Western Australia Fishing Monthly February 2019 by Fishing Monthly

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Journey to Abrolhos Islands • Catch more blue swimmer crabs • Bream tips and tricks •

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February 2019, Vol. 1 No. 6

Contents 8

METRO Perth Metro/Cockburn Sound

Swan & Canning Rivers

Metro Offshore

SOUTH COAST Bremer Bay

Albany 17 WEST COAST Augusta 22 Busselton 24 Bunbury 26 Mandurah 28 Lancelin 29 Jurien Bay

Geraldton 31 Kalbarri 32 GASCOYNE COAST Carnarvon 66 Shark Bay

From the Editor’s Desk... Going by all of our reports for this month it seems the fishing has been pretty good to great in most locations as long as you can find a bit of a break from the wind. With summer about to end the southerly pattern will hopefully break and we can expect some of that magical autumn weather to kick in and let us access what is probably some of the best months for wetting a line here on the WA coast. The month ahead should see us starting to see the first schools of salmon turn up along the south coast, and then it will be a roll of the dice as to whether they will run along the coast or turn west and head offshore. The last couple of years have had exceptional shore-based metro runs and fingers crossed it will be bigger and better this year.

On the salmon front, we have had a few small schools of mixed size fish holding up in various locations along the coast with a few turning up from month to month in unusual locations for the time of year. Global warming or just strong recruitment? Who knows! Either way it makes for some interesting mixed bag beach fishing. Some of you may or may not have ever noticed the front cover of Fishing Monthly says ‘The recreational anglers’ voice’ and our east coast sister mags quite often publish readers letters, so if you want to jump on your soap box and make a comment on anything fishy feel free to drop us an e-mail. While we may not publish everything we receive we love hearing from our readers. Likewise, if you want to have a go at writing drop me a line and we will

see what we can do to help you along the way to get your first article published. If you are keen for some free back issues of WA Fishing Monthly check out www.issuu.com/ fishingmonthly or if you need a gift for that friend that loves fishing check out www.isubscribe.com.au and go to the Boating and Fishing section. As always be sure to check out the competition page and get your entries in to go into the draw for some great prizes. TOURNAMENT ANGLER GUIDE Whether you’re a tournament angler or not, the ABT Tournament Angler Guide stitched into the centre of this issue is a quality read if you like lure fishing. Back in the day when it was a stand-alone magazine (and over 160 pages), it had the

Ian Sewell nickname of ‘the instruction book for your lure box’. Nothing much has changed! Whether you’re scoping out a new area for social fishing or for a tournament, Joey and Jamie’s preparation article will help and after livestreaming Steve Morgan’s entire season from the boat, there’s a no-holdsbarred article on every lure he used to weigh bream across Australia. It’s ABT’s motto ‘Who Shares Wins’ to the extreme. We’re really proud of the improvements in coverage in these catch-and-release events. When there’s more people who know that we are all out there doing the right thing by the fishery and the fish, that’s more people who can focus their well meaning but ill-informed attentions elsewhere. And that’ll help all anglers in the longer term.

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Journey to the centre of the Abrolhos Islands PERTH

Luke Doherty

It’s 6:30 in the morning and the sun is up but behind light cloud cover so everything has an orange hue to it. The rod in your hand bounces as something nudges your lure. The rest of the world disappears and you’re holding your breath waiting for the

to that edge than others, and its for this reason that offshore kayak fishing isn’t for everyone. The trip to the Houtman Abrolhos Islands took weeks of planning and preparation. The call went out in late August, when Central Regional Tafe announced they were running a three-day Kayak Training Course. Spots filled and the dates were set for early October.

worthiness, replacing older gear, servicing and respooling reels, looking over nautical charts and researching as much information on the area we expected to fish as possible. Fortunately, the biggest hurdles were handled for us. Getting to the islands, food and sleeping arrangements were all taken care of as part of the course. On the boat would be anglers from different backgrounds,

The Masterclass left Geraldton with a variety of kayaks and excited fishers.

Lots of preparation needs to go into offshore kayaking trips. next bite. That’s when chaos erupts around you, the rod in the rod holder behind you jerks violently and almost tips you out of your kayak. The rod you’re holding buckles over at the same time, probably saving you from capsizing. This is what offshore kayak fishermen are looking for, the feeling of being on the edge and the adrenalin that comes with it! Some kayakers want to be closer

It was going to be one last effort before the West Coast Demersal closure started. We would be loading our kayaks onto the Masterclass, the Tafe’s 20m boat, traveling across to the Islands to fish and complete a competency course in kayak fishing. THE TRIP OUT Almost immediately, the nightly preparation started, checking safety equipment, watching the weather, checking our kayaks for sea

ages, skill levels and fishing styles. Amongst the kayaks that were loaded onto the Masterclass were a variety of pedal and paddle kayaks, with everything from the most basic paddle kayaks right through to rigs worth thousands of dollars. The one thing everyone had in common was a passion for kayak fishing. Waking up on the deck of the boat, the first day was a short one. After about

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3 hours cruising across to the islands from Geraldton, a few of the kayakers on board were feeling seasick or shabby from the antics from the night before. It was slow going getting ready, not knowing what to expect, and most of the group didn’t have rods rigged or gear stored in a way that it was easy to unpack and launch. INTO THE FISHING! Day 1 Once everyone had prepared and launched, it was time to get stuck into some fishing. Starting northwest of Rat Island working over the shallow reef and deeper sandy patches, baldchin groper and trout were the main target. In the ledges and holes in the reef, most of the anglers in the group caught something. The sharp staghorn coral was shredding leaders and a small front was starting to build further out to sea. Overcast and humid, with very little wind, it was time to stop for lunch. Returning to the Masterclass, kayaks were tethered to each other out the back of the mothership. After lunch, most the group got back into their kayaks and continued fishing, working their way back across the 7km to the Fisheries Jetty on Rat Island. For those who didn’t head back out on their kayak, an

afternoon dive for crayfish rounded out the first day. Dinner that evening was coral trout and baldchin grilled on the barbeque along with a couple of crayfish from the dive. After dinner and some course work it was back to fishing, with the lights on the boat were bringing baitfish

squid for sashimi and bait the following morning. It was time for bed and with no camping on the Islands we slept on the boat. Day 2 Day two was forecast to be the best weather for the trip, low winds early and a storm forecast for later in the day. There aren’t many

Soft plastics were an effective tool over the reef. in close. Squid were starting to hang around along the edge of the light. Casting squid jigs out beyond the range of the light, then slowly winding them back in was enough to get the Tiger squid to follow the jigs back to the boat. Dangling the jigs in the water over the back end of the boat and having a little patience while the squid got up the courage to grab hold resulted in fresh

places in Western Australia where you can watch the sun rise over the water. It’s worth the 4am wake up, just to watch the light creep across the sky and hear the islands wake up. After quietly contemplating the mysteries of the universe over a cup of coffee it was time to launch. Heading north from the boat, out of the shelter of reef, which runs along the drop

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off on the east of Rat Island, it didn’t take long to find the first school of snapper. Schooling on the leeward side of a navigation marker in a depth of about 15m. Holding just off the bottom, a 1oz, 5/0 Abrolhos Tackle Projectile Head with a 5-inch Mcpaddle soft plastic was the first offering to get taken. Left sitting in the rod holder while a second rod was being rigged, the slow drift and small bounces from the kayak moving was enough to entice a bite. Seven more fish followed the first, and were returned to the water. Leaving one rod in the rod holder and casting ahead with the other resulted in a few double hook ups, with many fish unhooking themselves while another was being reeled in. It

wasn’t long before a few other kayakers from the group headed over and joined the fun. Getting a little crowded with several kayaks working over the one school, it was time to move on in search of some baldchin groper and trout in the nearby reef. A quick radio call and a buddy was ready to do some exploring. A short northerly paddle later, in 30m, another school was located. This time it was a mixture of snapper and samson fish. The sambos didn’t fare too well after the sharks moved in though. In the reefs around White Bank a smaller lure turned up a variety of smaller reef species. Casting a 5” ZMan PaddlerZ on a 3/8oz jighead hard against the reef and then slowly retrieving so the lure presented just above the

dropping, so we departed the islands early. The trip back took us through the middle of the whale migration, which made up for the lost day of fishing, almost. LESSONS LEARNT There are three stages to planning any offshore kayak fishing trip. Stage one is always going to be deciding where to go; picking a destination, exploring

own. As there is only a small number of people who have gone to the effort of taking kayaks to the Abrolhos, there was very limited information available from among the kayak community. Looking over Navionics charts and reading over trip reports from boaters who had spent some time in the area were the most reliable sources of information

Baldchin groper were a much sought-after target on the trip. coral helped to land one of the many baldchin that were caught during the day. Others had success with similar techniques and stickbaits worked across the shallower spots in the reefs targeting trout. Lunch was had back on the boat and a quick snorkel

On day two the anglers experienced fantastic conditions.

along the reef around White Bank before heading back to the fisheries jetty finished the kayaking for the trip by early afternoon. Taking the Masterclass out that afternoon, a few snapper were caught dropping lures on the edge of some of the outer most reefs. Two or three were kept for the barbeque that evening. Day 3 Day three was blown out. Waking up before the 4am alarm, it was easy to see that the forecast storm was howling around us and it was too windy to be fishable. After a quick discussion, everyone went back to sleep. We were catching the very edge of a storm that hit Perth with winds that damaged houses. After sunrise it was obvious that the wind wasn’t

Coral trout were a prized catch, and made meal times very tasty. the fishing options and identifying the challenges that will need to be overcome to have a successful and safe trip. While the boat and destination were planned for us, the rest of the planning was left to us to do on our

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would be like in the areas we expect to fish. Protected from the swell by reef, the most obvious challenges would be currents and wind. Geraldton Volunteer Marine Rescue provide two or three weather broadcasts over the radio throughout the day. These updates are extremely helpful in planning the days fishing and learning about any changes to the forecast that might be a problem. The second stage is preparing yourself. Kayak fishing is physically and mentally demanding. Sitting in a kayak, adjusting your weight to stay balanced and maintaining your posture takes focus and practice. It also slowly saps your energy, wearing you down. It’s usually not until you get out of your kayak that you realise how tired and sore your muscles are. To fish several days back-to-back takes conditioning and a certain level of fitness. There is no getting around this, whether you paddle, pedal or sail your kayak, at some point you will experience the aches and pains that come with sitting for hours on end. The best way to make sure this doesn’t impact on your trip is to make sure that you spend plenty of time in your kayak in the weeks leading up to your

At the end of each day, a delicious meal of fresh fish was prepared. trip. This will condition your body to the stresses put on it while fishing. Practice will also help build your confidence and give you a chance to refine your technique if you’re paddling. A clean, efficient paddle stroke or a regular cadence in your pedalling will make travelling between spots easier and help save energy. Practicing deep water re-entry is another key part of preparing for any trip. No one enjoys it but it’s a core skill for any offshore kayakers. There isn’t always an option to swim your kayak to shore to climb back

into your kayak on your own. Even the more experienced kayakers will find that they experience a sudden rush of adrenaline when they capsize unexpectedly. Adrenaline gives you an initial burst of strength but leaves you feeling sluggish and weary very quickly. Making sure you can complete re-entry successfully in the first few attempts is critical. The third step is preparing and packing gear. This is the most difficult and time-consuming step. Researching the area and target species will make it easier to choose tackle and

rods. For most trips, 2-3 rods is more than enough. One lighter rod for gathering bait and targeting smaller species and 1-2 medium weight rods should handle just about everything else. Keeping a 2-4kg rod with a small 10002000 size reel with you is great for catching fresh baits like squid, wrasse and other baitfish. Keeping two rods in the 7-10kg range with a 4000-5000 size reel, spooled with 30-50lb line should be more pulling power than most kayakers will be comfortable using. Preparing a kayak is all about compromises. After going over it to make sure the hull is in good repair and water tight, you need to start working out where to fit all your gear. Most of the challenges will be about storing safety gear and most kayakers will have their kayak rigged in a way that suits their individual needs. Making sure its quickly accessible is important, what you store on the deck and what can be stored in the hull is going to depend on where you are fishing. In the Abrolhos, being as remote as it is, flares, a VHF radio and a Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) could save your life, if you can get to them. A PFD with pockets is a great way to keep your PLB and radio on you

without them getting in the way. A RescueME electronic flare is a great alternative to keeping pyrotechnic flares in your pocket. While it’s not a replacement for handheld red flares that are required to be carried, the small handheld LED lights emit bright red flashing light and can be stored without too much concern in a pocket. Other signalling options are small mirrors and torches.

and without fixing them they can turn into bigger issues and derail a trip. Duct tape, any tools you need to service your gear and spare parts for anything that is prone to breakages is a good idea. This trip really highlighted how easy it is to get to areas that are usually only accessible to anglers fishing from boats with a little planning and some in-depth research. Kayak

It is crucial that you are confident in your ability to handle a kayak offshore before heading on a big trip like this. Spare parts and tools are something that most kayakers overlook when preparing for a trip. A nut comes loose, a pedal drive malfunctions or a seal on a hatch starts leaking – these are all issues that can be dealt with easily if you have the right tools on hand,

fishing in the Abrolhos is one of the many amazing fishing experiences that Western Australia has to offer. It’s proximity to Perth, abundance of reef and diverse fishing will make it a bucket list location for generations of kayakers to come.

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As the warmer weather warms up sunny Kalbarri, we sit and wait for a drop in the seemingly endless

drop a line in the clear blue waters. Having said that, some of the best game fishing can be encountered during this time, with most getting out early and returning early with a good catch.

caught both north and south of the river mouth, with fish ranging from 8-15kg. There have also been reports of a few larger fish being landed at Wagoe Beach by anglers ballooning whole garfish. Popular methods for

Yellowfin tuna are a great target for those fishing offshore in summer. southerly winds. With rising water temperatures and high tides frequenting the area, holidaymakers and keen ‘fishos’ waited to

As the water temperatures climb through the low 20s, mackerel have been making themselves known more frequently, with fish being

line in the past couple of weeks, with plenty of bottom fish hitting the deck. Catches include pink snapper, dhufish and baldchin groper, with anglers finding cut mullet baits and fresh octopus to be favourable. Reports are contrasting strongly when compared to earlier months, with most fish being caught on broken reef in 40-50m rather than those depths in the teens to 20s. Reports of larger blue mannas in good numbers has been the talk of the town between locals with the run shaping up to be a good one. Boaties chasing blues have found success in the local haunts around the upriver sand flats and the deeper channels near the boat pens. Fish frames and mullet seem to be the preferred baits. Crayfish have been increasing in numbers, with a few whites running and some good-sized reds caught both north and south along the cliffs. Large green back tailor

Red emperor make a great addition to the bag, and taste great! pink snapper turning up as a by-catch, however it has been noted that sharks have been a problem.

targeting these fish on the troll are large diving lures and rigged swimming gars. The demersal season has seen many anglers drop a

Cod are another great-tasting demersal species that abound in Kalbarri’s waters.

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have been making their presence felt along many of the surf beaches as well as the local river mouth, with fish to 90cm being boated. Anglers are preferring the tried and tested whole weightless garfish along with poppers brought through the wash. Heavy gear has been a must for these fish due to their razor teeth and ability to bust leaders on reef. A small run of pink snapper has been noticed once again from the Red Bluff Rocks, with numerous large fish being caught to 8kg. Anglers have found a long cast from the reef with a snelled rig baited with mullet to be the best way to target these fish. This provides an interesting prospect for boaties fishing close to avoid the relentless southerly. Anglers fishing the beaches north of town have reported good numbers of large mulloway being caught on cut mullet and squid baits, with the odd tailor and

The weather over the past few weeks has been less than ideal for anglers, with the howling wind and soaring

temperatures keeping most anglers at bay, however those willing to brave the conditions have found some success. With any luck the weeks coming will be more productive, but we’ll see what the weather gods have to say about that. Kalbarri fishing can only get better, with the weather improving making for ideal conditions. Bottom fishing is usually good, but cut short by the cooling sea breeze, so get out early. History has shown Kalbarri at this time of year to have dead calm mornings with a flat sea where mackerel and tuna can sometimes boil on the surface, all before lunchtime! • If you need a boat and are heading to Kalbarri or beyond be sure to give us a call at Murchison Boat Hire. You’ll find new dramatically reduced pricing. With three quality boats to choose from why would you stay stuck fishing from shore? Call Paul for details on 0427 645 037.

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Australian Open

12-13 October

Wyaralong Dam

QLD

Valley Hill

Zerek BARRA Tour

Event 1 2 3 4

Dates 8 November 9 November 11 November 13-14 November

Location Kinchant Teemburra Peter Faust â€“ Night Championship Peter Faust

State QLD QLD

Sponsor Power-Pole Edge Rods

QLD QLD

Samaki Wilson

Australian Open

10-12 September

Awoonga Dam

QLD

Venom

Dates 12-13 January 2-3 March 30-31 March 6-7 April 27-28 April 18-19 May 22-23 June 14-15 September 21-22 September 5-6 October 7-8 December

Location Bemm River Mallacoota Sydney Blackwood River Nelson Woy Woy Gold Coast Port Macquarie Albany St Georges Basin Marlo

State VIC VIC NSW WA VIC NSW QLD NSW WA NSW VIC

Sponsor Strike Pro Mortgage Corp Cranka Lures Lurefans Atomic Gerber Tackle Tactics Lowrance JML Pro Lure Power-Pole

January-March 2020

TBA

AUS

Daiwa

Hobie Kayak Series

2019 HOBIE KAYAK BREAM SERIES Presented by

Event 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Australian Championship

WA BREAM Classics

WA BREAM CLASSICS

Event Kayak 1 Boat 1 Kayak 2 Boat 2 Kayak 3 Boat 3

Dates 3 February 10 March 19 May 9 June 6 October 20 October

Kayak Grand Final 9-10 November Boat Grand Final 23-24 November

Vic BREAM Classics

www.hobiefishing.com.au

Facebook: WA Bream Classics Location Murray River Swan River Swan River Murray River Moore River Blackwood River

State WA WA WA WA WA WA

Swan River Albany

WA WA

www.vicbreamclassics.com.au

Event 1 2 3 4 5

Dates 2-3 February 16-17 March 4-5 May 22-23 June 12-13 October

Location Glenelg River Mallacoota Gippsland Lakes Warrnambool Marlo

State Vic Vic Vic Vic Vic

Sponsor Glenelg Hopkins CMA Bayford Volkswagen Club Marine BCF Atomic

Final

23-24 November

Glenelg River

Vic

NS Black Hole Rods

NEW sunrise silver mirr or S

C O S TA

580

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TECHNOLOGY

This advancement of our color-enhancing 580 lens technology allows you to see more with less light. The yellow-based polarized lenses allow high light transmission while still providing maximum protection and deliver sharper contrast for sunrise, sunset, and a sun that wants to hide behind the clouds all day. Find your pair by using the dealer locator at costadelmar.com.

Tech Tricks

Learn how to tie your own Brush Dragon fly BRISBANE

Gordon Macdonald masterbaitertackle@hotmail.com

As the Murray cod season has been open for over a month and with the barramundi season due

to re-open on 1 February at midday, I thought I would tie a pattern ideal for both species using some relatively new materials on the market. There are a lot of variations in this pattern and it has numerous names

depending on the variation of materials from which it can be tied with. I simply call this one the Brush Dragon after the two most prominent materials it is tied with. This pattern has heaps of action in the water and actually appears to be swimming due

to the snake-like tail action the dragon tail produces during the retrieve. David Mangum’s Dragon Tails are distributed by Orvis (Mayfly Tackle) in Australia and available in 11 straight colours in the 9” size and ten colours in the 6” size (including five variegated colours). When tied into a fly where the head is larger than the tail, a natural vortex is created that helps the tail swim in a snake-like manner. Obviously more action is imparted with the stripping technique, yet even on the sink the pattern has an enticing action. The whistler style head obviously pushes a degree of water and this fly has real presence in the aquatic environment. It will catch an array of larger predators including barramundi, Murray cod, trevally, tuna, threadfin

salmon, mulloway, mackerel and numerous others. The other exciting material in this pattern is the Just Add H2O Polar Fibre Streamer Brush (distributed by EJ Todds). This material is a brush version of the original Polar Fibre with added flash. There is a great array of flat and variegated colours in the 3” brush that can be matched with the various Dragon Tails. Additionally there are numerous other brush types that could be used in this pattern including Streamer Brush, Lively Legs Brush and Baitfish Brush. I have gone old school with the collar and used saddle hackles, however, zonker strips, palmer chenille, marabou and CCT Body Fur could all be used to create slightly different effects. Obviously there are a lot of

variations in colours for this pattern, however, the basic tying principle remains. This fly can even be tied as a variation of the Pink Thing, with white body and pink collar, which is one of the most popular barramundi flies in Australia. However, the variations are endless and up to your imagination. VIDEO

Check out the short clip of this fly swimming on the Fishing Monthly website or Gordon’s Instagram gcmac1970.

For tying the Brush Dragon, you will only need a small list of materials. I am using the variegated black/white 6” dragon tail, Polar Fibre Streamer Brush 3” in black/grey, large purple saddle hackles, black flat-waxed nylon thread, Gamakatsu SL12S 6/0 hook, head-cement and large white painted eyes. In addition to your vice, bobbin and scissors, a hairbrush can be a handy addition, although not essential.

Materials

Directly in front of the thicker part of the tail, attach the butt of the streamer brush (with the fibres facing away from the fly) with several tight wraps, whip finish and advance the thread forward to just in front of the eye. Add a little head cement to the whip finish to increase durability.

Attach the thread with a jamb knot and then lay down a bed of thread around 6-8mm behind the hook eye. Attach your painted eyes a few millimetres behind the hook eye using a series of figure-of-eight wraps until secure. Continue wrapping your thread along the shank until you are roughly opposite the hook point. To make the fly extremely durable, cover the thread attaching the eyes with some head cement.

Roughly opposite the hook point, attach the Dragon Tail using a series of thread wraps so the taper of the tail is going away from the hook. Once you have tied down the small tag end of the tail, whip finish and add some head cement. Wait a few minutes for this to dry before moving on. 74

FEBRUARY 2019

Begin to palmer (wrap) the streamer brush around the hook shank. It is important here that you continually preen the fibres backwards with your fingertips as you make each wrap. Failure to do this will result in many of the fibres becoming trapped underneath the next wrap. Each wrap should be placed just in front of the last.

Once you have advanced forward to within 5mm of the painted eye, separate the fibres of the streamer brush with your thread so you can tie off the fine wire backbone against the hook shank.

Tech Tricks

Once secured, cut the remainder of the streamer brush away, whip finish and add a little head cement. Lay down another bed of thread between this point and the painted eye.

Cut three large purple saddle hackles where the soft webby rear part finishes and the main barb section starts. Directly in front of the streamer brush tie-down point, attach the rear quill of all three hackles. Whip finish and advance the thread forward up to the painted eyes.

Palmer the feathers individually around the hook. Preen the barbs backwards as you do and keep each wrap very close to the last. Separating the barbs from each other by running your finger from the tip to the butt of the hackle before tying will create a greater effect.

Once you have done one, secure the tip of it with your thread and do the next one just in front of it. Continue until all three hackles have been palmered, filling in the small gap between streamer brush and painted eye. Secure and whip finish the ends of the hackles before adding a little head cement to the thread.

Use a brush to preen the barbs of the hackle and the fibres of the streamer brush towards the rear of the fly. This will release any errant fibre tips that have become trapped. Use a heat gun on a low setting or a hairdryer to blow the fly from the front to add a nice fluffy look to the fly collar, although it will eventually end up this way with repeated casting.

When completed, the Brush Dragon is a great looking fly. This can be made in an array of great colours, either matching or contrasting to suit a wide variety of larger native and predatory species. FEBRUARY 2019

WHAT’S NEW FISHING SAMAKI AUSSIE BASS SHIRT

For all the bass lovers out there, Samaki has created something special, something you’ve been asking for, that one-of-a-kind shirt that is right up your estuary! With natural tones of sweeping reeds, heavy structure and crystal clear sky, the Aussie Bass shirt is designed to stand out of the crowd but blend into the surrounds. As the bass strikes the lure, it sends water splashing across the surface in a flurry of action. The prominent deep green of the bass is accentuated with contrasting gold highlights. The lightweight fabric 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, plus 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. Aussie Bass 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. Price: SRP $59.95 (adults), $49.95 (kids) www.samaki.com.au

DAIWA INFEET

Contemporary looks meets innovative design with the return of the Daiwa Infeet series. Designed for the light tackle finesse angler, the new Infeet range features four models, built on hyper-sensitive slow bend graphite blanks. The Infeet’s classic blank is partnered by a contrasting white carbon fibre skeleton reel seat. The exposed design of the reel seat puts the blank right in the angler’s hand to transmit even the lightest of bites. An ultra-thin, tapered EVA rear grip eliminates weight for optimum rod balance and provides that unique modern styling we’ve grown to love and expect from the Infeet range. Angler connectivity is further enhanced courtesy of Fuji S/S SiC guides in the base section of the rod, and ultra light Fuji Titanium SiC guides on the top section. The Ti SiC guides lighten the tip of the rod to enhance feel and performance and is indicated by white bindings. A blend of Daiwa’s advanced finesse designs the new Infeet series is state of the art technology blended with precision, performance, and that exclusive Infeet style and swagger. www.daiwafishing.com.au

ASTRO VIBE AND HUMMER COLOURS 3 Strike Pro is releasing a couple of new colours in its highly popular ranges of Astro Vibe and Hummer 40 lures. The new colours in the Astro Vibe range will offer all the features that you find in the current Astro Vibes, including the UV reactive polycarbonate belly with internal rattles. Astro Vibes combine the best features of a metal blade and a rattling vibe, creating an extremely effective lure. The new colour in the Hummer 40 is certainly going to catch plenty of fish, and it offers all the features of the Hummer 40. This record breaking lure helped Strike Pro sponsored angler Rick Massie break both the Biggest Bream and Biggest Bag records in the Hobie Bream series. This lure will be deadly on bream, bass, estuary perch, flathead and mulloway. To find out more visit

FEBRUARY 2019

PRODUCT GUIDE

the Juro website or like them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/JuroOzProTackle. www.jurofishing.com

ZEREK JET POPPER 130

1 4

The Zerek Jet Popper 130 is 130mm long, which is an ideal length for both small and large predatory fish – everything from tailor, salmon and small tuna through to larger trevally, queenfish and bigger tuna. It’s fitted out with heavy-duty hardware to handle the pressure from punishing encounters. The colour range, which includes 10 colours, imitates and attracts with equal measure, while the easy casting 45g overall weight allows just about everyone to cast this lure without needing some serious gym sessions. This rear-weighted lure flies from the rod tip with reduced tumbling and extra distance, giving the lure more time in the water on every cast. On the water, the Jet Popper 130 makes a loud bloop that is enhanced by the chin hole that allows a massive bubble trail to add appeal both visually and acoustically. The rear tail fins help stabilise the lure in the water, reducing the likelihood of the lure flipping and rolling on the bloop. www.wilsonfishing.com

EGILICIOUS SQUID JIGS

2 3

The Fish Inc. Egilicious features a unique take on popular colour patterns, a tail design that is 3° higher than standard jigs to minimize snagging and fouling, and its fine Japanese Owner hooks. These super sharp and ultra-thin stainless steel hooks not only mean a better catch rate but also fewer jigs lost. They open with less force, so if you get snagged you just apply slow and steady pressure until the hook opens and the jig pops off the structure. Then you can straighten the hook and you’re good to go. These squid jigs are designed with the perfect weight for long casts, while maintaining a slow sink and realistic swimming action. Other features include 3D eyes, side feathers, tightly-wrapped cloth covers and a buoyant tail-up action. Many jigs sink flat to the bottom, reducing strikes and hook sets while increasing snagging, but Egilicious instead comes alive in the water. It’s available in 3.0 and 3.5 sizes and 12 colours. Price: SRP $11.95 www.tackletactics.com.au

BLACK MAGIC RATTLE SNACK

5 6

Black Magic’s continual growth and development in freshwater lures sees yet another original addition to their already strong line-up of freshwater lure options. This new arrival is called the Rattle Snack and, as its name suggests, it has a built-in tungsten rattle which is harmonically tuned. There are two weights available, 7g and 14g, and the quality hardware ensures your target species will be landed, not lost. The Rattle Snack’s aggressive shape creates a very enticing swimming action, and whether you’re trolling from a boat or casting to your favourite lie in a river, estuary canal or lake, this superior action and harmonics will deliver results. With six great colours designed to suit Autralian fishing conditions, this new arrival is sure to become a favourite. It’s available now from leading tackle stores throughout Australia. www.blackmagictackle.com

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

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PRODUCT GUIDE 7

WHAT’S NEW FISHING SAMAKI SLIT FOAM 7 STORAGE

DAIWA TATULA 100 10 AND 150

The all-new Samaki Slit Foam Tackle Boxes are in high demand and haven’t even landed in the country yet. Coming in four sizes, each tackle box is designed for a variety of lure storage options, holding the smallest of flies up to your favourite vibes and hardbodies. The soft slit foam insert has incremental slits and holes for you to get the maximum usage out of your tackle box, avoiding annoying hook tangles. The UV-resistant lids will reduce lure fade, and the waterproof O-ring and stainless steel hinges will safeguard your artificials. The range starts with a small single-sided option, and moves into three double-sided options of medium, large and extra-large. From $15.95 up to $59.95 there is an option to suit all anglers. For more information and stockists visit the Samaki website, and like them on Instagram and Facebook to keep up to date. Price: from $15.95 www.samaki.com.au

Making a great thing greater, Daiwa steps it up with the new Tatula 100 and 150. The Tatula 100 delivers anglers their smallest and lightest Tatula ever, while the 150 is made with power fishing in mind and sits in between the 100 size and the Tatula HD (200 size) in the Tatula line-up. Baitcaster brilliance starts with Daiwa’s Real Four design concept, with Real Engine, Real Control, Real Endurance, and Real Custom combining to make the Tatula technically advanced and performance driven. A precision designed solid aluminium frame and gear side plate delivers maximum power and unrivalled durability, while its ergonomically designed profile fits effortlessly in the palm of the hand. Digigear, TWS, Magforce Z, deliver unmatched strength, smoothness and precision both on the cast and on the crank, while Daiwa’s UTD gives you the muscle to stop just about anything that swims. www.daiwafishing.com.au

NEW TASSIE DEVIL COLOURS 10

Tasmanian Devil lures are a unique Australian product designed for trolling, casting or jigging in fresh and saltwater. They are now available in four new colours – watermelon pearl (132), lime frog (133), liquorice allsort (134) and black betty (135). The first three colours are available in 7g, 13.5g and 20g sizes, and the black betty colour is available in 7g, 13.5g, 20g and 26g. The lure action is due to the winged technology that causes the lure to swim in an irregular manner, darting and diving, simulating the movement of wounded fish. This pulsating action is transmitted to the rod tip that will show as a ‘nodding action’ that is proof that the lure is swimming correctly. If this rod tip action is not present, you’ll know you’ve picked up either a piece of weed or a fish. All four sizes of the Tasmanian Devil swim in this erratic manner, and this is the reason these lures are so effective. www.jmgillies.com.au

ZEREK MANIAC VIBE

The Zerek Maniac Vibe’s unique frontweighted design enables excellent casting distance, fast sinking and the ability for the lure to ‘stand up’ on the bottom. These features allow anglers to cover more ground every cast and be confident that the tail of the lure will always be in a position to snare a curious fish. Internally, the Maniac Vibe has many small ball bearings in its internal chamber creating one of the noisiest rattles that will attract fish from afar. Work the Maniac Vibe with a lift and drop technique to keep the lure near the bottom, or hop and shake it along the bottom if the fish are shut down. You can also cast and straight retrieve the lure at various speeds to cover depth profiles and present the lure to the right spot at the right time. The Maniac Vibe is 70mm long, weighs an easy-to-cast 14g, and comes in 10 colours. www.wilsonfishing.com

SHIMANO TRAVEL STORAGE

Shimano’s latest tackle storage range includes two new releases for anglers on the go – the Travel Wrap and Soft Back Pack. The Travel Wrap comes with a hard tackle tray and additional sleeves for soft plastic storage. This lightweight, minimal travel wrap can be filled in a variety of useful ways depending on the situation. The travel wrap also doubles as a minimal soft plastic wallet – the tray is removable and the mesh pocket can be used to store braid cutters, catch scent, leader, or any other tools essential for fishing. The Soft Tackle Back Pack has a versatile range of applications and features, which make it ideal for both die-hard fishos and weekend warriors. With added benefits such as four included tackle trays, a heavy-duty mesh front compartment, hard sunglasses case, an elastic tool holder and drink pocket, this bag is sure to impress even the fussiest of anglers. www.shimanofish.com.au

STORM 360GT COASTAL SHRIMP

The new Storm 360GT Coastal Shrimp offers anglers a deadly lifelike prawn presentation. Its realistic legs swim and kick on the fall sending out natural vibrations, while the flat bottom design keeps the bait upright when resting on bottom. Combining a segmented body, slotted belly and back slots not only allows for seamless rigging, it also delivers a very natural looking action on the drop and at rest. Suitable for conventional Jig heads or weedless rigs make these prawns a must for any angler, be it in the fresh or saltwater environment. What fish doesn’t eat a prawn? A very easy bait to use, simple lift and drop of the rod tip with a slow wind will see you hooking up in no time. The Storm 360GT Coastal Shrimp is available in eight lifelike colours and two sizes, 3” and 4”. For more information on these and other Storm lures, check out the Storm Fishing website. www.stormfishing.com.au

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

WHAT’S NEW FISHING TESTED

PRODUCT GUIDE

McLaughlin’s Advanced Formula Berley makes a difference

McLaughlin’s Bait and Berley have been producing quality bait and berley products since the late 1940s. During this time they have constantly worked to further improve the range and quality of the items they produce. In 2018 they introduced their latest innovation – the Advanced Formula range of berleys, which builds upon the success of their popular Premium Berley range. WHAT’S DIFFERENT? McLaughlin’s Premium Berley has always had secret ingredients and smells to attract fish to it. However, as the name suggests, the Advanced Formula range has upped the ante. McLaughlin’s have managed to further enhance the range with more natural flavours, and have added colours to make it easier to see the berley trail behind the boat. The range was developed by Juro Oz Pro Tackle, and I talked to Rick Massie from Juro to find out more. He said that it has taken a number of years to get the process of drying and colouring correct to the point where they were happy to release it. “It’s not a single step process,” Rick explained. “The berleys are dried multiple times to ensure that the scent, smell and colour are maximised, meaning better results for the anglers using them.” TESTING THE TESTER Using berley is not something that I regularly do, so I thought I would speak

McLaughlin’s Advanced Formula Berley range spent years in development before being released in 2018. berley, and Jamie has had quite a bit of success on these species. His advice was to keep it simple: the berley alone will do the job and bring the fish to you. He recommended using a small

opportunity to get on the water. Fishing for garfish and tommy ruff (Australian herring) is very popular along much of the south coast of Australia, and on my Christmas holiday it was obvious that I wasn’t the only person waiting for a weather window. When we arrived, the boat ramp was bedlam, and plenty of boats were anchored and berleying in all the likely areas. It was a matter of finding a free space and joining in. I started with the Mixed Bits pack and no oil – keeping it simple, as Jamie had suggested. I wasn’t sure how well we would do considering the number of boats around us. I needn’t have worried though, as within minutes there were plenty of tommies making their way up the berley trail. Generally the garfish are not too far behind, but on this day we could see them, but couldn’t get them to bite. We ended up getting a good bag of tommies and only one garfish. We had, however, done better than most. Chatting to other anglers, many had struggled to attract anything at all. King George whiting were the next target on the list (the weather windows

When it comes to berleying, keep it simple and remember that a little goes a long way.

McLaughlin’s Premium Berleys and Baits have been around since the 1940s, and have developed a reputation for quality. to Jamie Smith, the fishing specialist at Melbourne Marine Centre, for a few tips on targeting King George whiting and garfish. The store stocks the Advanced Formula

Fishing smiles. Anne Morgan enjoys chasing a few garfish.

FEBRUARY 2019

berley dispenser just below the surface if you want to target garfish, or one closer to the bottom if you’re whiting fishing. McLaughlin’s also does a product called Slicks Oil, which can be added sparingly in with the berley to give it even more punch. Keeping it simple sounded good to me. PUTTING IT TO GOOD USE The Christmas holiday period was my opportunity get out and give the products a try. I had a bit of a mix of the old and the new – Saltwater Nibbles, Whiting Nibbles, a Pier/Jetty mix, a small Tuna Log and Slicks Oil from the trusty Premium range, and Green Lip Bites, Mixed Bits, Pink Bits and Big Red Nuts from the new Advanced Formula range. Juro Oz Pro had also sent me a small bucket. As far as I was concerned, the fish didn’t stand a chance. Mother nature didn’t read the script, however. During most of my holiday it was blowing 25-30 knots, so it was matter of taking advantage of any small windows of

Not a bad outcome after using the berley for the first time.

PRODUCT GUIDE were few and far between). As we were fishing much deeper water, I used a two berley pot system. One pot was close to the bottom with Green Lip Bites and a little Slicks Oil in it, and the other pot was on the surface with the Mixed Bits and no oil. ‘Activity breeds activity’ was my theory, and after only getting one fish from our first location, we made a move and found some hungry fish. One thing with king George whiting is when they are biting you need to have a bait in the water, because they may not bite for long. After an initial flurry, things went quiet and I was wondering whether we should move. At that point I noticed that the berley trail from the top bucket no longer had fish in it, mainly because there was no berley left in the pot. A quick refill and redeploy had the tommies excited again, and a few more whiting hit the deck. Unfortunately for me I only had one more outing, and it followed a very similar scenario – we got a berley trail going mid and top water, created some activity and bagged a few fish. I used either the Green Lip Bites or the Big Red Nuts in the bottom pot, and it didn’t seem to matter with the top bucket. After that session I had to head back to work, but the family stayed behind and managed some more successful outings. The timid garfish eventually fell for the trap, and the ever-present tommy ruff just couldn’t resist a good berley trail. WHAT DID I LEARN? You can’t deny that the McLaughlin’s Berleys work. You can see the fish working up your berley trail, almost eating it from the berley bucket. At times I wondered if they preferred eating the berley rather than the gents or pipis I was using for bait. But that is what berley is all about – creating the activity for the angler to take advantage of. One thing to remember is to not overfill your berley bucket. The berley expands as it breaks down, so a little can go a long way. As well as that, just let the wave action do its job. Shaking the bucket may bring on a flurry of activity, but you want the fish to work up the trail you have created and then

WHAT’S NEW FISHING TESTED Senshi Custom Rigs avoid the hassle of creating your own rigs, and the 12 rigs in the range cover most of the popular target species. They are well made and the hooks are super sharp. And then there are the quill floats, float stops, split shot, berley feeders and, most importantly, their range of Daiichi hooks. Using good quality terminal tackle that is correct for the species you are targeting can make a huge difference to your results. FINAL OBSERVATIONS The boat ramp after a day’s fishing can be a great place to glean information. Stories about the fish that got away or how good the fishing was are commonplace. Or, as was the case during my holiday, “wow the fishing is tough”. That’s not how I felt though. Yes, conditions were difficult, but we were able to take advantage of the small windows of opportunity and catch some fish. So was it the berley making the difference? Well, it certainly wasn’t my knowledge of fishing with berley, because I had hardly ever done it before. I believe that the quality of the Premium and Advanced Formula berleys, and the terminal tackle we were using, gave us the edge.

The windows of opportunity were only brief for the author, but he was pleased with the result of a few hours on the water. take your baits. Shaking the bucket and releasing big volumes of berley can also excite undesirable species. As the saying goes, ‘a little bit often’ is the way to go. A bit of preparation goes a long way. The McLaughlin’s berleys come in resealable bags and tubs, and it pays to store them out of the sun and make sure you seal them properly. This will ensure they’ll stay fresh

and won’t attract pests. Fill your berley buckets before you get on the water. That way, once you have reached your spot you can deploy the berley and get the system working while you get your rods ready. A COMPLETE SYSTEM As much as I have focused on the berleys themselves, Juro Oz Pro covers the complete system, from the berleys and their dispensers (small, large and a weighted heavy-duty pot) to the terminal tackle needed to catch the fish you are targeting.

Does the McLaughlin’s berley work? Yes it does. If you want to see the full range of products you can check them out at www. jurofishing.com or ask for them at your local tackle store. - Peter Jung

MCLAUGHLIN’S BERLEY PRODUCTS • Advanced Formula range – includes Big Red Nuts, Blood Bits, Green Lip Bites, Mixed Bits and Pink Bits, available in a 1.5kg resealable bag. Big Red Nuts and Mixed Nuts are also available in a 5L bucket. • Premium Berley range – includes Bream Nibbles, Freshwater Nibbles, Pier/Jetty Mix, Saltwater Nibbles, Trout Food, and Whiting Nibbles, which come in a 1kg resealable bag. Premium Berley Snapper Nuts are available in a 4L tub. • Tuna Berley Logs – compressed tuna/tuna oil logs, available in three sizes. • Tuna Tossers – compressed tuna/tuna oil nuts, available in 1kg re-sealable bag.

Juro does more than just make quality berleys. Their range of hooks, rigs, floats and accessories are well worth looking for in your local tackle store.

Susie Wallman with a nice haul of garfish.

FEBRUARY 2019

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

CARNARVON

WALPOLE – MANJIMUP – PEMBERTON Peaceful Bay Caravan Park Peaceful Bay (08) 9840 8060 Peaceful Bay Chalets Peaceful Bay (08) 9840 8169 Rest Point Holiday Village Walpole (08) 9840 1032 Coalmine Beach Holiday Park Walpole (08) 9840 1026 Riverside Retreat Walpole, (08) 9840 1255 Nornalup Riverside Chalets Nornalup (08) 9840 1107 Pemberton Caravan Park Pemberton (08) 9776 1300 Warren Way Caravan Park Balbarrup (08) 9771 1060 Manjimup Central Caravan Park & Deli Manjimup (08) 9777 2355 RAC Karri Valley Resort Beedelup (08) 9776 2020 Big Brook Arboretum Pemberton (08) 9776 1207 One Tree Bridge Chalets Manjimup (08) 9777 1196

AUGUSTA Flinders Bay Caravan Park Augusta (08) 9780 5636 Molloy Caravan Park Kudardup (08) 9758 4515 Turner Caravan Park Augusta (08) 9780 5633 Hamelin Bay Holiday Park Hamelin Bay (08) 9758 5540 Sheoak Chalets Augusta Augusta (08) 9758 1958

MARGARET RIVER

NO MORE bulky braid/leader joins

SEE IT! .. BUY IT! .. www.fgwizz.com.au HOLIDAY ACCOMMODATION ESPERANCE Esperance Bay Holiday Park Esperance (08) 9071 2237 Bathers Paradise Caravan Park Esperance (08) 9071 1014 Pine Grove Holiday Park Esperance (08) 9071 4100 Pink Lake Tourist Park Nulsen (08) 9071 2424 Esperance Seafront Caravan Park Castletown (08) 9071 1251 Ocean Beach Holiday Units Esperance (08) 9071 5942 Esperance Chalet Village Bandy Creek (08) 9071 1861 Esperance Beachfront Resort Esperance (08) 9071 2513 Munglinup Beach Holiday Park Munglinup (08) 9075 1155

HOPETOUN – BREMER BAY Wavecrest Village & Tourist Park Hopetoun (08) 9838 3888 Hopetoun Caravan Park Hopetoun (08) 9838 3096 Bremer Bay Caravan Park Bremer Bay (08) 9837 4018 Bremer Bay Beaches Resort & Tourist Park Bremer Bay (08) 9837 4290

ALBANY Cheynes Beach Caravan Park Cheynes (08) 9846 1247 BIG4 Emu Beach Holiday Park Albany (08) 9844 1147 BIG4 Middleton Beach Holiday Park Middleton Beach (08) 9841 3593 Kalgan River Chalets & Caravan Park Kalgan (08) 9844 7937

Carnarvon Tackle & Marine (08) 9941 4161

KALBARRI 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

DENMARK Denmark Rivermouth Caravan Park Denmark (08) 9848 1262 Denmark Ocean Beach Holiday Park Denmark (08) 9848 1105 Karri Aura Caravan Park & Motel Suites Shadforth (08) 9848 2200 Denmark Waterfront Denmark (08) 9848 1147

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

Fremantle Fishing Boat Harbour Mews Road, Fremantle WA 6160

(08) 9433 4768

Emu Beach Chalets Emu Point (08) 9844 8889 Albany Holiday Units Middleton Beach (08) 9841 7817 Havana Villas Albany (08) 9844 1085 Lilacs Waterfront villas & cottages Robinson (08) 9841 2390

Albany Happy Days Caravan Park King River (08) 9844 3267 Albany Holiday Park Albany (08) 9841 7800 King River Palms Caravan Park Willyung (08) 98443232 Two Peoples Caravan Park Kalgan (08) 9846 4024

YALLINGUP – DUNSBOROUGH Caves Caravan Park Yallingup (08) 9755 2196 Yallingup Beach Holiday Park 1800 220 002 Dunsborough Lakes Holiday Resort (08) 9756 8300 Dunsborough Beach Cottages (08) 9756 8885

BUSSELTON RAC Busselton Holiday Park Busselton (08) 9755 4241 Busselton Villas & Caravan Park Busselton (08) 9752 1175 Geographe Bay Holiday Park Busselton (08) 9752 4396 Lazy Days Holiday Park Busselton (08) 9752 1780 Amblin Holiday Park Busselton (08) 9755 4079 Four Seasons Holiday Park Busselton (08) 9755 4082 Busselton Holiday Village Busselton (08) 9752 4499 Sandy Bay Holiday Park Busselton (08) 9752 2003 Fourseasons Holiday Park Busselton (08) 9755 4082 Busselton Beachfron Busselton (08) 9755 2607 Busselton Jetty Chalets Busselton (08) 9752 3893

BUNBURY Bunbury Glade Caravan Park Bunbury 1800 113 800 Discovery Parks - Bunbury (08) 9795 7100 Binningup Beach Caravan Park Bunbury (08) 9720 1057 Riverside Cabin Park Bunbury (08) 9725 1234 Leschenault Caravan Park Bunbury (08) 9797 1095 Waterloo Village Caravan Park Bunbury (08) 9725 4434 Brunswick Junction Caravan Park Bunbury (08) 9726 1544 Taralea Farm Bunbury (08) 9728 1252 Australind Tourist Park Bunbury (08) 9725 1206

MANDURAH Pinjarra Caravan Park Mandurah (08) 9531 1374 Mandurah Caravan & Tourist Park Mandurah (08) 9535 1171 Belvedere Caravan Park Mandurah (08) 9535 1213 The Dwellingup Chalet and Caravan Park (08) 9538 1157 Waroona Caravan Village (08) 9733 1518 Timber Top Caravan Park (08) 9535 1292 Lake Clifton Caravan Park (08) 9739 1255 Miami Holiday Park (08) 9534 2127 Tathams Caravan Park (08) 9537 6844 Peel Caravan Park (08) 9535 4343 Lake Navarino Holiday Park (08) 9733 3000 Estuary Hideaway Holiday Park 0407 838 061 Pinjarrah Holiday Park (08) 9531 1604 Waters Edge Caravan Park 0427 281 622 Mandurah Ocean Marina Chalets (08) 9535 8173 Murray River Caravan Park (08) 9537 6140 Footprints Preston Beach (08) 9739 1111

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. 84

FEBRUARY 2019

Boats & Guided Fishing Tours Directory MOORE RIVER – LANCELIN – CERVANTES Guilderton Caravan Park (08) 9577 1021 Branchys Holiday Homes Guilderton (08) 9577 1321

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

DONGARA – GERALDTON Seaspray Beach Holiday Park Dongara (08) 9927 1165 Dongara Tourist Park Port Denison (08) 9927 1210 Leander Reef Holiday Park Port Denison (08) 9927 1840 Port Denison Holiday Units (08) 9927 1104 Double Beach Caravan Park (08) 9921 5845 Batavia Coast Caravan Park (08) 9938 1222 Drummond Cove Holiday Park (08) 9938 2524 Horrocks Beach Caravan Park (08) 9934 3039

KALBARRI

Chandlers Marine Service Wangara (08) 9303 9366

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

Mobile Marine WA Osborne Park 0428 225 877 GP Marine Cockburn Central 0408 913 104 Hitech Marine Wangara (08) 9309 2888

KUNUNURRA Town Caravan Park (08) 9168 1763 Wyndham Caravan Park (08) 9161 1064 Lake Argyle Caravan Park (08) 9168 7777 Discovery Parks - Lake Kununurra (08) 9168 1031 Kimberleyland Waterfront Holiday Park | Kununurra (08) 9168 1280 Ivanhoe Village Caravan Resort (08) 9169 1995 Lake Argyle Resort (08) 9168 7777 Hidden Valley Caravan Park (08) 9168 1790 Kununurra Lakeside Resort (08) 9169 1092 El Questro Wilderness Park 1800 837 168 Kona Lakeside Caravan Park (08) 9161 1139

BOATS Aquasports Marine Midvale (08) 9250 3339

Bravo Marine Services Bayswater (08) 9272 9300 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 Boat Lifters Blue HQ Perth (08) 9239 9333 Bravo Marine Services Bayswater (08) 9272 9300 Perth Boat Mechanics Huntingdale 0405 593 786 GP Marine Cockburn Central 0408 913 104 Platinum Boating Maintenance Wangara 0402 477 656 Parker Marine Fremantle (08) 9336 6979 Westmarine Boating Services Fremantle WA 0425 177 700

MARINE ACCESSORIES

Murchison River Caravan Park Kalbarri (08) 9937 1005 Kalbarri Anchorage Caravan Park Kalbarri (08) 9937 1181 Kalbarri Tudor Holiday Park Kalbarri (08) 9937 1077 Murchison House Station Kalbarri (08) 9937 1998 Kalbarri Beach Bungalows A & B Kalbarri (08) 9937 0400 Murchison caravan park Kalbarri (08) 9937 0400 Kalbarri Blue Ocean Villas Kalbarri (08) 9937 2442

Challenge Batteries Osborne Park (08) 9446 6122 JPW Marine Wholesale Distributors Perth (08) 6253 3000 Whitworths Marine & Leisure - Leerderville (08) 9381 1442 Crackpots Marine Supplies O’Connor (08) 9337 2211 Hydrowave – www.hydrowaveaustralia.com

SHARK BAY Denham Seaside Caravan Park, (08) 9948 1242 Shark Bay Caravan Park (08) 9948 1387 Blue Dolphin Caravan Park and Holiday Village Denham (08) 9948 1385 Oceanside Village Denham Shark Bay (08) 9948 3003 Bay Lodge Denham Shark Bay WA (08) 9948 1278 RAC Monkey Mia Dolphin Resort (08) 9948 1320

$449 USD

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

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

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All Boats and Caravans Kingsley (08) 9309 4200

MARINE TRIMMERS

John’s Motor Trimmers Auto & Marine Upholstery Welshpool (08) 9470 5531 G.K. Trimmers Canning Vale (08) 9455 7144 Prestige Marine Trimmers Perth (08) 9303 9536 McCarroll Motor & Marine Trimmers Osborne Park (08) 9244 1449 Exclusive Marine Trimming & Upholstery O’Connor (08) 9314 6882 Universal Marine & Automotive Upholstery O’Connor 08) 9314 1770

DAMPIER

Broome Caravan Park (08) 9192 1776 Discovery Parks - Broome (08) 9192 1366 Broome Vacation Village Caravan Park Broome (08) 9192 1057 Cable Beach Caravan Park Broome (08) 9192 2066 Tarangau Caravan Park Broome (08) 9193 5084

Searano Marine Malaga (08) 9248 2242

Waters Edge Marine Trimmers Leeming 0412 204 085

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

BROOME

Whitworths Marine & Leisure - Mosman Park (08) 9385 5877

Mason Marine Trimmers O’Connor 0418 923 787

ONSLOW

PORT HEDLAND

Offshore Marine Guildford (08) 6278 1299

The Trim Shop (08) 9430 5332

Ningaloo Lighthouse Holiday Park (08) 9949 1478 Yardie Homestead Caravan Park (08) 9949 1389 Ningaloo Caravan and Holiday Resort (08) 9949 2377 RAC Exmouth Cape Holiday Park 1800 871 570 Exmouth Escape Resort (08) 9949 4800 Mantarays Ningaloo Beach Resort, Exmouth (08) 9949 0000

Discovery Parks Port Hedland (08) 9173 1271 Port Tourist Park Port Hedland (08) 9172 4111 Blackrock Tourist Park South Hedland (08) 9172 3444 Landing Resort Port Hedland (08) 9172 4111

www.hydrowaveaustralia.com

Bluewater Marine (08) 9791 1499

EXMOUTH

Dampier Transit Caravan Park (08) 9183 1109 Discovery Parks - Pilbara, Karratha (08) 9185 1855 Karratha Caravan Park (08) 9185 1012 Discovery Parks - Balmoral, Karratha (08) 9185 3628 Harding River Caravan Park (08) 9182 1063 Aspen Karratha Village Baynton (08) 9185 2726 Karratha Apartments Karratha (08) 9143 9222 Searipple Village Karratha Bulgarra (08) 9158 7400 Karratha Village Karratha 1300 321 669

(includes shipping)

John’s mobile trimmers Jandakot (08) 9417 4414 Cutting Edge Marine Trimming O’Connor 0432 062 834 Mandurah Motor Trimmers Greenfields (08) 9581 8180

WELDING & MANUFACTURING 18 HAWKINS ST, EAST BUNBURY, WA 6230

(08)

9791 1499

CSD Designs Bayswater 0407 772 010 XFactor Signs 0413 113 828

Northbank Fibreglass Boats @northbankboats MARINE MECHANICS Falcon Services Australia Midvale 0458 852 591 Bay Marine Maintenance Crawley (08) 9386 7059 Pleisure Marine Maintenance O’Connor (08) 9337 9569 Boat Fix Balcatta (08) 9240 8778 Parker Marine Fremantle (08) 9336 6979 Matich Marine East Fremantle (08) 9339 7722

Boat Wrap Specialist www.xfactorsigns.com

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

recfishwest

Innovative steps for plastics free fishing Mendolia Seafoods with the support of Recfishwest have taken a huge step toward plastic free fishing, with the launch of a new berley and bait product. The packaging for the new product, named the ‘Burley Brick’, is made from biodegradable cardboard and is filled with locally sourced fish (sardine) products, making the entire product plastic free! WA owned and operated Mendolia Seafoods have been catching sardines for 30 years in WA and have come up with the design, using unwanted ‘offcuts’ of their famous sardine catches. Fishers can either place the whole cardboard box directly into their berley bucket or their cray pot bait baskets and the cardboard will breakdown, or alternatively, the contents of the box can be placed in bait baskets and the box discarded in the bin. Recfishwest CEO Dr Andrew Rowland said this product will save thousands of bait bags coming into contact with the aquatic environment,

The Burley Brick uses biodegradable cardboard for its packaging. It is great for demersal fishing as well as crayfish. The Burley Brick is also ideal for cray potting. “The product can also be used as your bait source for your next trip or it can be placed in your cray pots as bait,” Dr Rowland said. Sold as frozen 1kg bricks, the Burley Brick is a great way for fishers to become even better stewards of the aquatic environment by going plastic free when

Tim Grose with a quality western rock lobster giving recreational fishers better stewardship over their fishing resources. “The Burley Brick is an ideal product for fishing for demersal species where a constant burley trail is required,” Dr Rowland said.

choosing their bait. “We are always looking for new innovative ways to improve fishing practices, and this product moves us in the right direction but more importantly reduces plastic waste,” Dr Rowland said.

Recfishwest are proud to promote and support clean environment initiatives such as the Fishing Line Disposal Bin program, clean up days, developing recreational fishing Codes of Conduct for the Kimberley, Pilbara and Shark Bay, supporting shellfish reef restoration, working with our Fish Habitat Partners to build better fish habitats. Another great benefit of the locally sourced Burley Brick is that it has very minimal biosecurity concerns, as we’re all aware of the current risks surrounding international and nationally sourced bait products entering WA waters. MOVES AFOOT TO CHANGE CRAYFISH MANAGEMENT Fisheries Minister Dave Kelly recently made an announcement about changes to the way crayfish stocks are to be managed in WA. Below is a media statement released by Recfishwest on 11 December, as well as updated information published on 19 December. Please be sure to read information from across the timeline to ensure you are kept up to date on the issue. Update: 19th December 2018 While the Ministers announcement relates to the commercial quota available for harvest, Recfishwest will continue to monitor

the situation to ensure that recreational fishing experiences are not impacted by a reduction in nearshore abundances of crays. Media statement: December 10 2018 Fisheries Minister Dave Kelly made an announcement on Saturday about changes to the way crayfish stocks are to be managed in WA. In a statement, the Minister said the Government and the industry’s peak body, western rock lobster (Council), have agreed on the broad terms of a development package that will “grow the industry to provide more benefits to the Western Australian community”.

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FEBRUARY 2019

must be avoided to protect the current high-quality fishing the community is experiencing.” “Recfishwest believes this inshore portion of the stock must be carefully managed and protected so WA locals who enjoy fishing with the friends and family can continue to enjoy good catches.” “There is much more to fisheries management than simply the sustainable exploitation of a resource for economic gain, it’s also about managing the stock to ensure high abundance in the right areas.” “Good management needs to protect rec fishing opportunities so the WA public can continue to enjoy catching their own fresh seafood,” he said. Despite the recreational fishing sector not being included in any discussions to date regarding future plans, the Minister has assured Recfishwest that a process will be put in place so the views of the recreational fishers can be considered. “While the current situation creates more questions than answers, Recfishwest will now be involved in discussions going forward, and will continue to provide the rec fishing community with updates,” Dr Rowland said.

There’s action in play to change how the cray fishery in WA is managed.

FREE (07)

The Minister said the Government is looking to change current management to provide the state with the best return from the community owned western rock lobster resource. In doing so, the Government is considering a plan to increase the annual catch of crayfish by 1,700 tonnes over the next five years to improve revenue to the State Government and increase local lobster supplies. Recfishwest CEO Dr Andrew Rowland said high numbers of crayfish close to shore in the last few years have significantly increased the catchability for recreational fishers which has lead to record high participation rates. “In recent years fishing experiences for recreational fishers had been boosted and participation has grown to almost 60,000 licence holders thanks to high abundances of crayfish on inshore reefs,” Dr Rowland said. While details of any future management changes are yet to be decided, Dr Rowland believes that any new arrangements must ensure people have the best chance to catch crays whenever they go fishing. “Increasing commercial exploitation of inshore stocks at popular fishing areas

FUN PAGE AND COMPETITIONS SHARK SPECIES

GREAT WHITE TIGER MAKO BULL WHALE GUMMY LEMON BASKING GREENLAND BLACK TIP HAMMERHEAD

DTD - REAL FISH OITA

WHITE TIP DUSKY SANDBAR NURSE CARIBBEAN BLACK TIP BLUE SILKY GREY COPPER SCHOOL

Name: Address:

P/Code:

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

WA FEBRUARY 2019

Phone (day):

FINS SCALES & TALES by A. Both

The ‘Real Fish Oita’ is an incredible, award winning squid jig manufactured in Europe by leading Croatian company - DTD. Taking out the coveted ‘best new product’ in its class at the EFTTEX 2015 Expo in Warsaw, this wonderful range is now available in Australia through Dogtooth Distribution. The product imitates real fish species. This coupled with DTD’s use of only the highest grade materials available, ensures great balance and results in superior catching ability. With the unique ‘fish parasite’ feature, aimed at luring predators in for an ‘easy kill’, these truly unique jigs are set to explode into the Australian market. FEATURES - Double weight system with inner weight designed to produce sound while squid jig is in action. COLOURS - 7 different designs representing popular fish species. ADDITIONAL - Luminous body, fish parasite, great balance, sound effect, quality stainless steel hooks SIZES - 5 Sizes available www.dogtoothdistribution.com.au

SPOT THE

10 DIFFERENCES

GEORGE & NEV by Michael Hardy

ORIGINAL

FIND-A-WORD

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

SUBSCRIBER PRIZE

The subscriber prize winner for December is S King of Singleton, who won a Okuma Prize Pack valued at $300. All subscribers are entered in the monthly subscriber prize draws. Prize delivery takes up to 8 weeks. – WAFM

R Mulder of Gosnells, N Metcalfe of Falcon, D Werder of Dawesville, R Pascucci of North Beach, P Baskerville of Broome, J Boyce of Gosnells, G Warren of Dwellingup , R Warren of Wagin, S Bastick of Two Rocks, J Groos of Halls Head, K Finn of Two Rocks, D Elkerbout of Dunsborough, D Gibb of

Huntingdale, J Bremmell of Brunswick , J Cuthbert of Busselton, D Culshaw of Banyo, Z Lord of Goomaling, S Piercey of Eaton, I Williams of South Yunderup, J Addenbrooke of Maddington, B Bizjak of Boddington. Prize delivery takes up to 8 weeks. – WAFM

LAST MONTH’S ANSWERS

FIND THE GAMAKATSU LOGO

GUESS THE FISH?

The answers to Find the Gamakatsu Logo for December were: 8, 10, 12, 17, 19, 24, 25, 32, 35, 36, 41, 44, 55, 60, 61. – WAFM

This month’s Guess the Fish Answer: Carp

The Find the Gamakatsu Logo prize winners for December were: G Uren of Ballajura, S Aldred of Baldivis, A Hogan of Parmelia , V De Souza of Duncraig, A Honey of Oldbury,

Answer: FEBRUARY 2019

WHAT’S NEW BOATING STACER 529 ASSAULT PRO

The Stacer 529 Assault Pro Tournament is a true fishing machine. The front and rear carpet casting areas have enough space for multiple mates to fish off at all angles. Standard with useful accessories, the 529 Tournament comes fitted with a thruster plate bow mount for an electric motor, and anglers with a large quiver can easily store and organize their rods in the centre underfloor storage compartment. This boat is equipped with Stacer’s Revolution Hull. The pressed hull increases strength by 50% and the stretch formed shape creates an extremely smooth ride. This, in combination with a raised chine, keeps occupants safe in rough conditions and following seas. Stacer’s Ready 2 Go turnkey packages mean you can hit the water right away, and the five-year Stacer warranty provides peace of mind. www.stacer.com.au

RAYMARINE ELEMENT

Raymarine Element is a new generation of advanced, combination sonar and GPS displays. Building on the success of Axiom navigation displays, the Raymarine Element incorporates RealVision 3D sonar technology, improving your underwater view with 3D bottom imagery and more precise location of fish targets. Element also introduces new HyperVision 1.2MHz sonar technology, featuring ultra-high CHIRP sonar frequencies. HyperVision enhances the DownVision, SideVision, and RealVision 3D sonar, allowing anglers to see structure, vegetation, and fish with lifelike detail. The new LightHouse Sport operating system and intuitive keypad controls let anglers quickly mark spots and create high-definition bathymetric maps using the new Raymarine RealBathy real-time sonar map generator capability. The quad-core processor delivers instantaneous chart redraw, smooth RealVision 3D imaging, and fast response. The Element series consists of 7”, 9”, and 12” display models, and it will begin shipping in the first quarter of 2019. www.raymarine.com/element

JOHN DEERE 4.5L MARINE ENGINE

The new John Deere PowerTech 4045SFM85 marine engine is now ready to ship to customers worldwide. The new 4045SFM85 offers high powerto-weight ratio for repowering and new boat construction, and is ideal for planing and semi-displacement hulls. The engine uses a waste-gated turbocharger that provides more torque capability at the low and middle rpm range, and features replaceable cylinder liners, making it possible to rebuild the engine for extended service life. Additional features include: standard front fuel service, optional left- or right-hand oil filter options for twin engine applications; upgraded valve train (delivers a 40% increase in power and a 9% reduction in total engine weight for a 53% increase in power density compared to its predecessor); low-profile heat exchanger (reduces height by 4.3cm); and water-cooled exhaust manifold creates a cooler and quieter environment. For a complete list of specifications visit the Power Equipment website. www.powerequipment.com.au 90

FEBRUARY 2019

HYDRODRIVE STEERING

PRODUCT GUIDE

Small boat owners with craft up to 150hp are typically limited to mechanical cable style steering systems.This push/pull cable setup often requires higher maintenance than hydraulic steering, and can result in diminished performance over time. Hydrodrive is a hydraulic steering system for small boats up to 150hp. This affordable, quality product is available in four complete kits ready for installation or refit. It’s an economical and flexible alternative to mechanical steering, providing the capability of a hydraulic system typically only seen on 8m+ boats. Users will benefit from smoother operation, lower maintenance, and straightforward installation. Complete all-in-one kits with universal fittings compatible with most outboards up to 150hp. Hydrodrive provides smooth positive steering, fitted to the outboard with tube mounting. Each kit contains a pump with fitting, cylinder with fitting, twin hose set with required connections, and 1L of oil. Components are over-engineered to prevent leaks, even under extremely high pressure, and anodised for superior corrosion resistance. Hydrodrive Systems are backed by a 3-year manufacturer’s warranty. www.amisales.com.au/hydrodrive

MERCURY NVH CENTRE

Mercury Marine has opened a new stateof-the-art Noise, Vibration, Harshness (NVH) Technical Centre at its global headquarters in Wisconsin, USA. The A$14 million NVH testing and research centre, which covers some 1900m2, is the largest and most expansive facility of its kind in the marine industry. NVH is the engineering practice of studying noise, vibration and harshness characteristics. The new centre houses structural dynamic testing bays, listening rooms, and two marinespecific, hemi-anechoic chambers (high-tech spaces with sound-absorbent materials on the walls and ceiling along with a sound insulated floor). “The NVH building and its capabilities will set a new benchmark in the marine industry,” said Tim Reid, Mercury Marine vice president of product development and engineering. “We are looking forward to giving our engineers a worldclass facility where they can study every noise, movement and performance indicator on every engine we manufacture.” www.mercurymarine.com.au

ACTIVE TRIM VIA VESSELVIEW

Mercury Marine’s Active Trim system can now be controlled through VesselView information screens. Active Trim automatically trims an engine(s). It makes boating easier, mproves engine performance and cuts fuel costs. Originally, Active Trim was controlled through a separate dash-mounted key pad. Now drivers have the option to buy an Active Trim computer module to provide control via VesselView’s multi-function touch screen. The GPS-based control system takes into account both speed and rpm when deciding on the ideal trim position. It also solves the issue of the engine trimming up too early or too late while the boat is getting up on the plane. There are five trim profiles, and you just select the best profile for any application. You can personalise Active Trim to your driving style and/or compensate for changes in boat load, and conditions. You can easily disengage and re-engage the system with the manual trim buttons. www.mercurymarine.com.au

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RE ONLINE MO

DE FOR EX

Length..........................................................5.1m Beam..........................................................2.29m Bottom.sheet ..............................................3mm Side.sheet....................................................3mm Hull.weight ................................................500kg Max.HP .......................................................... 115 Fuel .............................................................. 110L Capacity .............................................. 6 persons Main: Chasing a locally made aluminium plate boat that will keep the whole family happy and not break the bank? You need to check out the Stessco Bowrider 520. Above: The bowrider was right at home in the Noosa River on the test day. means that it’s affordable for plenty of families. It also means that you probably won’t have to upgrade the family car to tow it. S e c o n d l y, the configuration is pretty easily interchangeable between ‘fishing mode’ and ‘fun mode’. Drop in a few cushions up the front and add the removable ski pole and

RPM................... km/h.................... km/L 1000 ...................... 6.5 ....................... 3.4 2000.................... 10.7 ....................... 2.3 3000.....................27.9 ....................... 3.4 3500 .................... 35.6 ....................... 3.4 4000.................... 42.2 ....................... 3.3 5000.................... 54.8 ....................... 2.7 6000.....................67.2 ....................... 1.7 * fitted with SDS alloy 13 1/4 x 16” propeller FEBRUARY 2019

easily interchangeable,” Biel continued. And that’s exactly what they’ve done. Tweaked a great seller to make it just that little bit better. For more information on the 520 Bowrider, or any of the complete Stessco range, visit their website on www. stessco.com.au, make sure

SPECIFICATIONS

PERFORMANCE

s.morgan@fishingmonthly.com.au

Stessco’s Adrian Biel reckons that when your hull is a good thing, you don’t change it. And that’s exactly what Stessco has done with their 520 Bowrider hull. They’ve kept the popular shape and improved the layout. But let’s backtrack a few steps before we dig into the details. Where does the Bowrider sit in the Stessco range and why would you buy one? Well, it’s definitely a more comfortable boat for the less hardcore anglers in the family. Especially compared to something like the Gulf Runner. And sometimes, the fishing alone isn’t the reason you buy a boat. Yes, I know. It’s a strange concept, but shade, comfort and the ability to use a boat for a variety of activities ticks a lot of boxes with modern outdoor families and this Stessco fits right into the hitting zone. Firstly, it weighs in around the high $30K mark (and at around 1,000kg on the weighbridge), which

formula from the Brisbane based company. There aren’t many drawbacks of this rig, however the fact that most of your underfloor storage will still let water dribble through in the rain is a problem for local manufacturers. “Look, from the gunwales down, there’s

Steve Morgan

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you’re ready to go tubing. If you’re really clever, you’ll even have an electric motor on a bracket that takes a few seconds to pop off and on, which will really turn this into a fishing machine. Thirdly, this boat is cheap to run. A boat over 5m in length with this level of fitout and that delivers well over 3km/L at cruising speeds really is giving you great value for money. The 110L tank fitted in this boat will get you over 300km of range at cruising speeds. The best we saw was at 3,5004,000 RPM where it nearly reached 3.5km/L. And finally, it’ll definitely turn heads at the ramp. The smooth plate aluminium sides look great with Stessco’s standard

colours, or alternatively take a vinyl wrap if you really want to make a statement. Other improvements like the new, smoother windscreen just add to an already winning

nothing much we wanted to change in this boat,” said Adrian on the 2018 Media Day at Noosa, “so it’s just the small things that we’ve made better.” “Things like the removable ski-pole and bait board, these needed to be

you Like their Facebook page (Stessco Boats) for social media updates and definitely scan the QR Code hereby to watch the video review of this rig on your smartphone. It’s also available direct on the Fishing Monthly YouTube channel.

Everything is economical in the rig – from the mid-to-high $30K purchase price (depending on options) to the best fuel economy of 3.3km/L at 4,000rpm.

Driven at the best economy, the 110L fuel tank will give over 300km of theoretical range.

Back in the cockpit you can sit in the shade and swivel the seats around to watch a skiier or talk with your passengers on the bench seat. The ski-pole is removable.

Obviously, there’s a mountain of storage space under the front seats, although it’s not totally waterproof.

Drop some batteries in here if you choose to add an electric motor to the front of the rig.

Stessco’s Bowriders are a fun and good-looking rigs that really hit the spot with family boaters.

Here’s what the front deck looks like with the foam cushions on top of the infill.

You can remove the centre cushion and the deck section to allow for comfortable seating forward.

You can shut the split windscreen and the bulkhead door to keep the breeze and spray out.

The rear bench sits starboard while the transom door allows easy loading and is on the port transom side.

The helm is simple and can hold smaller electronics flush-mounted.

Here’s how you transform the bow into its various forms. First remove the cushions and stow under the decks. Next remove the floor infill. It provides everything from lounging to fishing in a bit of a swell. FEBRUARY 2019