 0606 1.53 1.53 10 0735 0655 1159 100006 25 10 0735 1.39 1.39 25 0658 0658 0655 1.56 1.56 25 1159 0.36 0.36 10 1340 0.34 1257 1248 0.33 1831 1.39
0620 10 0620 1225 1225 1917
0600 1.32 1.32 0623 1.40 1.40 0558 1.49 1.49 100600 250623 25 0558 1200 0.45 0.45 25 1215 0.42 0.42 1157 0.22 0.22 10 1200 1215 1157 1857 1.40 1930 1.49 1851 1.55
0121 0050 0.52 0.52 0147 0.68 0.68 0121 0005 0.50 0.50 11 110050 260005 11 0147 0816 0737 0642 0737 1.48 1.48 26 0816 1.31 1.31 26 0744 0744 0642 1.49 1.49 11 1423 0.38 1344 1333 0.35 1236 0.32
0036 11 0036 0656 0656
0026 0.73 0.73 0051 0.67 0.67 0022 0.59 0.59 110026 260051 26 0022 0645 1.26 1.26 26 0732 1.35 1.35 0640 1.44 1.44 11 0645 0732 0640
0134 0.62 0.62 0049 0.58 0.58 0237 0.76 0.76 0213 0213 12 0237 120134 270049 12 0820 1.39 1.39 27 0722 1.44 1.44 12 0904 1.24 1.24 27 0841 0841 0820 0904 0722 1420 0.37 1317 0.30 1515 0.43 1441
0115 12 0115 0734 0734
0112 0.77 0.77 0200 0.67 0.67 0107 0.65 0.65 27 0107 120112 270200 0730 0741 0857 0741 1.22 1.22 27 0857 1.34 1.34 0730 1.39 1.39 12
0224 0.72 0.72 0337 0.82 0.82 0318 0138 0.66 0.66 0318 13 0337 130224 280138 13 0907 1.32 1.32 28 1001 1.19 1.19 28 0953 0953 0809 1.39 1.39 13 1001 0907 0809 1513 0.40 1618 0.45 1553 1406 0.28
0159 13 0159 0819 0819 1422
0208 0319 0208 0.79 0.79 0319 0.63 0.63 0159 0.70 0.70 28 0159 13 28 0849 1015 0830 0849 1.19 1.19 28 1015 1.38 1.38 0830 1.33 1.33 13 1423 0.65 1543 0.67 1423 0.39
0452 0.84 0.84 0322 0.80 0.80 0234 0.74 0.74 14 0452 140322 290234 1107 1.17 1.17 0959 1.26 1.26 29 0904 1.34 1.34 14 14 0959 1107 0904 WE 1730 0.45 SU 1611 0.41 MO 1504 0.27
WE 1730 0.45
0250 14 0250 0915 0915 WE 1516
0319 0433 0319 0.77 0.77 0433 0.55 0.55 0304 0.72 0.72 29 0304 1007 1125 0950 14 29 1007 1.22 1.22 29 1125 1.46 1.46 0950 1.30 1.30 14 SA 1537 0.69 SU 1701 0.69 TH 1536 0.46
0042 1.32 1.32 0432 0.84 0.84 0343 0.80 0.80 15 0042 150432 300343 0611 0.81 0.81 1055 1.22 1.22 30 1012 1.31 1.31 15 15 0611 1055 1012 TH 1212 1.19 MO 1714 0.41 TU 1615 0.27
0357 15 0357 1025 1025 1627 TH
0440 0535 0440 0.69 0.69 0428 0.69 0.69 0535 0.46 0.46 30 0428 1116 1118 1228 15 30 1118 1.30 1.30 30 1116 1.32 1.32 15 1228 1.56 1.56 1703 0.50 1702 0.69 1806 0.68 FR SU MO
1646 1.51 SU2236 2236 0.22 0.22
1626 1.40 MO2214 2214 0.34 0.34
1820 1.49 WE 2345 2345 0.42 0.42
1734 TH 2314 2314
0459 0542 0531 1.69 1.69 0459 1.59 1.59 0622 1.54 1.54 0542 880531 88 0622 1115 1051 1222 23 1115 0.35 0.35 23 1051 0.44 0.44 1222 0.26 0.26 23 1138 1138 MO 1740 1.48 TU 1705 1.40 TH 1911 1.43 FR 1817 MO 1740 1.48 2322 2322 0.31 0.31
TU 1705 1.40 2247 2247 0.38 0.38
TH 1911 1.43
FR 1817 2354 2354
0532 0618 0532 1.57 1.57 0025 0.51 0.51 0618 0614 1.63 1.63 99 0025 990614 1124 1202 0659 24 1124 0.40 0.40 0659 1.47 1.47 24 1216 1216 1202 0.33 0.33 24 TU 1837 1.43 WE 1746 1.40 FR 1300 0.29 SA 1905 TU 1837 1.43
WE 1746 1.40 2325 2325 0.43 0.43
WE WE 1248 0.33 TH TH 1831 1.39 1938 1938 1.38 1.38
TH TH 1333 0.35 FR FR 1236 0.32 2039 1923 2039 1.34 1.34 1923 1.38 1.38
FR1420 0.37 SA1317 0.30 FR SA 2138 1.32 1.32 2022 1.37 1.37 2138 2022
SA1513 0.40 SU SU1406 0.28 SA 2237 1.31 1.31 2130 1.37 1.37 2237 2130
SU 1611 0.41 MO 1504 0.27 2336 1.34 1.34 2244 1.39 1.39 2336 2244
MO 1714 0.41
TU 1615 2357 2357 0502 0502 1130 1130 1735 WE 1735 WE
31 31
0.27 1.44 1.44 0.79 0.79 1.32 1.32 0.24 0.24
FR 1300 0.29 2000 2000 1.38 1.38
SA SA 1340 0.34 2052 2052 1.32 1.32
SU SU 1423 0.38 2146 2146 1.29 1.29
MO 1515 0.43 MO 2245 1.27 1.27 2245
TU 1618 0.45 TU 2345 1.28 1.28 2345
TH 1212 1.19 1834 0.43 0.43 1834
1.49 1.49 0.24 0.24 1.47 SA 1905 1.47
0.57 1.44 SU SU 1257 0.24 2000 2000 1.43
0.65 1.39 MO MO 1344 0.26 2104 2104 1.39 0.72 1.33 TU 1441 0.29 TU 2217 1.37 2217
0.76 1.30 WE 1553 0.33 WE 2331 1.39 2331
1.60 1.60 0.23 0.23 1.60 1714 1.60 WE 2245 0.41 2245 0.41
1.51 1.51 0.25 0.25 1.50 1837 1.50 FR 2359 0.53 0.53 2359 1.45 1.45 0.29 0.29 1.44 SA 1917 1.44
0.59 0.59 1.38 1.38 1300 0.34 0.34 SU 1300 2000 1.37 1.37 2000
0.66 0.66 1.31 1.31 1339 0.40 0.40 MO 1339 2048 2048 1.32 1.32 0.73 0.73 1.24 1.24 0.46 TU 1422 0.46 2144 2144 1.27 1.27
0.79 0.79 1.19 1.19 0.51 WE 1516 0.51 2245 2245 1.26 1.26 0.82 0.82 1.16 1.16 0.55 TH 1627 0.55 2348 2348 1.28 1.28
1.63 TH 1640 2220 0.47 0.47 2220
FR 1721 1.63 2300 0.50 0.50 2300
SA 1804 1.60 2341 0.54 0.54 2341
SU 1851 1.55 SU
1240 0.25 0.25 MO 1240 MO 1943 1.49 1.49 1943
1327 0.31 0.31 TU TU 1327 2045 2045 1.43 1.43
WE WE 1423 0.39 2155 2155 1.39 1.39
TH 1536 0.46 2305 2305 1.38 1.38
FR 1703 0.50
1.59 SU 1653 1.70 SA 1701 2232 0.58 0.58 2226 0.60 0.60 2226 2232
SU 1736 1.53 MO 1739 1.63 2309 0.63 0.63 2310 0.62 0.62 2309 2310
MO 1814 1.46 2346 0.68 0.68 2346
TU1857 1.40 TU
1238 0.51 0.51 WE1238 WE 1947 1.34 1.34 1947
1325 0.59 0.59 TH TH1325 2045 2045 1.31 1.31
FR FR 1423 0.65 2148 2148 1.30 1.30
SA 1537 0.69 2248 2248 1.33 1.33
SU 1702 0.69 2343 2343 1.37 1.37
TU 1830 1.56 2358 0.65 0.65 2358
WE1930 1.49 WE
1312 0.52 0.52 TH1312 TH 2033 1.44 1.44 2033
1421 0.61 0.61 FR FR1421 2137 2137 1.42 1.42
SA SA 1543 0.67 2239 2239 1.43 1.43
SU 1701 0.69 2335 2335 1.45 1.45
MO 1806 0.68
0011 1.42 1.42 31 0011 0551 0551 0.61 0.61 1231 1.40 SA 1231 1.40 SA 1823 1823 0.50 0.50
CopyrightCommonwealth Commonwealth of of Australia Australia 2016, 2016, Bureau Bureau of of Meteorology Meteorology Copyright Datum of Predictions is Lowest Astronomical Tide Datum of Predictions is Lowest Astronomical Tide Timesare areininlocal localstandard standardtime time (UTC (UTC +10:00) +10:00) or or daylight daylight savings savings time Times time (UTC (UTC +11:00) +11:00) when whenin ineffect effect New Moon First Quarter Moon Phase Symbols Full Moon New Moon First Quarter Moon Phase Symbols Full Moon
Last LastQuarter Quarter
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. 94
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