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Features Tricks for tailor • Christmas gift ideas • Mix it up for more strikes •

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December 2019, Vol. 2 No. 4

Contents 11

METRO

Metro 11 Metro Offshore

SOUTH COAST Esperance 14 Bremer Bay

Albany 15 WEST COAST Augusta 16 Busselton 19 Mandurah 20 Lancelin 22 Bunbury 24 Jurien Bay

Geraldton 31 GASCOYNE COAST Exmouth 32

From the Editor’s Desk... Yep! Well that is just about another year done and dusted, and what a year it has been for fishing! We have had a few rule changes put in place, which hopefully when we get to the other side will have us with healthier and more prolific snapper stocks, and better-sized and more plentiful crabs. On the mention of crabs, the season is open in the metro as of 1 December and I for one am looking forward to seeing if the later opening has had any impact. I am guessing it will although probably not as significant as it will be next year. We have had some awesome environmental science projects come into being, such as the successful Seeds for Snapper, which showed that

the principle works and is happening again pretty much as you read this, and we have had the amazing science from Alan Cottingham and his team with the mussels filtering the waters of the Swan River. Hopefully both of these projects will be expanded next year along with an expansion of the estuarine oyster reef project. There are obviously many more great projects running and we look forward to them all getting better funding on the back of their success. These projects that benefit the environment as well as benefitting fish habitat and fish stocks are a ‘win win’ scenario and the more of these we get happening around the state and the country the better our fisheries will get. It is also great to see the expansion of the FAD program around the state with more

anglers in remote towns now getting access to FADs in an offshore location near them (see the Recfishwest article in this issue). FADs are a great way to diversify fishing effort and allow anglers access to new and exciting fishing experiences. Fishing around the state seems to be on the up, with all of the reports giving promising insights into the fishing months ahead, and while it is the holiday season I hope you all get a chance to hit the road and get out and about to experience some fishing in another area to what you regularly fish. There is nothing better than fishing new locations and holidays with family and friends, just remember to go about your proper prior planning to make sure it is safe and enjoyable trip. This issue we also have the Christmas gift ideas

Ian Sewell article, so check it out and if there are any particular new bits of kit that take your fancy maybe give it a circle with a highlighter and leave it open on that page… you never know what might turn up on Christmas morning. As always, failing that get onto isubscribe.com. au and go to the ‘fishing and boating’ section and get yourself a WA Fishing Monthly subscription. You can also get onto www. wp.fishingmonthly.com.au and click shop to see the range of Fishing Monthly merchandise on offer. Carl Jocumsen jerseys are also available to purchase. I hope you all have a very fishy, safe and happy Christmas and New Year, and as always please keep it safe out there on and around the water!

Kalbarri 32 NORTH COAST Dampier/Karratha 34 Broome 36 38

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SPECIAL FEATURES Tailor-made tips for greenbacks Christmas gift ideas

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Kirk enjoying all the fun of tailor season on the West Coast.

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Tailor

Tailor-made tips for greenbacks LANCELIN

Peter Fullarton

This time of year is a great time to get stuck into some tailor along the beaches, in the estuaries and out in the bays, so there’s no better time to hit the water in search of these great fighters!

One story is in relation to how they often attack at the prey tail first, making it easy to finish the kill. The other refers to their sharp teeth and their ability to cut through older style rag fishing nets like a clothing tailor’ sharp scissors. Both have merit and give tailor a very fitting name. In other parts of the world

Kirk scored this nice fish using snelled circle hooks and tailor fillets for bait. TAILOR FACTS Tailor are considered a pelagic fish and are widely distributed in subtropical and cooler tropical seas, preferring a temperature range 18-25°C. There are at least two theories I am aware of as to how they came by the name ‘tailor’.

they are sometimes known as bluefish. Tailor range on the WA Coast from Exmouth to Albany, with low numbers of fish along the very South Coast. At about 1.5-2 years, they reach a minimum legal size of 30cm. A bag limit of eight fish per angler

applies. There is also a limit of only two fish over 50cm, which they reach at about 5 years old. Some tailor have been known to live for 14 years of age and reach a length of 1.2m! Tailor sexually mature between 30-40cm and release large volumes of eggs. The larvae are planktonic and distributed on currents. The fry grow to 40-80mm over 2 months before entering juvenile habitats like rivers, estuaries and bays. Tailor can migrate hundreds of kilometres in a matter of weeks. As a result, different areas of the coast will hold different size classes and volumes of fish at certain times of the year as they move north to south and back again through the year. Larger fish are found throughout their range, though the coast from Kalbarri to Carnarvon is renowned for trophy size tailor. The majority of the larger fish are found along this region. Tailor’s triangular razor sharp teeth are able to easily cut through flesh, scale and even the bone of their prey. Make sure to respect them and keep fingers clear of the mouth, especially with the larger fish. Smaller tailor to 50cm are known as ‘choppers’. They swim in packs, hunting schools of baitfish, where they cut the bait into pieces small enough to swallow. Larger tailor are referred to as ‘greenbacks’, with their backs becoming dark green and their head more rounded at about mid 50-60cm. Greenbacks are generally found in much smaller groups or as individuals. Tailor are found in a variety of habitats. Rivers, bays and estuaries can all

hold quite good numbers of good-sized fish that hunt schools of baitfish. Reef breaks and turbulent beach gutters are often haunted by some of the larger specimens. The nearshore coastal strip is where the majority of fish are caught. They rest are in deeper waters a little further from shore and will move in at dawn and dusk to feed. They can also be quite active in bright moonlit nights. GEAR Rods, reels and line The outfit can be quite subjective, and it really depends on where you are fishing and the conditions. Primarily, spin gear is the choice. A small 6-8ft rod is all you need to fish a river or from a boat. When fishing the beach or off the rocks, rods should be at least 10ft. In rough surf conditions or in a strong sea breeze you will need to upgrade to a heavier, longer rod to handle larger sinkers and big waves. Tailor fight cleanly and won’t take you into the reef, but they will jump quite a lot, so using mono for the stretch can help to stop them throwing the hook. Although, braid also has advantages of giving

Leanne showing off the morning’s haul of choppers. most common bait would be pilchards, but almost any whole fish or fillet bait will work very well. Some popular alternatives are scaly mackerel, whiting, herring, and even tailor fillets. They will also happily take squid, octopus or just about anything else you care to throw out once they’re on the bite.

and will catch everything from smaller herring and tarwhine to large mulloway and sharks. Unless I am chasing the smaller fish, I like to use three 6/0 hooks, as it can help avoid hooking the undersized ones and fits a large-sized pilchard well. When fishing from boats or rock walls or in

One of the perks of tailor fishing is the spectacular West Coast sunsets.

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the angler a more direct detection of the bite and allows a quick solid strike to set the hooks. Line weight can also be quite light at around 10-20lb. This poundage of line will easily subdue the average fish and make it easy to cast lightly-weighted baits or lures. Baits Tailor are not fussy at all when it comes to bait. The

Rigs The most common rig used for chasing tailor would be whole pilchards set on a gang of hooks. A gang made up from four 4/0 Mustad Tarpon hooks is very popular with a lot of tailor fishers. The gang will fit right down to the tail on average sized pilchards, so that little nip from a chopper at the tail still often leads to a solid hook-up

light or offshore winds, a light running sinker or weightless pilchard rig is the best option, and enables you to keep the bait moving mid-water. Tailor will feed in all of the water column, but are always suckers for a slow mid-water moving pilchard bait. In strong surf or winds, the gang can be set on a paternoster rig using a three-way swivel and a heavy sinker

Tailor to anchor the bait to the bottom. Always use black swivels, as anything shiny is likely to be bitten in a hot bite and those sharp teeth will instantly cut through any line under the tension of a fighting fish.

onto the bait as soon as it hits the water and the bite may run well into the night once the fish have been conditioned. They can also assist in casting in the dark, increasing your awareness of where the bait is.

fluorocarbon leader, as there will be plenty of nicks from the sharp teeth, especially during a hot bite. The swivel can be attached to the head of the gang, giving a few more centimetres of leeway and removes the risk

An afternoon of tailor fishing can be fun for the whole family.

Brook Wier showing the quality of tailor that can be scored from the beach gutters. Attaching a glow stick to the rig can increase catch rates at times. The tailor can be conditioned during a hot bite to associate the glow with food, so they can be

Wire is not essential when using a gang of hooks. Fish rarely swallow a whole gang, although I would recommend a heavy 50-80lb mono or

of other fish bitting at the swivel during the fight. If fishing with snelled hooks, it is also advisable to use some wire as tailor will be attacking the bait shredding

the line between each hook. If very large tailor are around, I would tend to use a nylon-coated wire trace of around 40-60lb. METHOD Fishing the right times will greatly increase success, with dawn and dusk the prime time. Some locations will fish better in a morning, especially during

the new moon period and the fish will quite likely bite through to mid-morning. Other locations will fire up better in the evenings and the fish may bite well into the night under a bright moon. Tailor are a pack hunter, so you need to find the pack or attract it to where you are fishing. Look for baitfish

showering out of the water, as that is normally a pretty good indicator that some tailor are on the hunt. If the fish are not there, then you need to use some berley to attract them and keep them interested. Firstly, it is very important to be at your fishing spot at the right To page 10

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recfishwest

FAD-tastic news for West Aussie rec fishers By the time the yellow float comes into view on the open water ahead of you, the anticipation begins to reach fever pitch. Will they be there? After all the time you’ve spent dreaming about it, you hope so! You don’t have to wait long to find out – a couple of turns of the reel after you cast the stickbait with trembling

hands and bang! You’re on, and then almost immediately you’re not – you’ve barely time to curse before the lure gets smashed again. Your rod bucks and suddenly an electric blue slab of a fish gets airborne less than 30m from the boat! Now your mate’s hooked up too and joyful fishing mayhem ensues. As you draw

the mad-scrapping mahimahi close to the boat, you can make out the profiles off dozens more them hanging in the water below. Laughing and whooping ecstatically, you realise this is going to be one hell of a fishing session! THE FAD DREAM BECOMES A REALITY There’s been a huge amount of effort to get a

Statewide FAD program over the line and, at times, it’s seemed like a far-off dream for pelagic-loving boat fishers, but the dream has now become a reality. Last month the Minister for Fisheries announced the launch of a network of Fish Attracting Devices (FADs) off the coast of Albany, Cape Naturaliste, Perth, Geraldton,

Exmouth and Broome. By the time this article is published, the Albany, Cape Naturaliste and Perth FADs should have been deployed, with the Geraldton, Exmouth and Broome FADs anticipated to be in place early in the New Year. Funded by rec fishing licence fees through the Recreational Fishing

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recfishwest Australia and are essentially large floats with a visible marker pole – in WA’s case more than a metre high for the pole and with a float 800mm in circumference. Tethered to the seafloor in open water, they aggregate schools of baitfish, which in turn draw sizeable aggregations of pelagic species such as mahimahi, tuna, billfish and mackerel. Perth Game Fishing Club (PGFC) have a long history over the last two decades of running a FAD program and have been instrumental in helping to develop the new network – which includes additional FADs west of Rottnest bringing the total off the coast of Perth to 12 – elsewhere four each have been deployed per area. MARLIN MASTERY Peter Coote, PGFC

President welcomes the additional FADs deployed in the metro. “With FADs going into the north of the metro, it will open up opportunities for boats going out of Hillarys, Mindarie and Two Rocks,” he says. “The two new ones going in west of Rottnest are in areas that are a really good prospect – so we’re pretty happy about that. FADs have become a public resource with most of them now accessible to trailer boats allowing everyone to have a crack at it and spreading the fishing effort out on the FADs a bit more, which is a good thing.” PGFC has run its own FADs program for the last 21 years, and Peter says they have offered a unique opportunity to catch marlin inshore in the metro.

“We’ve had some amazing years when the Leeuwen current has been flowing strongly,” he says. “In 1999 there were 67 marlin caught in just one week! But they attract other species too, mainly mahimahi, which are great fun to catch and great to eat.” FADS FANTASY FISHING FADs-fanatic Luke Ryan of Perth tackle store TackleWest has been a Perth FADs regular in recent years and says fishing them is about as much fun as you can have without winning lotto.

“You would never catch fish like these on a trailer boat without the FADs,” he says. “Sometimes the amount of fish on them is insane – as soon as you cast out a lure the fish are onto them. The mahimahi in particular are great to catch – they’re great to eat, they’re fast-growing – just great sport fish from every perspective. “You can fish for them in a variety of ways – trolling, casting lures and live-baiting for them – but we reckon casting lures at them is the best fun. We like to use

stickbaits – but skirted lures can work as well. “Increasing fishing opportunities like this is exactly what our licence fees should be spent on.” Now with the expansion of the network, fishers outside of Perth will be able to have a crack at some of the quality sport fishing the FADs have to offer. Generally, the FADs are within reach of boats ranging from 5m upwards with sufficient engine grunt to get out offshore. However, once in place the Exmouth and Broome

FADs will be perfectly accessible to dinghy owners, making mahimahi, Spaniards, wahoo and billfish a very real prospect for tinnies. So now with the establishment of this network and the fishing activity it is going to generate very quickly, it would seem this really is more than just a passing FAD! For more information about the FADs, visit recfishwest.org.au and for information about the Perth Game Fishing Club, visit pgfc.com.au

Abalone Fishing Tips Abalone Fishing Tips Abalone Fishing Tips Abalone Fishing Tips For the best catch, gear up and plan ahead with these simple tips.

Find patrolled locations If lifesavers are on duty stay within their eyesight and signal if in need of assistance.

For the best catch, gear up and plan For the best catch, gear up and plan aheadCheck withthe these simple weather conditions ahead with thesetips. simple tips. Bad weather and large swell reduce visibility,

FAD CODE OF CONDUCT (courtesy of the Perth Game Fishing Club) • FADs are there for the benefit of all recreational anglers. • Courtesy should be extended to anglers who are already using a FAD and new arrivals should be accommodated. Take turns fishing a FAD. • Do not tie up to a FAD, the mooring gear is designed to secure the FAD float and line only. Loops of rope for tying boats to a FAD have often been recovered, boats damage the radar reflectors. • Keep boats, lines and lures a safe distance from FADs. Hooks and lures attached to mooring gear create a major hazard during recovery operations. Wire leaders are rarely needed. • Do not interfere with any equipment that is attached to FADs. Fisheries temperature recorders have been removed in the past • Avoid using stainless steel hooks and wire traces. Stainless hooks do not corrode away and present a hazard when recovering FADs. Wire trace is rarely needed. • Recognise conservation values, take only as many fish as you need and don’t exceed the WA Fisheries bag limits. Do not ‘high-grade’ your catch. Fish being kept should be dispatched humanely. Juvenile fish should be released as they have little value as a table fish and will grow to bigger fish in the future.

making it harder to find your For the best catch, gear upabalone. and plan aheadCheck with simple tips. Check the weather conditions thethese weather conditions 5

5 3/4

3/4 7

3/4

weather large swell reduce visibility, Bad weather andBad large swelland reduce visibility, it harder to find your abalone. 6 Use a mesh bag making making it harder to find your abalone. It is lighter and easier to carry, and it keeps your catch Check thefresh. weather conditions Bad5 weather and large swell Use a mesh bagreduce visibility, making it harder to find your abalone. It is lighter and easier to carry, and it keeps 6 Use a mesh bag

your catch fresh. It is lighter and easier to carry, and it keeps Gloves and Reef Shoes your catch fresh. These will prevent cuts and bruises and allow 6 for a atighter the reef. Use3/4 meshgrip bagon Gloves and Reef Shoes It is lighter and easier to carry, keeps These will preventand cutsitand bruises and allow your catch fresh. a tighter grip on the reef. Gloves and Reeffor Shoes Abalone These willTool prevent cuts and bruises and allow Tryaatighter flat edge abalone instead of screwdrivers for grip on thetool reef. or other knives toAbalone preventTool damaging your abalone 7 edgewhilst abalone tool instead of screwdrivers or injuring yourself ora flat others fishing. Gloves and ReefTryShoes or other knives to prevent damaging your abalone

These will prevent cuts and bruises and allow yourself or others whilst fishing. Abalone Toolgriporoninjuring for a tighter the reef. Try a flat edge abalone tool instead of screwdrivers or other knives to prevent damaging your abalone or injuring yourself or others whilst fishing. Abalone Tool Try a flat edge abalone tool instead of screwdrivers or other knives to prevent damaging your abalone or injuring yourself or others whilst fishing.

For location, fishing fishing For location, and safety tips visit and safety tips visit mybeach.com.au/abalone mybeach.com.au/abalone For location, fishing

Find patrolled locations Find patrolled locations If lifesavers are on duty stay within their lifesavers are on duty stayof within their eyesight and signal if in need assistance. Don’t goIfalone eyesight and signal if in need of assistance. Staying with a friend or group means you locations canFind keeppatrolled an eye on each other and the conditions. If lifesavers are on duty stay within their eyesight and signal if in need of assistance. Don’t go alone Don’t go alone Staying a friend or group meansyou you Staying with with a friend or group means can keep an eye on each other and the Wear long sleeve wetsuit canakeep an eye on each other and the conditions. It will make it easy to move about in the conditions. water, it will Don’t goprotect aloneyou from the reef and keep you warm. Staying with a friend group means you Wear a long sleeveor wetsuit willan make to move about in the can keep eyeit easy onwetsuit each other and the Wear aIt long sleeve water, it it easy will protect you from theinreef Itconditions. will make to move about theand keep you warm. water, will protect you from the reef and Mask anditSnorkel keep you warm. Take a mask and snorkel to search for Wearsafely. a long sleeve wetsuit abalone Snorkel It willMask makeand it easy to move about in the a mask and snorkel to search for water,Take it will protect you from the reef and abalone safely. Mask Snorkel keep and you warm. Check phone Take your a mask and snorkel to search for Get important SMS and email updates abalone safely. by following SLSWA on Twitter for live Check your phone Get important beach safety Mask andinformation. SnorkelSMS and email updates by following SLSWA on Twitter for live

Take abeach masksafety and information. snorkel to search for Check your phone abalone safely. Get important SMS and email updates by following SLSWA on Twitter for live beach safety information. Check your phone Get important SMS and email updates by following SLSWA on Twitter for live beach safety information.

DECEMBER 2019

CHRISTMAS BLACK MAGIC 30LB LEADER

NEW SENSHI RELEASES

Pink leader has been popular for some time amongst serious anglers, as it is viewed as being less visible in certain water conditions. Although fluorocarbon options are common, Black Magic’s Pink Shock Leader is produced as a copolymer trace, which provides great value for money while still giving robust performance under stress. The recently released range has now expanded to include a 30lb line weight. This will be popular as it’s suited to a wide range of fishing applications. Whether you’re lure fishing, surfcasting, or general bait fishing, it’s sure to be a popular addition. This leader is ideal to use in murky water, deep water or when being viewed from below looking up at the line near the surface. It also retains the excellent abrasion resistance and knot strength seen in Black Magic Tough Trace and, like the name states, it gives excellent shock absorption as well. And of course, it’s a more affordable and more supple option than fluorocarbon. Keep an eye out for it at your favourite tackle store. www.blackmagictackle.com

Senshi has released a range of boxed hooks after demand from anglers for bigger quantities in its most popular models. Senshi hooks are produced using the finest quality raw materials, and are made to the highest standard. The range of hooks have chemically sharpened needle points, use high grade carbon steel and are all a black nickel finish. The boxed hooks are available in the following models: octopus/beak, long shank, baitholder and finesse, and are in the most popular six sizes in each model. One of Senshi’s latest releases is the G-Point hook – the next generation of high quality chemically-sharpened hooks. The G-Point Iseama Pro series hooks are extremely strong and offer no extra coating over the hook point itself, creating an extremely sharp hook point. The Senshi G-Point Iseama Pro hooks are a 2X Strong, straight eye with straight beak hook that are available in pre-packs of 10 hooks in sizes 2 through to 12. They are suitable for many fish species. To find out more about the Senshi hook range visit the Juro Oz Pro Tackle website. www.jurofishing.com

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Beauty and brawn blends with quality and performance in the new Lexa HD baitcaster. A sleek and stylish ergonomic profiled aluminium body sits comfortably in the hand, and combines with the Lexa’s advanced technologies and designs to create a mid priced heavy-duty reel that’s unmatched in style and strength. Featuring many of Daiwa’s best technologies and innovations including Magforce, UTD, Infinite Anti-Reverse, Power Handle, EVA knobs and CRBB bearings, the Lexa HD has left nothing on the table when it comes to strength, with a stainless steel gearing system ensuring ultimate power cranking power and precision. An amalgamation of strength, looks, and performance the Lexa HD is the heavy-duty baitcaster for those on a budget and those looking for power and strength in a reel. Whether it’s muscling kingies down south, barra in the north or samsonfish in the west, the Lexa HD is the reel that does it all, and has it all. www.daiwafishing.com.au

PRO LURE FISHTAIL UPDATE

Over the past 12 months, Australian company Pro Lure has been working on some modifications to the popular Fishtail soft bait. Looking to increase the versatility and make the Fishtail easier to rig, the designer has made several changes. A shallow split belly has been added to aid weedless rigging with worm hooks, and the dorsal fin has been removed, replaced with a shallow groove along the back. This makes it easier to rig straight and align jigheads, as well as having a protecting channel for weedless worm hook points to sit snugly. The final change is a slight narrowing up the front of the Fishtail, so that standard jigheads will sit cleaner. The addition of a white albino colour to the range and more rigging options will provide more possibilities. The Pro Lure Fishtail is available in three sizes, 80mm, 105mm, and 130mm. Trade enquiries can be directed to sales@ prolureaustralia.com.au. www.prolureaustralia.com.au 40

DECEMBER 2019

Never before has there been such a highend and comprehensive range as the 2019 release of the Giant Killing Jigging rods. These are the ultimate in Majorcraft jigging rods, with overhead and spin models for light, standard and slow jigging tasks. As the name suggests, the design principles are focused around large predatory trophy fish. There are 15 rods in the series with varying lengths from 6’2” up to 6’6”, and they all feature updated cosmetics. The Fuji SiC Slim ring material makes the rods even lighter than before. The rods come with PE ratings starting at 0.6 for the Light Jigging all the way up to the Jigging models with a PE of 4.0 at the upper end of the range. For more information on this and other rods in the range, visit the Major Craft Australia website or look them up on Facebook (facebook.com/ majorcraftaus). www.majorcraft.com.au

SAMSON LURES

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Samson handmade lures are long casting and virtually indestructible made for Australian fishing. With five separate lure designs, all wired through and ranging from 15g to 150g, Samson lures cover everything from lighter tackle fishing right through to chasing big pelagics like tuna. The range includes various surface and subsurface lures, all with the capability of casting long distances and covering as much ground as possible. Samson fishing has successfully established its lures range on the UK market, where they have been very effective in catching sea bass. Of course, the lures are effective for a wide variety of Australian fish species – everything from tailor, Australian salmon and kingfish right through to Spanish mackerel and tuna. All Samson lures are wired through and are virtually indestructible, making them an ideal choice when up against the razor sharp teeth of mackerel or against hard fighting kingfish. The Samson lure range is available from tackle retailers and online. For more information visit samsonluresaustralia@gmail.com or visit the website. Price: SRP $13.99-$59.99 www.samsonluresaustralia.com

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CHRISTMAS SAMURAI ROD ACCESSORIES 7

Transporting fishing rods is often fraught with danger. Bundles of rods are hard to carry, often arranged more like a game of ‘pick up sticks’ than an easy-to-carry group of fish-catching devices. They splay all over the place and invariably get damaged. The Samurai Rod Belts are made of high quality neoprene and Velcro and are designed to make it easy to transport multiple rods without the hassle of trying to carry multiple individual outfits. They are slightly stretchy and come in two sizes, small and medium. Simply wrap one around your group of rods near the butt end and another up near the tip and voila – neat and tidy. While transporting rods, even in neatly arranged groups, you wouldn’t be the first angler who has smashed the tip of your favourite rod into something and ruined it. The Samurai rod tip protector is designed to protect your rod tip from damage during transportation. Made from the same material as wetsuits, the tip protector is easy to slip on and protects the sensitive part of your rod. To see more information on these and other Samurai accessories, visit the Samurai Australia website or check them out on Facebook (facebook.com/samurairods). www.samurairods.com.au

ZMAN 7” DIEZEL MINNOWZ

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Requests from anglers chasing a big 10X Tough swimbait have seen the release of the ZMan 7” DieZel MinnowZ, a beast of a paddle tail plastic. Featuring the same realistic and proven profile and action as the 4” and 5” models, the 7” takes things up a notch in terms of bulk, water movement and big fish attracting qualities. Whether you’re chasing barramundi, Murray cod, mulloway or kingfish, searching the depths or slow trolling for bluewater bruisers, the 7” DieZel MinnowZ has you covered, teamed up with a brutally strong TT Lures HeadlockZ Extreme, SwimlockZ or ChinlockZ jighead. Other features include a belly slot for easy rigging and adding scent, along with a split top fin for simple and effective weedless rigging. The increased softness and flexibility of ZMan’s 10X Tough ElaZtech material dramatically improves hook set when weedless rigging when compared with standard soft plastics. If big fish are on your to-do list, check out these mega paddle tails at your local ZMan dealer. ZMan 7” DieZel MinnowZ are available in 12 colours, with three per pack. Price: SRP $17.95 www.z-man.com.au

DAIWA PHANTOM HYPER LT

Daiwa’s new light tackle workhorse has arrived with the introduction of the Phantom Hyper LT. This new reel blends design and leading edge technologies with excellent value to deliver anglers one of the most feature-packed mid-range spin reels for some time. Daiwa’s LT Concept provides strength and weightlessness, quality and performance, while a machine cut forged Tough Digigear delivers class-leading gear strength and smoothness. A metal alloy body enhances reel sensitivity and strength while Air Rotor provides balance and support for ultimate reel performance. A Long Cast ABS spool, Air Bail and ATD technologies combine for untouchable line control, while a machine cut handle keeps weight down. The Phantom Hyper LT is available now in four deep spool sizes, ranging from 3000D-6000D. www.daiwafishing.com.au

SHIMANO SQUIDGIES RODS

Specifically designed for the soft lure enthusiast, the new Squidgies rods are a cunning combination of performance and value. Featuring T45 blank construction and quality Fuji K guides, this series of rods are light and sensitive yet strong and reliable for anglers who demand a lot from their gear. All Shimano Squidgies series rods have been carefully designed to ensure their actions and lengths complement a range of lure weights and fishing techniques, catering for a wide range of applications and fish species. With eight performance spin and two sturdy baitcast models, these rods may find you in the remote wild gorges chasing cod and trout, to the hard-running rivers of the country’s tropical north. No matter your chosen style of fishing there’s a rod in the range to suit. Featuring comfortable full-length camo EVA grips and varying actions across the series, nine of the 10 models are two-piece construction, so you’ll always be able to pack a Squidgies rod on your next adventure. Look for them in your nearest tackle store now. Price: SRP $159.95 www.shimanofish.com.au

7/0 SNAPPER SNACK

Black Magic is expanding the range of their popular Snapper Snack rigs to include a NEW 7/0 version. These will be available at all good tackle stores soon. As with all Black Magic rigs, confidence in the components is not in question. In this case they are rigged on the premium PTFE coated 7/0 hooks and 80lb Tough Trace. The natural swimming action of the Snapper Snack skirts, coupled with the scent of your bait is hard to beat when it comes to catching snapper and other NZ fish species. Now with the bigger size you’ll be able to target an even wider range of fish from XOS snapper to hapuku, kingfish and more. Features include: twin lure rig incorporating high UV luminous skirts; cast, bottom bounce, or just drop and wait - versatile and simple; best fished with bait, but will still catch without; most hook-ups are in the corner of the mouth, and; available in six enticing colours. You can browse all the sizes and colours at the Black Magic Tackle website. www.blackmagictackle.com

BONE HERO DARTER

The Hero Darter is a soft, multi-function vibration lure that has a number of awesome features. There are three tow points on top of the Darter that provide three slightly different actions, and there is another tow point on the nose, which gives the lure a cast and retrieve option. This essentially gives anglers four lure fishing options in the one lure! However, the big thing with the Darter is that when the lure is in the jigging/vibration mode, a chin weight can be attached to the front nose eyelet that will allow this lure to be sent on deeper missions or fished in faster currents. The real beauty of this option is that the action of the lure is unaltered – in fact, while testing, the nose weight increased catches! The Hero Darter is a beautiful fishmunching 90mm long lure that is initially available in eight colours. www.wilsonfishing.com

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

CHRISTMAS SAMAKI MAKO SHIRT

The mako shark is impulsive, aggressive, agile, and every shark-lover’s dream! The blue green details of Samaki’s new Mako Shirt are enhanced from the background through to the underbelly of the sharks. With not just one but two mako sharks attacking at speed, the yellowfin has no chance! The lightweight fabric of this shirt is perfect for all outdoor elements, protecting you from the harsh sun with Samaki’s UPF50+ resistant technology. The soft touch 100% polyester material is comfortable on the body, and has the added feature of being breathable, keeping you cool and dry. Samaki designs are brought to you by Australian anglers who love to design Australian species. The shirts are available in adult, youth and kids sizes from a size 2 through to a 5XL allowing the whole family to get in on the action and out onto the water. For more information and stockists visit the Samaki website, or like them on Instagram and Facebook to keep up to date. Price: SRP $59.95 (adults), SRP $49.95 (kids) www.samaki.com.au

SAMAKI SLICK

SHIMANO TREVALA S

Designed for shallow water jigging,Trevala rods feature lightweight C4S blanks and parabolic actions specially designed for slow fall and flutter jigs like the new Tiger Baku Baku. The fine diameter one-piece C4S blanks are extremely strong and lessen the respective rods’ overall weight, which allows the angler to focus on fighting the fish and not the tackle. Fuji Alconite guides and reel seats are complemented by shaped EVA grips that are specifically intended for jigging work. The slow tuned actions are very precise, and allow the angler to effectively work the jig with minimal effort. Shimano recommends matching these rods with the Shimano Tranx series of 300 and 400 sized baitcaster reels, for an outfit that is super balanced and ideal for getting the most action out of your jigs. Available in power ratings from XL to MH, there are five spin models in 6’ 3” and 6’ 6” sizes, and a 6’ 3” overhead model. They are available in-store now. Price: SRP: $229.95 www.shimanofish.com.au

OBSESSION 17 BASS SERIES 14 Australian-made Obsession Spinnerbaits

Samaki’s extensive range of sunglasses just got bigger. The Slick is here to stay, and alongside the current range are two awesome new colours: brown tort with an amber lenses and matt black with a copper lenses. Each model is designed for your target species and most loved fishing environments. The square-shaped Slick is so comfortable that you won’t want to take it off. Each one of the Samaki-designed frames gives you great coverage from the elements and provides you with the polarised lenses you need when you’re out on the water. Slick colour options are available in matt black/green revo, matt black/blue revo, matt black/grey, brown tort/amber and matt black/ copper, giving you multiple options to suit all anglers and fishing scenarios. For more information and stockists visit the Samaki website and like them on Instagram and Facebook to keep up to date. Price: SRP $49.95 www.samaki.com.au

have a strong following amongst Murray cod and golden perch anglers. Owner and designer Raymond Parry was keen to expand his horizons, and with the assistance of some keen bass anglers he has produced a range of spinnerbaits focused on Australian bass. This new series is called the ‘Bass Six Pack’, and Obsession Spinnerbaits is releasing six new colours (WB, BG, DONC, GM, GOAT and PBJ). They will be available in 1/4oz, 1/2oz and 5/8oz through your local Obsession Spinnerbait stockist. Head to the Obsession Spinnerbait website to view their complete product range, which includes single, twin, triple and quadbladed spinnerbaits, mumblers and buzz baits. Jigheads are also available from 1/8oz3.5oz, and there’s an extensive range of skirt colours, as well as soft plastic curl-tails in 4”, 5” and 8” sizes. The product range can be customised to your requirements or you can design your spinnerbait from scratch. www.obsessionspinnerbaits.com

NEW FROM STRIKE PRO

ATC VIRTUOUS

Two of Strike Pro’s latest lure releases are the Bass Beetle and the Hunch Walker. The Bass Beetle is an ultra-shallow running Beetle imitation. This lure is perfect when the Christmas beetles and cicadas are buzzing around. The Bass Beetle offers extreme realism in its shape, and this shallow running lure has an enticing body roll and dives to approx. 1ft. The Bass Beetle is 4cm long, weighs 5.7g and comes in six fish-catching colours. It’s sure to be a hit with anglers targeting bass, estuary perch, bream, trout and jungle perch. The new Hunch Walker is a wakebait version of Strike Pro’s popular Hunchback range of lures. The Hunch Walker works on the surface and sub-surface, just under the surface in the scum line. When it is retrieved across the surface it creates a commotion and paddles, looking just like a frog or cicada kicking across the top, with a head-down, tailup, wide swaying action. The Hunch Walker is 5.5cm long, weighs 6.5g and comes in six proven colours. It is irresistible to bass, estuary perch, Murray cod, sooty grunter and more. www.jurofishing.com 42

DECEMBER 2019

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New to the ATC range of reels is the Virtuous – a range of reels with a host of features that combine to make them tough, dependable and affordable. An aluminium body and rotor ensure these reels are built to last, and the 9+1 stainless steel ball bearings give these reels a smooth feel that doesn’t wear the angler down. Add into this an ergonomic handle for the ultimate in comfort when fighting large fish, and the Virtuous is one of those reels that will stand the test of time. All of these comforts are backed up by a brilliant and exceptionally smooth dual drag system. This system is built to provide two drag surfaces on the top and underneath the spool, allowing for ultra-fine adjustments and exceptional smoothness. The dual drag system also means that when you need to wind up the drag, the ability is there to give you some real stopping power. Sizes range from the 2000 light line special all the way up to a 10,000 that swallows almost 500m of PE4 line and has a max drag of 20kg! www.wilsonfishing.com

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NEWS FROM

ADVERTORIAL

HOBIE MIRAGEDRIVE 360 AND PRO ANGLER 2020 Truly the Ultimate Fishing Machine, the 2020 Pro Angler with the MirageDrive 360 and Kick-Up Fins delivers power in every direction for unprecedented manoeuvrability and control. Two decades ago, Hobie revolutionized kayak fishing with the invention of the original MirageDrive. The radical engineering was met with worldwide acclaim and leg-propulsion became the new standard for kayak fishing locomotion. Imitators eventually arrived on the scene, but Hobie remains the industry benchmark. Hobie knew improving on its revolutionary MirageDrive wouldn’t be easy, but they weren’t deterred. Six years in the making, for 2020, Hobie is proud to announce the greatest achievement to date in the form of an astonishing 360-degree rotating pedal drive—an all new paradigm in kayak fishing boat control, complete with a nearly 100-page

SPECIFICATIONS Pro Angler 12 Length 366cm Width 91cm Height 51cm Capacity 227kg Vantage seat capacity 159kg Fitted hull weight 49.7kg Fully rigged weight 60.1kg Pro Angler 14 Length 417cm Width 97cm Height 51cm Capacity 272kg Vantage seat capacity 159kg Fitted hull weight 56.5kg Fully rigged weight 67.4kg

patent registration. Put simply, the remarkable new Hobie MirageDrive 360 propulsion system is a 360-degree rotating pedal drive that allows anglers to easily manoeuvre their 2020 Mirage Pro Angler 360 12 and 14 fishing kayaks in every direction—backwards, forward, sideways, diagonally—or even effortlessly spin on its own axis. Upping the ante with all-new Kick-Up Fins, which automatically retract upon impact, the new MirageDrive 360 delivers precision boat control and closequarter manoeuvrability that’s unrivalled by any other human-powered watercraft. With the MirageDrive 360, anglers go where they want and fish how they want with total control and complete confidence. The MirageDrive 360 is designed for versatility on the water and to help anglers catch more fish. Infinitely more manoeuvrable, anglers will immediately discover they spend less time positioning their boat, and more time catching fish. Boat control is brought to an entirely new level, affording anglers the ability to surgically position themselves to make the best cast and presentation to the fish, as well as staying right on top of fish once found, shallow or deep or anywhere in between. The MirageDrive 360 allows access to tighter quarters and more fishing scenarios. Imagine being able to turn on a dime in every direction. It also allows you to follow shorelines or underwater structure in a way kayak anglers have never experienced. “The MirageDrive 360 completely changes how you engage with your boat and the environment,” says Philip Dow, Lead Design Engineer for Hobie. “For example, if you’re fishing along a shoreline or highly contoured underwater structure, you can follow those nuances exactly with boat placement. Similarly, with the Kick-Up Fins, shallow and structurefilled waters become far more manageable. Hobie’s MirageDrive 360 completely

redefines boat control.” “In the same way a trolling motor can hold an exact point, you can do that with the MirageDrive 360. You can hold an exact location and direction against wind or current, too. Previously, when you drifted out of position, you had to pedal in a circle to point the hull in the right direction between casts. Now, when you’re sitting idle,

additional angling equipment. “In every environment there’s the need for better control in order to position yourself to present your bait to the fish in the most natural way possible,” says Morgan Promnitz, Hobie’s Senior Fishing Brand Manager. “Whether you’re fishing offshore, inshore, or freshwater, the benefits are numerous. We’ve tested the

ENGINEERED TO SWING FINS A FULL 360 DEGREES

if you turn the drive and start to pedal you’re immediately turning. It’s extremely effective for place-holding in an exact location. You feel like a sniper. If you want to swing the bow past a rock, you can do it exactly and make your next cast without any unnecessary boat movement.” Designed to accept Hobie’s vast array of accessories, the Pro Angler 360 fishing kayaks can be easily outfitted with

boats in a multitude of fishing environments and our test team’s response has all been the same—the MirageDrive 360 gives anglers a huge advantage that results in more fish caught, period.” “The Kick-Up Fins add peace of mind to anglers exploring waters with submerged objects such as rocks or tree stumps because the fins will automatically retract upon impacting an object. This greatly reduces any chance or damaging the propulsion system and allows anglers to explore with confidence—no more damaged props or bent fins.” – Hobie Fishing Asia Pacific

and durable Thermoform construction, the Passport is a well-rounded kayak that truly offers something for everyone, from novice to experienced kayakers alike. It is the ideal kayak for casual recreation and family outings, but is ready for all kinds of adventures on the water. Designed to accept most of Hobie’s vast array of accessories, the Passport can be easily outfitted with additional equipment. Powered by Hobie’s first-of-its-kind Classic MirageDrive pedal system, the Passport makes kayaking smooth and efficient, cruising seamlessly through the water. The shorter hull length and wider body provide great stability, while the

intuitive steering system and stowable rudder enable easy manoeuvring. Standard equipment on the Passport includes a suspended mesh-back, aluminium-frame seat, two-piece aluminium paddle, two rod holders, accessory mounting tracks, Lowrance ready, Power-Pole Micro bracket indent and an accessory mount that accepts the kayak sail and new bimini. Kayakers will also enjoy moulded-in, cross-bungee cargo areas on the bow and stern, as well as Hobie’s ‘twist-n-seal’ hatch. You can create your ultimate setup from weekend fishing to a family day sailing on the open water. – Hobie Fishing Asia Pacific

HOBIE MIRAGE PASSPORT 12 Hobie is proud to announce the latest addition to its renowned line-up of pedal kayaks, powered by the brand’s signature MirageDrive – the original pedal propulsion system for kayaking. The Passport was built

with simplicity in mind, delivering efficiency, ease of use, versatility and comfort in a highly accessible package. The Passport has been designed to help break down those barriers of entry that may be keeping people off the water and make pedal kayaking more accessible and affordable. The goal of the Passport is to be able to bring the experience that Hobie’s MirageDrive technology has delivered for more than 20 years to a broader audience. With its excellent value, transportability, simple and sleek design

DECEMBER 2019

Trades, Services, Charter BAIT & TACKLE METRO

CARNARVON

HOLIDAY ACCOMMODATION

Carnarvon Tackle & Marine (08) 9941 4161

ESPERANCE

KALBARRI

Castaway Tackle Malaga (08) 9248 3800 Earlybird Bait Rockingham (08) 9527 3333 Gun-Mart & Tackle Midvale (08) 9274 5699 TackleHQ Kingsley (08) 9309 4200 WA Bait Supply O’Connor (08) 9314 1755 Tackle West Beckenham (08) 9350 6278

Kalbarri Sports & Dive (08) 9937 1126

EXMOUTH Tackle World Exmouth (08) 9949 1315 Exmouth Tackle & Camping Supplies (08) 9949 1179

BUSSELTON 2 Oceans Tackle (08) 9752 4924 Geographe Camping & Tackle World (08) 9754 2909

BOAT HIRE BlueSun2 Boat Charters Ardross 0405 353 353 Boating West O’Connor 0429 887 798 Boat Hire Perth Mindarie 0403 095 868

FISHING GUIDES/CHARTERS

Baitmate-Bricap Wangara (08) 9309 5474 Bluewater Tackle Mindarie (08) 9407 9766 Bluewater Tackle World Joondalup (08) 6244 0344 Bluewater Tackle World Morley (08) 9375 9800 Bluewater Tackle World Myaree (08) 9330 7766 Compleat Angler Nedlands (08) 9389 1337 Dawe’s Bait & Tackle Mandurah (08) 9534 6661 Fishing WA Pro Tackle Wangara (08) 9409 2253 Hillarys Boat & Tackle Hillarys (08) 9401 4331 Sportsmarine Bunbury (08) 9721 4961 Tackle World Miami (08) 9534 5533 Tim’s Tackle Plus Bassendean (08) 6161 0044 Anglers Fishing World South Fremantle (08) 9433 4768

Achievement Charters Fremantle 0418 655 188 Apache Charters South Fremantle (08) 9339 2432 Black Jack Charters Bandy Creek 0429 106 960 Blue Horizon Fishing Charters Exmouth 08) 9949 1620 Blue Juice Charters (08) 9401 4666 Diversity Bluewater Adventures Exmouth Exmouth 0488 009 989 Duke Charters Condingup (08) 9076 6223 Esperance Diving And Fishing Esperance (08) 9071 5111 Evolution Fishing Charters 0477 901 445 Fly Fishing Frontiers Exmouth 0427 366 142 Great Southern Discovery Albany 0455 105 127 Jazz Charters Fremantle 0433 521 297 Kalbarri land Based fishing Carters 0418930695 Mills Charters Hillarys (08) 9246 5334 Perth Fishing Safaris 0422 686 363 Port Bouvard Charters Wannanup 0477 347 465 Set The Hook Exmouth 0433 049 988 SHIKARI Charters Fremantle 0412 131 958 Spinners Charters Emu Point (08) 9844 1906 Specialist Fishing Charters 0407 259 399

Anglers Fishing World Fremantle Fishing Boat Harbour Mews Road, Fremantle WA 6160

(08) 9433 4768 www.anglersfishingworld.com.au Getaway Outdoors Balcatta (08) 9344 7343 Getaway Outdoors Cockburn (08) 9417 4644 Getaway Outdoors Joondalup (08) 9300 1330 Getaway Outdoors Kelmscott (08) 9495 4444 Getaway Outdoors Mandurah (08) 9581 8877 Jet Cycles & Compleat Angler Gosnells (08) 9398 2359 Tackle World & Outdoors Mandurah (08) 9581 6953

ROCKINGHAM Compleat Angler & Camping World -Rockingham (08) 9528 5255 Port Kennedy Cycles and Fishing (08) 9524 6774 Whitey’s Tackle & Camping Australind (08) 9797 0762

ALBANY

SPECIALIST FISHING CHARTERS Demersal / Reef Fish Exclusive Fishing Charter Deep Drop Departs Fremantle

Bookings/Enquiries 0407 259 399 Tailored Treks - Lancelin 0427 941 126 Top Gun Charters EXMOUTH 0418 925 131 West End Charters Winthrop WA 6150 (08) 9332 4303

ONLINE TACKLE PRODUCTS FG Wizz www.fgwizz.com.au

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

Albany Rods & Tackle (08) 9841 1231 Trailblazers Albany (08) 9841 7859

ESPERANCE Esperance Camping & Workwear Esperance (08) 9071 2142 Southern Sports & Tackle (08) 9071 3022 Tatey’s Bait ‘n’ Tackle Castletown (08) 9071 5003

DONGARA & GERALDTON Dongara Sport & Tackle Dongara (08) 9927 1196 Geraldton Sports Centre (08) 9921 3664 Getaway Outdoors Geraldton (08) 9965 3766

FAD’s Squiding and Whiting Crayfish (craypots) and Whiting Deepwater Wrecks / Samson Fish

allows braid tension adjustment

CHECK IT OUT ONLINE ORDERS

www.fgwizz.com.au

Bathers Paradise Caravan Park Esperance (08) 9071 1014 Esperance Chalet Village Bandy Creek (08) 9071 1861 Munglinup Beach Holiday Park Munglinup (08) 9075 1155 Ocean Beach Holiday Units Esperance (08) 9071 5942 Pine Grove Holiday Park Esperance (08) 9071 4100 Pink Lake Tourist Park Nulsen (08) 9071 2424

HOPETOUN – BREMER BAY Bremer Bay Beaches Resort & Tourist Park Bremer Bay (08) 9837 4290 Hopetoun Caravan Park Hopetoun (08) 9838 3096 Wavecrest Village & Tourist Park Hopetoun (08) 9838 3888

ALBANY Albany Happy Days Caravan Park King River (08) 9844 3267 Albany Holiday Park Albany (08) 9841 7800 Albany Holiday Units Middleton Beach (08) 9841 7817 Cheynes Beach Caravan Park Cheynes (08) 9846 1247 Emu Beach Chalets Emu Point (08) 9844 8889 Havana Villas Albany (08) 9844 1085 King River Palms Caravan Park Willyung (08) 98443232 Lilacs Waterfront villas & cottages Robinson (08) 9841 2390 Two Peoples Caravan Park Kalgan (08) 9846 4024

DENMARK Denmark Rivermouth Caravan Park Denmark (08) 9848 1262 Denmark Waterfront Denmark (08) 9848 1147 Karri Aura Caravan Park & Motel Suites Shadforth (08) 9848 2200

WALPOLE – MANJIMUP – PEMBERTON Big Brook Arboretum Pemberton (08) 9776 1207 Coalmine Beach Holiday Park Walpole (08) 9840 1026 Manjimup Central Caravan Park & Deli Manjimup (08) 9777 2355 Nornalup Riverside Chalets Nornalup (08) 9840 1107 One Tree Bridge Chalets Manjimup (08) 9777 1196 Peaceful Bay Chalets Peaceful Bay (08) 9840 8169 Rest Point Holiday Village Walpole (08) 9840 1032 Riverside Retreat Walpole, (08) 9840 1255 Warren Way Caravan Park Balbarrup (08) 9771 1060

AUGUSTA Flinders Bay Caravan Park Augusta (08) 9780 5636 Hamelin Bay Holiday Park Hamelin Bay (08) 9758 5540 Molloy Caravan Park Kudardup (08) 9758 4515 Sheoak Chalets Augusta Augusta (08) 9758 1958

MARGARET RIVER Gracetown Caravan Park Gracetown (08) 9755 5301 Margaret River Tourist Park (08) 9757 2180 Prevelly Caravan Park Prevelly Park (08) 9757 2374 Riverview Tourist Park Margaret River (08) 9757 2270

YALLINGUP – DUNSBOROUGH Caves Caravan Park Yallingup (08) 9755 2196 Dunsborough Beach Cottages (08) 9756 8885 Yallingup Beach Holiday Park 1800 220 002

BUSSELTON Amblin Holiday Park Busselton (08) 9755 4079 Busselton Beachfron Busselton (08) 9755 2607 Busselton Holiday Village Busselton (08) 9752 4499 Busselton Villas & Caravan Park Busselton (08) 9752 1175 Fourseasons Holiday Park Busselton (08) 9755 4082 Geographe Bay Holiday Park Busselton (08) 9752 4396 Lazy Days Holiday Park Busselton (08) 9752 1780 Sandy Bay Holiday Park Busselton (08) 9752 2003

BUNBURY Binningup Beach Caravan Park Bunbury (08) 9720 1057 Brunswick Junction Caravan Park Bunbury (08) 9726 1544 Bunbury Glade Caravan Park Bunbury 1800 113 800 Discovery Parks - Bunbury (08) 9795 7100 Riverside Cabin Park Bunbury (08) 9725 1234 Taralea Farm Bunbury (08) 9728 1252 Waterloo Village Caravan Park Bunbury (08) 9725 4434

This section in WA Fishing Monthly consolidates the trades and services in your area that are relevant to your fishing and boating. Whether you’re a local looking for more options or a travelling angler fishing around the state, this guide will direct you to reputable businesses in the area you’re searching. 50

DECEMBER 2019

Boats & Guided Fishing Tours Directory MANDURAH Belvedere Caravan Park Mandurah (08) 9535 1213 Estuary Hideaway Holiday Park 0407 838 061 Footprints Preston Beach (08) 9739 1111 Lake Clifton Caravan Park (08) 9739 1255 Lake Navarino Holiday Park (08) 9733 3000 Mandurah Ocean Marina Chalets (08) 9535 8173 Miami Holiday Park (08) 9534 2127 Peel Caravan Park (08) 9535 4343 Pinjarra Caravan Park Mandurah (08) 9531 1374 Pinjarrah Holiday Park (08) 9531 1604 The Dwellingup Chalet and Caravan Park (08) 9538 1157 Timber Top Caravan Park (08) 9535 1292 Waroona Caravan Village (08) 9733 1518 Waters Edge Caravan Park 0427 281 622

MOORE RIVER – LANCELIN – CERVANTES Branchys Holiday Homes Guilderton (08) 9577 1321 Experience Lancelin Holiday Park (08) 9655 1056 Guilderton Caravan Park (08) 9577 1021

JURIEN BAY – GREEN HEAD – LEEMAN Green Head Caravan Park Green Head (08) 9953 1131 Jurien Bay Tourist Park Jurien Bay (08) 9652 1595 Leeman Caravan Park Leeman (08) 9953 1080

DONGARA – GERALDTON Batavia Coast Caravan Park (08) 9938 1222 Double Beach Caravan Park (08) 9921 5845 Horrocks Beach Caravan Park (08) 9934 3039 Leander Reef Holiday Park Port Denison (08) 9927 1840 Port Denison Holiday Units (08) 9927 1104 Seaspray Beach Holiday Park Dongara (08) 9927 1165

Bluewater Marine (08) 9791 1499

PORT HEDLAND Blackrock Tourist Park South Hedland (08) 9172 3444 Discovery Parks Port Hedland (08) 9173 1271 Landing Resort Port Hedland (08) 9172 4111 Port Tourist Park Port Hedland (08) 9172 4111 Broome Caravan Park (08) 9192 1776 Broome Vacation Village Caravan Park Broome (08) 9192 1057 Cable Beach Caravan Park Broome (08) 9192 2066 Discovery Parks - Broome (08) 9192 1366 Tarangau Caravan Park Broome (08) 9193 5084

DERBY Kimberley Entrance Caravan Park (08) 9193 1055 West Kimberley Lodge & Caravan Park (08) 9191 1031

KUNUNURRA Discovery Parks - Lake Kununurra (08) 9168 1031 El Questro Wilderness Park 1800 837 168 Hidden Valley Caravan Park (08) 9168 1790 Ivanhoe Village Caravan Resort (08) 9169 1995 Kona Lakeside Caravan Park (08) 9161 1139 Kununurra Lakeside Resort (08) 9169 1092 Lake Argyle Caravan Park (08) 9168 7777 Lake Argyle Resort (08) 9168 7777 Town Caravan Park (08) 9168 1763 Wyndham Caravan Park (08) 9161 1064

BOATS Aquasports Marine Midvale (08) 9250 3339

KALBARRI Kalbarri Anchorage Caravan Park Kalbarri (08) 9937 1181 Kalbarri Beach Bungalows A & B Kalbarri (08) 9937 0400 Kalbarri Blue Ocean Villas Kalbarri (08) 9937 2442 Murchison caravan park Kalbarri (08) 9937 0400 Murchison House Station Kalbarri (08) 9937 1998 Murchison River Caravan Park Kalbarri (08) 9937 1005

SHARK BAY Bay Lodge Denham Shark Bay WA (08) 9948 1278 Denham Seaside Caravan Park, (08) 9948 1242 Oceanside Village Denham Shark Bay (08) 9948 3003 RAC Monkey Mia Dolphin Resort (08) 9948 1320 Shark Bay Caravan Park (08) 9948 1387

CARNARVON Capricorn Holiday Park (08) 9941 8153 Carnarvon Caravan Park (08) 9941 8101 Coral Coast Tourist Park (08) 9941 1438 Norwesta Lifestyle Park (08) 9941 1277 Outback Oasis Caravan Park (08) 9941 1439 Wintersun Caravan and Tourist Park (08) 9941 8150

CORAL BAY Bayview Coral Bay (08) 9385 6655 Ningaloo Club (08) 9948 5100 Ningaloo Reef Resort (08) 9942 5934 Peoples Park (08) 9942 5933

WA DEALER OF THE YEAR

2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018

WHY DEAL WITH ANYONE ELSE? 331 Great Eastern Hwy, Midvale, WA 6056

Ph: (08) 9250 3339

Midway Marine (08) 9527 6963

EXMOUTH Exmouth Escape Resort (08) 9949 4800 Mantarays Ningaloo Beach Resort, Exmouth (08) 9949 0000 Ningaloo Caravan and Holiday Resort (08) 9949 2377 Ningaloo Lighthouse Holiday Park (08) 9949 1478 Yardie Homestead Caravan Park (08) 9949 1389

18 HAWKINS ST, EAST BUNBURY, WA 6230

(08)

9791 1499

Northbank Fibreglass Boats @northbankboats MARINE MECHANICS Bay Marine Maintenance Crawley (08) 9386 7059 Boat Fix Balcatta (08) 9240 8778 Boat Lifters Blue HQ Perth (08) 9239 9333 Bravo Marine Services Bayswater (08) 9272 9300 Bravo Marine Services Bayswater (08) 9272 9300 Chandlers Marine Service Wangara (08) 9303 9366 Falcon Services Australia Midvale 0458 852 591 GP Marine Cockburn Central 0408 913 104 GP Marine Cockburn Central 0408 913 104 Hitech Marine Wangara (08) 9309 2888 Mandurah Outboards, Mandurah (08) 9581 7224 Matich Marine East Fremantle (08) 9339 7722 Mobile Marine WA Osborne Park 0428 225 877 Parker Marine Fremantle (08) 9336 6979 Parker Marine Fremantle (08) 9336 6979 Perth Boat Mechanics Huntingdale 0405 593 786 Platinum Boating Maintenance Wangara 0402 477 656 Pleisure Marine Maintenance O’Connor (08) 9337 9569 Seasport Marine Kelmscott (08) 9498 1799 The Boat Business Henderson (08) 9437 5144 Total Marine Repairs Mandurah (08) 9582 7211 West Coast Boat Works Perth Landsdale 0439 969 459 Westmarine Boating Services Fremantle WA 0425 177 700

MARINE ACCESSORIES All Boats and Caravans Kingsley (08) 9309 4200 Challenge Batteries Osborne Park (08) 9446 6122 Crackpots Marine Supplies O’Connor (08) 9337 2211 JPW Marine Wholesale Distributors Perth (08) 6253 3000 Offshore Marine Guildford (08) 6278 1299 Searano Marine Malaga (08) 9248 2242 Whitworths Marine & Leisure - Leerderville (08) 9381 1442 Whitworths Marine & Leisure - Mosman Park (08) 9385 5877

MARINE TRIMMERS

ONSLOW Discovery Parks - Onslow (08) 9184 6007 Ocean View Caravan Park (08) 9184 6053

DAMPIER Aspen Karratha Village Baynton (08) 9185 2726 Dampier Transit Caravan Park (08) 9183 1109 Discovery Parks - Balmoral, Karratha (08) 9185 3628 Discovery Parks - Pilbara, Karratha (08) 9185 1855 Karratha Apartments Karratha (08) 9143 9222 Karratha Caravan Park (08) 9185 1012 Karratha Village Karratha 1300 321 669 Searipple Village Karratha Bulgarra (08) 9158 7400

GET ONBOARD

BROOME

Ph 9527 6963

43 Hurrell Way, Rockingham www.midwaymarine.net.au

Cutting Edge Marine Trimming O’Connor 0432 062 834 Exclusive Marine Trimming & Upholstery O’Connor (08) 9314 6882 G.K. Trimmers Canning Vale (08) 9455 7144 John’s mobile trimmers Jandakot (08) 9417 4414 John’s Motor Trimmers Auto & Marine Upholstery Welshpool (08) 9470 5531 Mandurah Motor Trimmers Greenfields (08) 9581 8180 Mason Marine Trimmers O’Connor 0418 923 787 McCarroll Motor & Marine Trimmers Osborne Park (08) 9244 1449 Prestige Marine Trimmers Perth (08) 9303 9536 The Trim Shop (08) 9430 5332 Universal Marine & Automotive Upholstery O’Connor 08) 9314 1770 Waters Edge Marine Trimmers Leeming 0412 204 085

WELDING & MANUFACTURING CSD Designs Bayswater 0407 772 010

Advertisers wanting to be involved in this directory can call 0417 901 301 or email nick@fishingmonthly.com.au DECEMBER 2019

WHAT’S NEW BOATING BAR CRUSHER FOLDING HARD TOP 1

SIMRAD HALO20 AND HALO20+

Innovation has always been at the core of Australian plate aluminium boat builder Bar Crusher, and the latest upgrade to its cuddy cabin ‘C Series’ is case in point. The completely-redesigned folding hard top of Bar Crusher’s popular 615C and 670C looks – and is – all business. Like the previous folding roof design (which Bar Crusher had for 20 years), this latest beefed-up version – together with the folding, toughened safety glass windscreen – reduces the on-trailer height by around a metre for easy storage in standard garages and carports. With front and extended side clears delivering all-weather protection, the folding hard top and rock-solid superstructure is a huge plus for those who want a serious offshore fishing boat but have limited storage at home. Along with the increase in strength, the new folding hard top incorporates an LED cabin light as standard, allows for easy mounting of rear-facing LED cockpit lighting and a removable shade awning, provides a solid base for a radar, and also has the option of side-mount roof-top rod storage for another six outfits, in addition to the standard rearmounted rocket launcher. www.barcrusher.com.au

Simrad HALO20+ and HALO20 radars are compact, pulse compression radome units, ideal for smaller sportfishing vessels. Both radars provide excellent detection with unrivalled short-range performance, but HALO20+ features the fastest RPM rotation on the market, VelocityTrack, Dual Range operation and can detect targets from a greater distance. HALO20+ radar delivers a full 360° sweep every second at ranges up to 1.5nm, giving boaters an almost real-time view at close range. It has a compact dome antenna and delivers high-quality short-, mid- and longrange detection. Boaters can monitor two distance ranges at once in Dual Range mode, and beam sharpening provides enhanced separation between small or distant targets. VelocityTrack Doppler technology delivers instant feedback on whether targets are coming toward you or moving away. HALO20 is a compact, cost-effective solution for boaters to increase situational awareness and collision avoidance, detecting collision hazards and other targets nearby and up to 24nm away. Both models offer MARPA Target Tracking, InstantOn technology and Harbor, Offshore, Weather, Bird, and custom modes. Price: from SRP $2,399 www.simrad-yachting.com

YANMAR YD42 MFD

The Yanmar YD42 MFD and YD25 LCD Switch Panel Display have innovative functionality and a compact style. Featuring a low-profile glass helm design and a 4.1” colour screen, the YD42 reads and displays Yanmar engine alarm and diagnostic codes. Users can also view additional info, from engine speed and load, oil pressure and coolant temperature, to speed and depth. It’s compatible with a range of NMEA 2000 devices and allows engine data to be easily transmitted to other MFDs. The water-resistant YD42 is suitable for all weather conditions, and eliminates fogging. It has a 170˚ viewing angle, superior daytime visibility, and a night-time mode. It has an easy front-mount option, requiring no access to the back of the console or panel. In addition to engine start/stop functionality, the compact YD25 LCD Switch Panel Display shows all Yanmar engine data, alarms and diagnostic codes, and integrates with MFDs and glass helm systems. The info can be viewed on four customisable screens. Ideal for boats with limited dash space, the weather-resistant YD25 has a 2.5” LCD screen with a 80˚ viewing angle. www.yanmar.com

FUSION SM SERIES

Fusion’s new SM Series shallow mount marine speakers, are engineered to deliver high-quality acoustics ideal for installations where mounting depth is limited. The sealed enclosure design provides a truly shallow mounting solution without compromising sound quality, and protects all components from damage, making the SM Series capable of being installed in positions such as cabinets without needing rear speaker cups that often reduce sound quality and complicate installation. In addition, concealed mounting holes allow for a more uniform, cleaner look. There is also an optional two-surface corner spacer, which fits perfectly into perpendicular spaces where two walls meet, and a threesurface corner spacer, which is ideal for angling the speaker down from a ceiling corner for better acoustics. There are two colour options: fabric white and black for interior installations. www.fusionentertainment.com 52

DECEMBER 2019

SIGNATURE STOCK CLEARANCE

2 3

The Haines Signature stock clearance offer is now on, with a combined value of up to $2,700 free extras with new boat purchases. These extras include: 12 months’ Nautilus Marine insurance valued up to $1,000; a $1,000 Missing at Sea voucher; and a safety bag kit (including 4 x inflatable life jackets) valued at $700. The stock clearance period lasts until 16 December 2019, and is available only on current dealer’s stock boats. This special offer can not be used in conjunction with any other offer. Refer to your local authorised Signature dealer for more information, or visit the Haines Signature website. You can also see all the latest news and photos on Haines Signature’s Facebook page (www.facebook. com/hainessignatureboats) and Instagram (@ hainessignature). www.hainessignature.com.au

CLUB MARINE PROMOTION

PRODUCT GUIDE

Club Marine is giving away over $260,000 in prizes to eight lucky members in its ‘Win the Dream’ member promotion. One lucky member will win the keys to a car and boat package comprising of a RAM 1500 Laramie Pickup Truck and Northbank 600C boat with a Mercury Pro XS 150 HP FourStroke engine and Easytow trailer. There is a host of other prizes on offer as well, including a Sea Doo Fish Pro, Kimberley Cruise, NT Outback Adventure and YETI prize packs. Qualifying for automatic entry is easy. To be in the running to Win the Dream simply have a Club Marine Pleasure Craft Insurance policy and a Club Marine Magazine subscription in either Australia or New Zealand at the time of each draw. Winners will be contacted directly and announced in Club Marine Magazine. To find out more about how you can be in the running, visit the Club Marine website. www.clubmarine.com.au

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Online - ANYTIME

Formosa 550 SRT with Suzuki 150hp 4-stroke - SC

TENT -

RE ONLINE MO

The 550 is the smallest Centre Cab that Formosa make. With models extending up to 7.4m in length and the simplification of the Formosa range (these SRT hulls were

PERFORMANCE RPM Speed (km/h) Economy (km/L) Idle ..........................5 ................................ 5 1000 .........................7 ............................. 3.3 2000....................... 12 ............................. 2.5 3000....................... 28 ............................. 2.0 3500 ....................... 30 ............................. 2.0 4000....................... 46 ............................. 2.0 5000....................... 59 ............................. 1.4 5900 ....................... 74 ............................. n/a Cab, loaded with features and turning heads with a new Suzuki 150 bolted to the back. “The locals here love the Formosas and we sell plenty of them here,” said NCBC’s Dayne Taylor. “We always make sure that we order boats with the features that local anglers want.” 56

DECEMBER 2019

released on the 2019 boat show circuit), navigating their line up has become a lot easier. There’s a surprising amount of room in the centre cab, as much as in some 7m models that I’ve tested in the past; however, the flipside of that is the front deck space is compromised in this model. If

front deck space is important to you, check out the longer models in the line up. Exiting the ramp, there’s a fair expanse of semi-sheltered water that we could use to do some speed runs in. Although the specs show economy of 2km/L, I’m sure that with more granular metering this would actually register in the low 2s. It’s no slouch either, with a flat-water test yielding 74km/h. Unfortunately, conditions didn’t allow us to run at wide open throttle on the test day – that was a quoted reading from the team when they were prop testing in the local river. Creeping out of the harbour, the calm day belied the decent ocean swell that rolled through. Indeed, it was fun to do a few jump shots off the colourful south wall. Sneaking up along the coast, we took the opportunity to do some running and fishing shots in the slop. You can

check these out on the Fishing Monthly YouTube channel or by scanning the QR code on this page. The other compromise in this boat is stability versus ride. With a near 2.5m width and the four-

DE FOR EX

Main: The jury is out on whether this type of shot is appealing to a boat customer or not. Rupe said that landing was “much softer than expected” after searching out some stand-up swell at the mouth of the harbour. Above: Stability at rest is where this Formosa shines, with a 2.45m beam and the Quad4 water ballast system fitted.

s.morgan@fishingmonthly.com.au

After hundreds of boat tests, we finally made it to Coffs Harbour to get some hulls wet. Hosted by Dayne Taylor and the team at North Coast Boating Centre (NCBC), it’s definitely a part of the world that offers lots – not just for fishing but also a compact array of conditions to test the abilities of hull and motor combinations. NCBC is a Formosa and Suzuki dealer and both come from South East Queensland – the hulls are manufactured there and Suzuki’s local head office is also located there. Although the quality of the main Coffs Harbour boat ramp is a bone of contention amongst locals, on the test day it coped fine with the launch and retrieval of a black and grey 5.5m Formosa Centre

tube Quad4 water ballast system in play, the hull was rock solid in the water. Even with 19 degrees of transom deadrise, the hull tended to ride over rather than through the swell. Add a deeper vee in the hull and you would lose stability in favour of a smoother entry to waves. It’s the perennial boating dilemma. Otherwise, the boat is well finished and definitely turns heads at the ramp. Its practical features, such as the removable underfloor kill tank, an entirely practical transom and transom door coupled with a folding bench seat that redefines simplicity shows that this rig has been designed by anglers – or at the very least, by builders who listen to their customers. Price wise, this rig is right in the ballpark for those looking to move into a plate boat and not have to sell the house to do it. As tested, this rig comes in at under

Steve Morgan

CON

AN THE

FMG

$60,000 and if you want to drop to a 140hp outboard, you can shed another five or six grand again. SPECIFICATIONS Length................. 5.7m Beam................. 2.45m Bottom ................ 4mm Sides ................... 4mm Fuel ..................... 150L Dry hull weight . 840kg Max hp .................. 150 Transom deadrise .19° Capacity ..... 6 persons WA DEALERS Millard Marine 13 Halifax Drive Bunbury P: 08 9721 3033 W: millardmarine.com.au Seasport Marine 19 Brant Road, Kelmscott, Perth P: 08 9498 1799 W: seasport.net.au

If you’ve ever been offshore from Coffs, you’ll know this wall. A calm wind with some leftover swell presented ideal testing conditions.

Above: We’ve seen plenty of kill tanks under the floor of boats, but this one is removable. Below: There’s more room than you think in the centre cab, with plenty of space to get out of the elements when things get hot and nasty.

Egress is easy on the trailer with the fold-down aluminium steps.

Above: Side pockets are short but feature room for your toes underneath them and a high gunwale to keep you in while out in the ocean. Below: The trade-off of a large centre cab is less casting deck up front. There’s plenty of room to circumnavigate the cab, but two anglers casting lures up here is a crowd.

Main: The fold-down rear bench seat is a neat and practical solution – with no fold-down legs required. Inset: The transom door folds inwards and forms a step to give access to the Active Transom.

Top Left: The helm is simple and although the throttle box initially felt a little cramped, it offered plenty of places to support the throttle hand while varying revs in lumpier water. Bottom Left: Next to the anchor box there’s an electric motor mount. Either a self or standard manualdeploy would work, as you can easily access the mounting area. Right: Although basic, there’s plenty of storage room in the seat pedestals and simple foot bars.

The new Suzuki 150 is an EFI double overhead cam, 2.8L inline 4-stroke that throws this centre cab up and out of the water.

The hard top offers shade for driver and passenger and accommodates a handful of rods up and out of the way. It folds down for garage storage.

Left: There’s ample room to shuffle around the centre cab and the deck remains the same level all the way around. Right: The short windscreen is in the ideal place – you can look through it while seated and over it while standing. DECEMBER 2019