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November 2018, Vol. 1 No. 3

Contents 10

METRO Perth metro

Cockburn Sound

Swan & Canning Rivers

Metro Offshore

SOUTH COAST Esperance 26 Bremer Bay

Albany 27 WEST COAST Augusta 30 Busselton 30 Bunbury 31 Mandurah 32 Lancelin 33 Jurien Bay

Geraldton 35 Kalbarri 36 GASCOYNE COAST Shark Bay

From the Editor’s Desk... Third issue, wow doesn’t time fly when you are having fun. So first up I really want to say a very big thank you once again to all of the area report writers who have been doing an outstanding job on writing and reporting on their local fishing areas, doing a monthly column is not an easy task. These guys have got up to speed on what is required very quickly and are supplying great info on the fishing in their back yards. This information is such a valuable tool for the travelling angler as well as anyone thinking about a new destination for their next holiday. On the West Coast zone the demersal closure is in full swing and is a great time to do all of those jobs on the boat that you have been putting off all year. The boat yards will be bursting at the seams servicing boats as it is

a good time to get it done, so if you haven’t had your yearly boat service done yet, ring up now and book it in.

Making sure your boat is in top seaworthy condition should be a priority, ‘she’ll be right’ is no way to go about safe

Ian Sewell boating. If something is not right get it sorted. Lives can and do get lost because of simple preventable problems, and we all know sea rescue have enough on their plate to deal with every summer. The demersal closure period is also a great time for some enjoyable family fishing trip. You might not be able to take the kids out wide every trip, so why not get them out chasing some squid or whiting. There are two great articles in the pages of this edition that will give you some great tips to get you started. Best of all, you can stay in nice and close so that all of the family feels safe. Otherwise get out there on the road and try something different, maybe a trip down south chasing redfin perch and trout, or maybe a trip to Mandurah chasing crabs. Whatever you do this November, keep it safe and happy fishing!

Carnarvon 38 Exmouth 40 NORTH COAST Broome 42 Dampier 43

44 28

Kayak 58 Recfishwest 53 Tournament News

Trade and Services Guide

What’s new fishing

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Jacob Crispe with a cracking southern calamari.

NOVEMBER 2018

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Squid

Squid success from the shore WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Jacob Crispe @Jampacked_Fishing_Adventures

This article will cover all the things an angler should think about when trying to catch squid land-based – everything from choosing the right rod and accessories, right through to what to look for when identifying a good squidding spot while staying safe at the same time. We will also touch on jig colour and type selection to suit different conditions that can vary between spots on any given day, plus techniques and more! ROD SELECTION There are a couple of things that come to mind when choosing the right rod: the size of the jigs, and the distance of the cast needed to get the best results at the desired locations. Knowing this will help determine whether you need a short, soft action rod around 7-7’6” long with a light to medium light action rating for smaller jigs for a closer cast

grassy patches are a lot further out, this is where a longer rod with a firmer action is required. The heavier action rod will allow you to use larger and heavier jigs and achieve a much longer cast. In this case, the best rod to use would be around 8’3”-8’6”

Fremantle’s Fleet Street rock wall, known as South Mole. in length with action ranging from medium light right up to medium heavy. Keep in mind these are specialised egi rods that are designed and tuned for casting specific jig weights. An egi-specific

Matthew Petrillo was working his jig with a fast action in shallow water when he caught this cracking southern calamari. radius. Jetties are a great place to use shorter rods because a long cast is not usually needed. The jetty’s pylons commonly attract baitfish, which in turn can bring active hunting squid to the area. If the locations you want to target are from rock groynes or natural rock ledges, where good looking 8

NOVEMBER 2018

comfortable and enjoyable. Matching your reel with a good quality thin diameter braid is the next key factor you need to take into consideration. This will really help achieve a much longer cast to reach your desired spot – or you can just cast as far

rod will always outcast and outperform a standard style spin rod when squid fishing. REEL, BRAID AND LEADER SELECTION Reels around the 20003000 size are best suited to egi rods, and maintain a nice lightweight and balanced combo that will make your experience a lot more

as possible and reach what is known to land-based anglers as ‘virgin ground’. It is called this because a majority of people can’t normally reach these areas from land with standard rods and reels and lines. When choosing your braid strength, keep in mind that your jigs can sometimes be worth up to around $30 apiece, so you don’t want to use any braid under 10lb in case you get snagged in the weed. If you get snagged you need good line strength to try and pull your jig out without breaking and losing your jig. The preferred line strength would be between 10-16lb with the thinnest diameter possible. Your leader line of choice should never be less than the breaking strain of your braid, so I generally use a 15lb monofilament or fluorocarbon to maintain good strength and abrasion resistance. Ultimately, it’s all about getting your set-up matched perfectly between three things: the rod, the reel and the braid. This combination, when tuned, will greatly increase your chances of making a longer cast and catching more. IDENTIFYING GOOD LOCATIONS When you are looking for new locations to target, there are a couple of invaluable tools needed for the job. The first is a smartphone and the other is a quality set of polarized sunglasses. Keep it simple. Looking at Google Maps on your phone is a great way to figure out areas that you may not be too familiar with, especially when travelling. When doing this, one of the main things to look for is large weed and sea grass areas with visible sand patches amongst it. These types of locations can be commonly found in most bays and harbour type areas,

and are referred to as ‘broken ground’. If you aren’t sure what this looks like, jump on your phone and type in ‘Princess Royal Harbour’ or ‘Frenchman Bay’, which are both in Western Australia. Zoom in and look at the shallower areas where it’s a lighter green and patchy colour. This is the kind of thing to look for in your local area. When you’re on location, a good set of polarized sunglasses is a must to help reduce glare and identify exactly where the most appealing weed and sand patches are. By doing this you can really home in on your targeted areas while also maintaining the best vision. You may be able to spot squid following your jig, where you can adjust your action to entice them. You may even spot a free swimming squid, where you can sight cast for a hook up. This can make your experience a lot more fun. Tides can also have a part to play when considering which location to try. There are a lot of areas that may become too shallow on a low tide, making it difficult to target without losing too many jigs. In this case, a high tide will be essential to maximising your catch rate with minimal jigs lost to snags. If you are walking around a new area looking for good places to try, keep an eye out for ink stains. If you can see a lot of ink on the rocks or jetty, you are definitely in the right area. Knowing where baitfish regularly gather can help you out a lot. Whatever species you are chasing, if you find the baitfish you will generally find the predators that feed on

A natural blue baitfish colour with a silver foil base. There was very low activity that day, which made using this jig the perfect weapon of choice. lights they were falling onto the water where we watched squid and fish fighting to get to them first. It was easy pickings for everyone who was there that night. My favourite spots are South and North Mole, and I often go there before or after work where it’s not too hard to catch a feed. Often I’ll drive south to my home town of Albany and fish for larger species, but I always end my trip down there in the harbour beaches or bays that are easily accessible, and which always produce good-size squid. Another gem that is only a short drive from Perth is the Busselton jetty; this is a great spot that makes for a nice day or night out, and can produce good numbers.

The ink stains that squid leave on the rocks or ground are a tell-tale sign that a land-based spot is productive. them. One spot where they are easy to find is any jetty at night with lights on – a prime location for targeting squid at night. Not only are fish and squid attracted to light, but so are insects, and when the insects fall into the water it can entice small fish and squid to feed on them. At a young age I witnessed this happen at the old wharf in Albany with my father. It was always a well lit place with very bright lights, and on this particular night there were so many moths attracted to the

BEST TIMES TO GO First and last light are always the best times to fish for squid. Usually, getting up early and getting out there before the sun comes up is a great way to start, because the squid are very active through this period. This also allows you to go through your jig base colours on the light change as the sun is coming up. Generally, the best way to go is to start with glowin-the-dark and then change through different reds to purples, blacks and oranges in

the low light. You can switch to more natural patterns with clear, silver and gold in bright, sunny conditions. The last light of the day is in the exact opposite sequence. You should start with silver and gold while the sun is up, then orange, red, purple and blacks while the sun goes down, and then lumo as it gets dark. Solunar and tide changes are another great thing to consider when choosing a time to go. If you get a tide change in the same period as a light change, you can usually expect big things – and if there are tidal changes in the middle of the day, it’s still a good time to fish. You can catch squid at any time of day, not just in the peak times. As long as you have a line in the water, there’s always a chance of catching one. JIG TYPES AND TECHNIQUES There are a range of jig types and sizes available to suit different depths and currents. As a general rule, 3.5 size shallow types have an average fall rate of 5-6 seconds per metre, while 3.5 basic types have an average fall rate of 3-3.5 seconds per metre and 3.5 deep types have an average fall rate of 1.8-2.2 seconds per metre. These sink times may vary between jig sizes, and you can usually find all this out on the packet. For better results, you need to learn how deep the water is. If you can see the bottom and there’s not too much water movement, your basic type jigs are a good choice to start with. If you are standing on a jetty you can start by dropping your jig straight down, and it will always fall at a 45° angle. Count how long it takes to reach the bottom. By doing this you have learnt exactly

Squid how deep the water is by the jig’s sink rate time. If you are standing on rocks or beach, you can do this by counting down on your

eighteen or nineteen before beginning your retrieve, then you know you are right down in the strike zone where 90% of the action happens.

It is easy to see where the egi clip is connected to the leader for fast, easy jig changes. first cast. As an example, if you have counted 20 seconds before your jig reaches the bottom, then with your next cast you should start counting again as soon as your jig hits the water. If you count to

When it comes to technique, there is no right or wrong. In the early days most people would cast their line and just let the jig sink a little bit before starting a slow retrieve, but nowadays

squidding has become more of a culture and is being taken a lot more seriously. A very helpful tool for learning techniques is the internet. There are great techniques coming from Japan, and I have learnt a lot over the years by watching videos on YouTube, especially those made by Yamashita featuring an absolute master of squidding, Eisuke Kawakami. Eisuke is still releasing a lot of videos on YouTube, showing people

angler will cast, count the jig down into the strike zone and then, once the desired depth is reached, give two to three sharp whips or jerks with the rod while winding the slack line between each jerk. With each jerk or whip action the jig will dart up to 90° from left to right while sliding forward and upwards at the same time. After a few whips of the rod you pause and allow the jig to fall back down towards the bottom again. It is often on

A perfect example of a red foil jig working its magic in an extremely low light situation. exactly how to master the art of squidding. The main technique most people are now adopting is a basic jerk style action. The

the drop where you get the most strikes. The more you practice this the easier it will get, and over time you’ll find

The result of a sneaky cast after work down at the South Mole, Fremantle. yourself customising your technique to suit different scenarios. Remember there is no right or wrong – just keep it simple and try to stay comfortable at the same time. That way, the time you spend on the hunt will be a lot more enjoyable. If you’re targeting a shallow area where the water is no more than 3m deep, a shallow type jig is the go. This jigs take almost twice as long to sink, which gives you double the hang time. It can increase your chances of a strike before your jig can hit the bottom and potentially get snagged or pick up weed, which can deter squid from attacking. When you’re working your shallow jigs, be a little gentler on the whip action;

these jigs are much more buoyant and lift a lot easier through the water, meaning you can work your jig more slowly and gently. If you were to work a basic style jig in this same depth you’d have to work your jig a lot quicker, meaning less time between each set of jerks to keep your jig off the bottom. Sometimes this technique can entice squid to attack even more fiercely though, as the jig mimics a fleeing baitfish or prawn. Deep style jigs are best used when you are faced with a lot of water movement or current, where you may have trouble reaching the bottom with a standard basic jig. For example, if you cast a basic style jig out onto a small target area, by the time your jig reaches the bottom it may To page 10

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NOVEMBER 2018

How to catch a crocodile NSW STH COAST

Steve Starling www.fishotopia.com

It’s big flathead time right now in many parts of the country. So, how do you set about targeting the largest flatties living in your local waterways?

exceeding 55cm is a pretty good fish. The same goes for sandies and rock flathead in Melbourne’s Port Phillip Bay. Over in South Australia’s gulfs, around Kangaroo Island, or on the northwest corner of Tasmania, a ‘big’ southern blue-spotted flattie could well be a fish in excess of 70cm, and there’s always

catch a few less of the smaller, run-of-the-mill flathead that generally tend to fill anglers’ bags. You need to decide up front how important this is to you. Are you more interested

flatties (these fish are often referred to as ‘crocodiles’ or ‘crocs’ by those who love them). Big flathead of any species are capable of

Flatties can reach impressive proportions!

Starlo with a reasonable dusky. Not quite a crocodile, but getting there! Jo Starling prepares to release the sort of jumbo flathead we all want to catch. Whether you chase sand, rock, blue-spotted or tiger flathead down south, bar-tails in the west and north, or the king of them all, the mighty dusky flathead of our east coast waters, right

the chance of an 80cm+. And of course, from Wilsons Promontory to Cairns along our heavily populated eastern seaboard, duskies are known to top a metre in length on very rare occasions, although

in quantity, or quality? Bear in mind too, that in most cases you’ll be releasing these jumbo flathead after a quick photo anyway, either because local laws require you to do so, or simply as recognition of their importance as breeders. This is not a meat hunting game.

eating very large meals. In fact, an 80cm+ flattie can easily wolf down a 25-30cm mullet, whiting, bream or tailor. They are also not at all averse to dining on their smaller brethren, and stories of genuine crocs grabbing average-size flatties that have been hooked by anglers are surprisingly commonplace. I know of one 88cm flattie that grabbed a hooked 44cm dusky and held on long enough to be netted, photographed and released. That’s a potential meal half

as long as the diner themself! So, if you normally use whitebait or sprats, upgrade to whole pilchards, while if you already cast pilchard or poddy mullet baits measuring 10-15cm in length when chasing flatties, think about scaling up to significantly heftier yellowtail, slimy mackerel or herring. Similarly, if your standard flathead lures or flies are mostly in the 8-12cm length range that is so justifiably popular for this purpose, bite the bullet and double their dimensions. Seriously. You may need to beef up your tackle slightly to cast these larger baits and lures, but that’s not a bad idea anyway, as it will help you handle not only XOS flathead, but also the sort of by-catch you’re likely to encounter, which may well

include mulloway, kingfish and even barra, estuary cod and jacks further north. Think about strengthening your leaders and terminal tackle, too. Big crocodiles are extra hard on leaders and it’s heartbreaking to play a monster lizard almost to your feet, only to have it win its freedom at the last moment. Hunting crocodiles isn’t for everyone, but if you’re up for it, these fish are certainly out there. Happy hunting. Starlo’s new website portal www.fishotopia.com offers access to lots of nittygritty, how-to information like this, including a 34-page flip magazine dedicated to the pursuit of extra large flatties. Jump on, have a look around and consider signing up for the free monthly newsletter.

All XOS flatties should be carefully released to continue breeding. now is a pretty good time to be looking for the biggest specimens of the year. Exactly how large a truly ‘big’ flathead is depends very much on where you happen to be fishing. If you’re chasing bar-tails in Perth’s Swan River, anything 12

NOVEMBER 2018

anything over 80-85cm is a trophy dusky for most of us. Targeting these largerthan-average flathead generally requires a certain degree of dedication and specialisation in terms of both gear selection and technique. It may also mean that you’ll

Assuming that you’re serious about wanting to target those extra bigger flatties, the first and most important tip I can give you is to significantly upsize the dimensions of your bait, lure or fly. This is by far the most vital key to catching larger

Don’t be afraid to throw seriously large lures if you’re chasing seriously big flathead!

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SAND WHITING

Wonderful warm weather whiting PERTH

Ian Sewell

Sand whiting would have to be one of the easiest fish to target in the West Coast zone â€“ they are very easy to catch and are exceptional eating. While

they might be small they more than make up for their size in flavour. The best part about sandies is the fact that you can catch them from any sized boat or from shore. Beaches tend to fish better at night than during the day, but in saying that if you get onto

If you do a lot of whiting fishing scaler bags are well worth looking into. Ensure they are in good condition with no holes before you go throwing your dayâ€™s catch over the side. It is money wisely spent if you just replace them every year.

them the day fishing can also be well worthwhile and if you do not pick up sandies you have a good chance at some yellowfin whiting instead. Sand whiting can grow up to 40cm, however they are far more common in the smaller size range of about 20-30cm. There is no legal size for sand whiting and the bag limit is 30 fish per angler. Even though there is no size limit, setting a personal size limit is not a bad idea. Trying to fillet a heap of small fish can become old very fast. Personally, my whiting only hit the ice if they are 26cm and above. This size is big enough to give a decent fillet and relatively easy to work on, any smaller and they are just too fiddly. Catching whiting is very easy, however catching bigger whiting takes a bit more effort. There is no end to the sand off our coast and just about all of this sand will hold whiting. Whiting can be caught from 5m of water out to 40m and deeper.

For ease, 10-20m is probably a good compromise. If you like to anchor and fish, your best bet is to find a suitable spot and do a drift or two to make sure the fish are there and that they are of a size that you want to catch. If the fish are generally small then it is best to move around until you catch a few bigger specimen and then anchor on that spot. Once anchored, a berley bucket near the bottom will attract the fish closer to your area. If drifting is your preference, also just keep moving until you find the better-sized fish, mark a waypoint on your plotter and then keep going over that area. Whiting are not a very fussy or finicky fish, so tying rigs with a heavier leader than is needed is no issue. For shallow or beach fishing lighter leaders should be considered but anything 10m and over, 20lb leader is a great place to start and best of all the heavier leader will reduce the chances

A nice solid sand whiting caught on a squid tentacle. Tough baits and larger hooks ensure baits are not shredded from the hooks on the first assault, especially when there are lots of smaller fish around. the bottom hook will catch the majority of fish, but if you are on a good patch it is

and there are some great options out there that work exceptionally well, in trying

A plump sandy on its way onto ice. Being a small fish with delicate flesh, keeping them in prime condition with a well prepared ice slurry is essential. of tangles on the drop or retrieve. As far as the rig goes, a paternoster with 2 or 3 hooks is pretty hard to beat,

Pre-tying rigs before fishing and leaving the hooks off allows for easy storage in small packets. When tying ensure that hooks are not able to reach each other, the sinker or the top swivel, as this will save on big nasty tangles. If you are getting lots of tangles from line twist try going to a heavier leader. One, two or three hooks and rig bling are optional. 20

NOVEMBER 2018

not uncommon to get double and triple headers. Everyone has a favourite hook to use for whiting

to find the best hook to suit your needs it is a good idea to consider a few things first. Whiting are very greedy,

A popular by-catch while whiting fishing are gummy sharks. It certainly gets the kids going when they hook into one of these things and they are always a welcome addition to the ice slurry.

VELOCITY SPORTS

they will suck down a bait and a small hook with vigour and very often will get gut hooked, which makes them difficult to unhook and release if too small. Your fishing technique is also worth considering when looking at hooks. If you are an active angler and you like to hang onto the rod and set the hook then you will probably want to consider a different hook to the rod holder angler. Young kids without much fishing experience will also fall into the rod holder angler category as they will also want a hook that the fish can hook itself on and that preferably hooks the fish in the lip rather than in the gut, so that they can be easily removed and released if too small. The last consideration for hooks is what bait you intend to use. So, a basic rundown of hooks would look something like this. For the rod holder angler and kids the Black Magic KL hook is a great option, these are a cross between a wide gap hook and a circle hook, so most fish will hook themselves and will also be hooked in the corner of the mouth or in the lip. For the active angler who like to set the hook, wide gap or long shank hooks are the best choice. Chemically sharpened is also a wise decision, but if you are using smaller baits then the long shank is probably the best option. For many the red long shank hook is hard to go past, especially if you are

a fan of using a bit of red tube above your hook, but more on that later. When selecting hooks the most common mistake is to buy or use hooks that are very small and it is an obvious choice when you

fish. This is about getting a feed of big whiting, not a bucket of little ones. By using bigger hooks you will certainly get a lot of bites that you will not hook up on, which will usually be the smaller fish, but this activity

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While you are drifting around chasing sand whiting it is not uncommon to accidently drift into George town every now and then. This is when it pays to use slightly larger hooks. look at the size of a whiting mouth, they have a pretty small mouth. You would be amazed at what a small whiting can cram into its mouth though. The biggest issue with small hooks is that you will spend most of your day throwing back little

around the bait will bring in the bigger specimens and will result in the fish that you finally hook and wind up being larger than the rest. So how big, I hear you ask? Well for me it is 1/0 in the wide gap hook every time. When you look at this hook you will definitely say that I am crazy, but I can assure you even though I only keep whiting 26cm and over I still have to throw back plenty. The other benefit of using larger hooks is that when you get any by-catch like gummy shark, pink snapper (in season) or King George whiting you can be reasonably confident that it will be well enough hooked and that the hook will be strong enough to do the job. The rod and reel you use for whiting fishing should be more matched around the sinker you have to fish rather than the size of the fish you are catching. As we are into late spring and summer fishing we can be pretty confident that the wind will either be blowing from the east or from the south to southwest. Either way chances are you will also have a fair drift going even if you catch the lull between the easterly and the sea breeze. Sinker weight will also have to increase the deeper CRUSADER you go. These fish are in the bottom metre or less of water, so if you stop getting bites then chances are you are not on the bottom and need more lead or have lost your bait.

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NOVEMBER 2018

Product Profile

Lowrance goes LIVE with new flagship fishfinders The new Lowrance HDS Live fishfinder/chartplotters deliver powerful realtime sonar, charting and connectivity features. Lowrance held a media day in Sydney to give the Aussie media an advanced look at the Live units – and everyone was mightily impressed. Scan the QR Code hereby to watch the full launch video – or visit the Fishing Monthly Magazine channel on YouTube. The following is Lowrance’s release about the new units’ features, and you can expect a full review in a future issue of Fishing Monthly. ACTIVE IMAGING SONAR Active Imaging displays structure and cover with a new level of refined detail, and at a range unmatched by any other structure imaging technology. Offering superb clarity without sacrificing range, it delivers unmatched image quality of structure, fish and bottom composition. Active Imaging 3-in-1 sonar combines Lowrance CHIRP with SideScan and DownScan Imaging, allowing you to quickly search fishholding structure, and enhances FishReveal with

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Scan QR code to see Steve Morgan’s ‘Launched’ video.

higher-level clarity and target separation. Active Imaging 2-in-1 sonar includes Side and DownScan Imaging, and is perfect for use with a separate traditional sonar transducer. Simple to use without the need to change frequencies while fishing in most conditions, Active Imaging 800kHz provides crystal-clear detail with uncompromised range. If you need to see further than 120ft, Active Imaging can also operate at 455kHz. Active Imaging enhancements are coming to existing StructureScan 3D modules via a free software update. LIVESIGHT SONAR Livesight sonar delivers

the most detailed views of fish as they swim in and around cover. You’ll be fishing in real-time as you watch fish react to your lure, and see how

they are relating to structure. Mount the transducer in a front-facing position to cast toward the fish, or mount it in a down-facing position to do

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NOVEMBER 2018

some vertical jigging. When using LiveSight forward in conjunction with the Lowrance Point-1 GPS antenna, an on-chart indicator shows the direction the transducer is pointed, allowing anglers to line up on a waypoint or pinpoint the structure they are trying to fish. GENESIS LIVE CHARTING Delivering real-time,

custom-mapping capabilities, HDS Live harnesses the power of Genesis Live charting, which uses digital depth to create depth-contour overlays

on charts. Users can control contour transparency, density of contours drawn on the screen up to unprecedented 30cm intervals, depth and safety shading colour palettes, and more. Charts can easily be saved to an SD card. LIVECAST SMARTPHONE INTEGRATION HDS Live lets you display fishing information and entertainment from their smartphones on their 12” and 16” sunlight viewable displays. Users can view their phone in full-screen or splitscreen windows via HDMI connection, allowing them to stream video, view Google Maps and fishing data. HDS LIVE features a low-profile design with edgeto-edge glass; a SolarMAX HD screen; bracket, flush and rear mounting options; user-programmable keys; and an optional fullyprogrammable Bluetooth remote. The available sizes are 7” ($1549), 9” ($3249), 12” ($4649) and 16” ($6299). LiveSight TDX is $1145, and Active Imaging TDX is $275. For more information or to locate an authorized dealer, visit www. lowrance.com. - FM

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WHAT’S NEW FISHING SAMAKI BIG GRIP DIGITAL SCALE

NEW SUGAPEN COLOURS

The Samaki Big Grip Digital Scale has so many features that it’s hard to name them all. For starters, the ergonomic big grip handle is ideal for weighing big fish, with the scale catering up to 50kg or 100lb. It’s very comfortable to hold in the hand while you ready your catch for the weighing process. The casing is completely waterproof and holds a 100cm measuring tape for you to document your catch with ease. The Samaki Big Grip Digital Scale also has a backlit LED screen to give you readings in low light environments, plus a built-in thermometer in both Celsius and Fahrenheit. For more information and stockists just visit the Samaki website, or you can follow them on Instagram (@samakifishing) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/samakifishing). www.samaki.com.au

The Sugapen is one of the most popular surface lures on the market today, and it comes in sizes that cater for both estuary and offshore fishing. Now the range has recently been expanded to include sizes from 58mm through to 120mm, which gives the lure enormous versatility. Bassday has also expanded the colour range, and now two new variations have been added. The current Sugapen colours remain, with the two completely new Australia-only additions being a red tiger-striped clear and gold tiger-striped clear with a pink head. For more information on this and other new releases from Bassday, visit their website or look them up on Facebook at www.facebook.com/BassdayAus. www.bassday.com.au

SUFIX 131 G-CORE

HALCO MAX 220

The new Sufix 131 G-CORE is a 12-carrier braided line with an additional GORE Performance Fiber.These 13 fibres combine to guarantee a strong construction with no weak points, delivering reliability during casting, strikes and fighting action. The single strand of GORE Performance Fiber is surrounded by 12 precision braided HMPE fibres, and this results in a super-round line that is smoother, quieter and casts more accurately and further than other lines. Sufix 131’s non-hollow construction does not absorb water, thus preventing the line from getting heavier and reducing casting distance. Its solid structure also avoids conventional braid flattening, while the Gore centre fibre also protects the line from internal fraying. This new line is currently available in 4lb to 50lb in 150 yard neon chartreuse spools, and 10lb to 100lb in 300 yard neon chartreuse. Keep an eye out for it in leading tackle stores. www.rapala.com.au/sufix

DAIWA HRF SONIC SPEED 9.1R-TW

Dressed in red and ready to tear up the water, Daiwa releases its fastest HRF baitcaster ever, the HRF Sonic Speed 9.1R-TW. The super car of the HRF line-up features the designs, strength and performance that has made the HRF famous, with the revolutionary T-Wing System (TWS), Hyper Digigear, Super Metal body, Magforce Z, Magseal, Speed Shaft and corrosion resistant ball bearings (CRBB) combining to make this reel a must-have for saltwater baitcaster fans. Stopping power is at your fingertips with Daiwa’s UTD, giving you the muscle to stop fish in their tracks, while a 100mm swept handle and large EVA knobs offer added comfort and ultimate handle control. Loaded with features and with a spec sheet to impress, the new super-charged HRF Sonic Speed 9.1R-TW is a baitcaster that’s designed to amaze its users and is impossible to forget. www.daiwafishing.com.au 48

NOVEMBER 2018

PRODUCT GUIDE 2 1

If you love the sound of a reel screaming in agony as line pours off the spool, then Halco Tackle has developed the perfect lure for you in the Max 220. Halco has developed an ultra tough, sinking, bibless minnow that will get the attention of any XOS Wahoo and Mackerel, huge Tuna and other massive predators that lurk out in the deep blue. Capable of being trolled at very high speed (up to 20kt) like its smaller brothers, the lure features heavily reinforced side walls to resist punctures by the toothy brigade and able to withstand the incredible crushing pressure inflicted by the jaws of its intended victims. Halco rounded out the package by included their legendary ultra tough 7xx fish rings and Mustad 9/0 inline singles for great hook sets and the ultimate in holding potential. The lure is 220mm long, weighs 175g, and is designed for heavy trolling and jigging applications. If you are into fishing for the brutes of the ocean, look for the all new Max 220 at all good tackle outlets. www.halcotackle.com

BLACK MAGIC PINK 6 SHOCK LEADER Pink leader has been popular for some time, given that it is seen as less visible in certain water conditions. Although fluorocarbon options are common, Black Magic’s Pink Shock Leader is produced as a copolymer trace. This provides great value for money but still gives robust performance under stress. It retains the high performance in abrasion resistance and knot strength seen in Black Magic tough and supple trace. It’s coloured pink to provide less visibility, particularly when water conditions are a little murkier, and provides a more affordable option to anglers than fluorocarbon. Current breaking strains are 20lb, 40lb, 60lb, 80lb and 100lb. www.blackmagictackle.com

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WHAT’S NEW FISHING DAIWA ELIMINATOR

Stunning in looks and flawless in design and performance, the new Eliminator delivers anglers one of their newest and most durable and reliable light to offshore tackle reels for some time. Designed to excel and built to perform, the Eliminator integrates many of Daiwa’s most innovative designs and technologies including Real Four, Digigear and Air Rotor, and blends them with proven designs and features to create a reel that has few peers. It features Daiwa’s famous ABS spool design, with the reverse taper spool enabling greater line control and increased casting distance. Daiwa’s ATD gives the Eliminator fingertip drag control and unrelenting stopping power. The Eliminator will never see you under gunned in the heat of battle. Dark in looks yet bright and bold in design and performance, the new Eliminator spin reel opens the door to a new age in light and offshore tackle durability and reliability. www.daiwafishing.com.au

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WILSON PLATINUM FISHING CHAIR

The new Wilson Platinum Fishing Chair is rated to 150kg and built with a wider base to ensure anyone can comfortably sit in it. This folding chair also has some clever additions for anglers. For starters there is a rod holder that can be easily attached to the left hand side of the chair on the legs, setting your rod at an easy angle. If you plan on getting up from your chair, the designers have included a peg for the leg to ensure the chair is secured to the ground, and a massive strike won’t tip the chair over. There is also a drink holder and a lined cooler bag in the arms, and a small bottle opener attached to the arm on a lanyard. On the right arm there is also a mobile phone holder pouch, to ensure your phone doesn’t get damaged when the action heats up. The comfy and strong Platinum Fishing Chair is available now in your choice of blue or purple. www.wilsonfishing.com

MAPSO SAJA #3

Mapso lures in recent years have become the go-to lures for the serious trout angler. Mapso is the Lukris house brand, which is known for their innovative ability and superior quality, and they offer 100% perfect spinning action every time. Lukris have been responsible for producing some of the world’s best known and most trusted brands. Now Lukris have released a couple of new colours in their popular Saja range of spinners in all four sizes. They have also released a larger Size 3 model that is 60mm long, weighs 7g and comes in twin packs. These will certainly be great for anglers wanting a bigger spinner for lake shore fishing, and anglers wanting a heavier lure for further casting distance. The new Size 3 size will also be suitable for a number of other species, including yellowbelly,

silver perch and bass. It is available in all 14 colours. To find out more visit the Juro Oz Pro Tackle website, or for the latest news and catch photos check them out on Facebook at www.facebook.com/JuroOzProTackle. www.jurofishing.com

MARIA RERISE

Maria have an extensive range of floating and sinking stickbaits, but the new Rerise adds another dimension to the line-up. This new concept lure measures 130mm long, weighs 70g and can search deep areas normal minnows can’t reach. It sinks at one second per metre, allowing the angler to fish any level of the water column with the appeal of a tuned Japanese stickbait. The heavy weight enables lets you drop the lure to the bottom, and the swimming action imitates a wound baitfish, resulting in explosive strikes. Fitted with Owner ST-66 trebles and a strong wire through construction, the Rerise is ready to battle any pelagic you can target. It is available now in eight colours. www.ejtodd.com.au

HOBIE PET PFD

Why leave your pet at home while you enjoy a day on the water? You can now take your fur friend with you safely and in Hobie style, with the Hobie Pet PFD. Features include added flotation as a swim assist, grab handles, adjustable fit, leash attachment, side pockets, grab handles and soft foam undercarriage support. Happy days for furry friends! The Hobie Pet PFD is available in the following sizing: XS (12lb, 8’-12’ collar, 13’17’ body girth); S (12lb-24lb, 10’-14’ collar, 15’-21’ body girth); M (24lb-60lb, 13’-19’ collar, 18’-30’ body girth); L (60lb-90lb, 18’26’ collar, 24’-36’ body girth); XL (90lb-120lb, 22’-30’ collar, 30’-42’ body girth). Price: SRP $59 www.hobie.com

SHIMANO CATANA FD

The Catana has been revamped for 2018 and is perfect for anglers who are looking for a high quality reel at a reasonable cost. There are four reels in the re-launched Catana range, from 1000-4000 size, with the C2500, 3000, and 4000 HG having high retrieve ratios from 5.8-6.2:1 thanks to the presence of zinc DC gears. Perfect for freshwater, estuary and light offshore applications, the larger reels are capable of producing up to 8.5kg of drag power, so for relatively small reels this new range really packs a punch! The AR-C spool lip design increases casting distance, controls the development of wind knots, and creates less slap on the stripping guide. What more could you want from a spinning reel? They come with two SUS ball bearings, plus one roller bearing, so it’s smooth sailing all the way with these value packed reels. www.shimanofish.com.au

Please email contributions to: nicole@fishingmonthly.com.au NOVEMBER 2018

WHAT’S NEW FISHING ZEREK TANGO SHAD 13 1M DIVER The Zerek 50mm Tango Shad 1m diver comes in floating only, and is ideal for all manner of estuary and freshwater fishing situations. There are 10 colours in the range, covering both natural and attractor patterns, including UV colours for maximum attraction. The 50mm Floating Tango Shad 1m diver has been an amazing success story in testing on a host of estuary and freshwater species. From flathead to bream and trout to redfin, this floating lure tested incredibly with some amazing captures. Attractor colours for dirty water, natural colours for clear water and UV colours to take advantage of the latest theories on fish’s vision see these lures cover every conceivable situation in terms of water conditions. To see the full range of colours, as well as other models in the Tango Shad series, visit the Wilson Fishing website. www.wilsonfishing.com

OKUMA KOMODO SS

The Okuma Komodo SS features stainless steel main gear, pinion gear and drive shafts, along with a multi-disc, high output Carbonite drag system, giving it a level of power and durability that is the best in its class. Drag output levels include 11kg maximum drag on the 350 size and 14kg maximum drag on the larger 450 size. The high quality build includes ALC: rigid diecast frame and sideplates with CRC (Corrosion-Resistant Coating process) and A6061-T6 machined aluminium anodized spool. A micro-click drag star allows precise drag settings, and Japanese ABEC-5 spool bearings and 6-pin Velocity Control casting system allow long, smooth casts. The 350 size is fitted with 6HPB+1RB SS bearings, while the 450 size boasts 7HPB+1RB. Other features include a synchronized levelwind, optimized for braid; zirconium line guide inserts for use with braid; dual antireverse and an on/off clicker. This big fish stopper is available in a 350 and 450 size in both a left and right hand model and a 350 size in a Power Handle version. A Power Handle is also available separately for the 450 size. Price: SRP $379-$399 www.okuma.com.au

OKUMA CERROS SPIN PODS

Designed in Australia to suit Australian species and techniques, the Cerros family of spin rods from Okuma are built on quality 30T Toray carbon blanks and are finished with SeaGuide Hero Hi-Grade 316 stainless steel, anti-tangle guides and Fuji reel seats. There are five 7’ models in the range, L, ML, M, H and XH, covering everything from bream and bass to snapper, barra and pelagic species. Cerros rods feature a stylish design, classic two-tone anodized metal components and crisp actions, and they are also excellent value for money. This new rod range is perfect for those anglers wanting to get into lure fishing, and are also deadly in the hands of experienced lure fishers. A selection of Cerros baitcast models are also available. For more information on the Cerros range and on other new releases, visit the Okuma website or like them on Facebook 50

NOVEMBER 2018

PRODUCT GUIDE

at www.facebook.com/okuma.australia. Price: SRP $119.90 www.okuma.com.au

WILDFISH SMOKER DUST

13 16

The Wildfish Smoker dust and chips are perfect for hot smoking fish, poultry and other meats. They are the perfect addition to the Wildfish range of smokers. There are five flavours available: apple, hickory, peach, sheoak and wine. The wine flavour comes in a 200g bag of wood chips. All the other flavours are sawdust, and are available in 500g bags. The Wildfish Smoker cooker is constructed from long life stainless steel. It contains two smoking racks, a stainless steel drip tray and is supported on an elevated stand which houses two spirit burners for even cooking. Wildfish products are distributed by JM Gillies. For more information on the smokers and other products in the Wildfish range, visit the JM Gillies website. You can also find them on Facebook (www.facebook.com/jm.gillies) and Instagram (@jm.gillies) www.jmgillies.com.au

GULP TWIN TAIL

15 17

New for 2018 is the Berkley Gulp Twin Tail. The Twin Tail has more moves than a bowl of worms! A minnow profile with a set of twin tails that flutter and swim at any speed. Based on the crazy legs jerkshad, the designers have downsized this deadly concept to bite-sized 3” and 4” models. With 400X more scent dispersion that a plastic bait the Twin Tail is packed with Gulp scent to trigger more strikes. These new soft baits are currently available in either colours, including both natural and hivis variations, so you can match the hatch and the conditions. For more information, or to find your nearest stockiest, head over to the Berkley Australia website. For all the latest news, catch photos, videos, tips and tricks, check them out on Facebook at www.facebook. com/BerkleyFishingANZ. berkley-fishing.com.au

STRIKE PRO GUPPIE 18 NEW COLOURS Strike Pro has released two new colours in its popular Guppie swimbait lures and spare tails. There are three crltails and one Paddletail in five colours to match the Guppie lures. The TrueGlide Guppie has been the gold standard for handmade wood glide baits throughout Europe and the USA The paint schemes incorporate using paint or glitter on the inside shell of the bait, in addition to painting the outside shell, layering paint between topcoats for a 3-D effect. It also prolongs the colour of the bait fish after fish. Strike Pro has even replicated the 3-D eyes that TrueGlide are famous for. The Guppies body profile allows the lure to produce an amazing body roll and it slides from side to side in outstanding fashion. The Guppie also features an innovative cork screw at the tail of the bait allowing the angler to fish with either a curtail or paddletail soft plastic tail, creating the ultimate swim bait! The Guppie is a very effective lure that is deadly on barramundi, mulloway, murray cod and pelagic species. www.jurofishing.com

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WHAT’S NEW FISHING

Field-testing Daiwa J-Braid Grand: it’s a J-Braid Grand life! Last year I was lucky enough to be sent a Daiwa Tatula baitcasting rod and reel combo to have a play with, and inside the box was a spool of the original J-Braid x4 line to fill it with. For a 4-ply braid which was certainly at the lower end of retail pricing in tackle stores, I was very impressed. Some 18 months later I’m still using that same spool of line. I have had some torrid battles with threadfin salmon that have put me in and around any number of artificial and natural structures, but the braid has held up beautifully. With that in mind, you can understand my excitement in June this year when we opened an AusPost express bag with four

TESTED

I normally leave the spooling up to the tackle store I buy line from, because they’ve usually got a machine and it’s faster, packs it on tighter and leaves me more time to spend far too much on lures. However, spooling the two reels myself actually gave me a really nice feel of the lines before I’d even wet them. The first thing I noticed from both weight classes was that the new J-Braid Grand is a much smoother profile than both the original 4-ply and 8-ply versions, and also very soft and supple. It had little to no memory coming off the spool, and didn’t lose colour as it ran through my fingers that were keeping tension as it filled the reels. If you’ve ever done this job you’ll know you can end up looking

Squid have great eyes but the 10lb J-Thread Fluorocarbon did the trick and was near impossible for this tiger to see.

Not bad for your first thready. The 30lb J-Braid Grand and J-Thread Leader combo held up well in some very tight country. spools of the new Japanese made Daiwa J-Braid Grand in multi-colour, and an equal amount of J-Thread fluorocarbon leader. I took two spools of braid – 10lb and 30lb – and two spools of leader to match, and headed home to fill some reels and plan my testing missions. The 30lb went on an old Luvias DA Custom 3000 (yes, the one with the tribal tattoos on the side), and the 10lb was wound onto my Emeraldas MX 2508. The heavier set-up would come with me when chasing threadfin on the Brisbane River, and the lighter pairing would be on hand for any estuary fishing that was on the cards.

like you’ve had a fight with a packet of Sharpies. Once both reels were full to capacity it was time to tie a couple of FG knots and a rod length or so of the J-Thread fluorocarbon leader. The bride and I were lucky enough to have a babysitter that night, so we went out for a kid-free dinner and then hit the river for some thready action. The braid cast both light and heavy lures very well, with no signs of wind knots or colour fading, and it wasn’t long before the first of five nice fish were hooked and trying their best to rub through the J-Braid and J-Thread on some pylons.

Having used the old J-Braid for a long time (and enjoyed it) meant it was easy for the author to see just how superior this new version is.

The line held up incredibly well on both wooden and metal structures. The fluorocarbon was scuffed and tattered by the end of the night, but didn’t even look like breaking or rubbing through. I am a notoriously terrible knot tier, but I managed to re-tie new leaders with ease, even with a heavier line class than I normally use. With the heavier combo proving itself so well, I was pretty pumped to get out and try the 10lb versions as soon as possible. Over the last few months they’ve been put to the test on bream, bass and squid. With this set-up the lures I’ve used and the situations I’ve used them has been a lot more varied than with the 30lb combo so while the strength and durability has certainly still been tested, it’s more about performance when casting lures for long periods of time in both fresh and saltwater arenas with topwater, diving and sinking hardbodied

lures, squid jigs and soft plastics. In every situation it has performed like a braid and leader combo that you’d expect to pay twice as much for. Cast after cast it peeled off the reel with no memory, no wind knots and once I was connected to a fish or squid, performed very well under stress. J-Braid Grand is available in both multicolour and island blue in weights from 6lb through to 80lb in 150 yard and 300yd spools with RRP’s starting from only $39.99. J-Thread fluorocarbon leader comes in spools of 100m for the 4lb to 20lb classes and 50m spools for 30lb to 80lb and RRPs from $22.99. If you’re after a high quality Japanese designed and manufactured braided line or fluorocarbon leader without breaking the bank, I would highly recommend asking your local tackle store for J-Braid Grand and J-Thread. - Rupe

Another victim of the J-Thread leader. Even on a bright sunny day the line was undetectable.

NOVEMBER 2018

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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 Albany Rods & Tackle (08) 9841 1231 Trailblazers Albany (08) 9841 7859 Tatey’s Bait ‘n’ Tackle Castletown (08) 9071 5003 Esperance Camping & Workwear Esperance (08) 9071 2142

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

CARNARVON

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 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

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

HOPETOUN – BREMER BAY

ESPERANCE

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. 54

NOVEMBER 2018

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 NOVEMBER 2018

Torqeedo Ultralight revolutionises kayaking FMG

Peter Jung pjung@fishingmonthly.com.au

Recently, Fishing Monthly Magazines attended the launch of three of Torqeedo’s electric outboard motors by their Australian distributer, Power Equipment. German manufactured Torqeedo is recognised as a leader in the field of electric motor technology. In particular, for their attention to detail when it comes to minimizing battery use, while maximizing output. At the time we were impressed by what we saw and looked forward to getting our hands on them to put them through their paces. After catching up with Jason Hodder from Power Equipment and Paul Varasdi from Aquayak Kayaks, I organised with them to ship an Aquayak Scout kayak with a Torqeedo Ultralight 403 1hp fitted to our office. Once it arrived, we quickly organised to go to Hinze Dam in the hinterland of the Gold Coast to see if it would meet our expectations. TORQEEDO ULTRALIGHT 403 IN A NUTSHELL This outboard is designed to be mounted on a kayak. A universal mounting ball means that 58

NOVEMBER 2018

it can be attached to most brands of kayaks and the partnerships Torqeedo has with numerous well-known kayak brands overseas is a testament to this. Aquayak, a Melbournebased kayak manufacturer, is their Australian partner. They offer two models, which are ideally suited to having the Ultralight 403 fitted to them, which are the Scout and Ranger kayaks. Weighing in at just 7.3kg including the battery, the Ultralight, as the name suggests, doesn’t add a significant amount of weight to your kayak. In the case of the Scout kayak we tested it with, the total weight still falls well under 30kg, meaning it can still be manhandled by one person. Included when you purchase a 403 is the outboard, high performance 320Wh lithium battery with integrated computer and GPS, throttle with display, mounting ball, charger, magnetic kill switch and a bag for it to go in. The cost is $2750. Spare batteries can also be purchased, or you could option for the solar charger, which allows you to charge the battery while you are using the kayak. BATTERY LIFE The million-dollar question when it comes to any electric motor is, how long will the battery last? Jason Hodder provided me

with some pretty impressive figures from when the 403 was attached to a similar sized kayak to the Scout. At slow speed (approximately 4km/h) you can get a range of 35km or a battery life of just under 8.5 hours. Half throttle (approximately 6km/h) has a range of 25km or just over 4 hours of use. Full throttle (approximately 9km/h) provides a range of 7km and just under 1 hour of use. During our test at Hinze we were on the water for 4 hours. About 10% of this time would have been at full throttle and the rest was as you would use it in a normal fishing situation, and the unit only used 18% of the battery. That says to me that you could expect to get a couple of days on the water from the battery, as long as you don’t go full noise too often. To fully charge the battery from empty takes around 5 hours. The beauty of lithium batteries, other than how light they are, is the fact that they have no charging memory. This means you can charge them after every use and not worry about diminishing the capacity of the battery. ON THE WATER Hinze Dam was the perfect location to test the 403. It is a picturesque waterway in the hinterland behind the Gold Coast that has very good bass fishing

and watercraft can only be electric or paddle powered. As a ‘crawl before you walk’ type person, I had some reservations prior to launching in the eastern arm of the dam. The biggest being, how many times was I going to end up in the drink while I was getting used having the Ultralight powering the kayak? I needn’t have worried, once I deployed the 403, using a toggle system on the side of the kayak it only took me 5-10 minutes to get a feel for the pulley steering, the throttle, and then you couldn’t stop me after that. In many cases power was your friend. Turning from a stationary position was much easier when you applied a bit more throttle. This turned the nose of the kayak quickly and set you on your way. The steering is simple and I was very quickly negotiating my way around the abundant timber of the east arm of the dam. The motor also has reverse, which was great to position yourself when casting and also to get away from structure when you hooked a fish. I can hear everybody asking about what it performed like at full throttle. The answer is really well. It got up to a fraction under 11km/h (5.8 knots) and still handled and steered beautifully! At the end of our session on the water, I

decided it was time to be a bit more daring and test out what would happen if I lent back or sideways at speed (expecting to end up in the water). Impressively, the kayak either banked left or right , depending on which way I leant, and was easily corrected once your weight was centred again. No swimming in Hinze Dam for this puppy! Should you have a spill, the magnetic kill switch that you attached to your lifejacket or arm will automatically turn the motor off. CONCLUSION I can think of numerous occasions I would have loved to have an option like the Torqeedo Ultralight 403 for my kayak over the years. The first that comes to mind is Googong Dam just outside my hometown of Canberra. We were very limited with our electric motor options when I was fishing there, and the 403 would have been the ultimate bonus to get us to some amazing fishing, even all the way back then. Extended trips on rivers is another scenario where the Ultralight would provide the icing on the cake so to speak. You have all the stealth a kayak provides, with the bonus of paddling less and returning to areas, knowing that time constraints are less of an issue. However, I digress.

There are many positives the Torqeedo Ultralight 403 provides. The first and foremost outside of the places it can take you is how light the unit and battery is. Matched with the Aquayak Scout, it is a one-person fishing machine. The simplicity of the steering and the deployment of the unit suited the simple person using it and makes using it achievable for any person. It should be noted that there is also the option to have it attached to your existing steering system). I think I would add a solar charger as an option if I were to purchase a unit. I love the thought of the battery charging while I am out on the water. You also couldn’t help but be impressed by how frugal the motor was with its battery use. This just backed up the claim that Torqeedo is at the forefront of electric motor technology. If you are a kayak owner or somebody who would like an electric motor option, you don’t need to look any further than the Torqeedo Ultralight 403. To find out more about the Ultralight 403 and the range of Torqeedo motors you can visit the Power Equipment website www. powerequipment.com. au/products/torqeedo or through Aquayak kayaks at www.aquayak.com.

Fishing success for the author with a nice little Hinze Dam bass. The Torqeedo Ultralight 403 is a 1hp electric motor that can be attached to most kayaks.

Aquayak kayaks have two kayaks that they fit the Torqeedo onto, the Scout (tested) and the Ranger.

The author found the steering to be very easy to use and ended up navigating the timbered areas of Hinze with ease.

The lithium battery that comes with the unit is compact and lightweight, which means it is perfect for this kind of application.

The Torqeedo was easily deployed with a simple toggle system.

Simple is always best and the throttle unit is easy to use. It has forward and reverse and provides battery usage information as well as speed.

The universal mounting ball provided with the unit allows the 403 to be fitted easily to a kayak. NOVEMBER 2018

Sea Jay’s 460 Vision CC with Yamaha F75 - SC

TENT -

RE ONLINE MO

NOVEMBER 2018

it. Like the rest of the boats in the Sea Jay range, the warranty is effectively doubled with the purchase of the factory-matched trailer. It’s good value in our eyes. The single axle setup is achievable with a half-ton hull weight and allows you to manoeuvre the boat in

PERFORMANCE • Top speed 63.5km/h at 5900 rpm • Best economy at 4000rpm of 3.3km/L

Main: It was great to be able to take the 460 Vision out for a serious test in some rough water. Above: Powered by the new Yamaha F75 (which is 1.8L, compared with the 1L existing F70), the rig delivered 3.3km/L at 4000rpm. With a massive 2.3m beam, this 4.6m long boat holds a console that would be at home in a hull much longer. Well designed, with a grab bar all the way around

SPECIFICATIONS Length overall.......................................... 4.74m Bottom........................................................4mm Sides...........................................................3mm Beam...........................................................2.3m Depth........................................................1.24m Floor ribs........................................................ 11 Capacity........................................ Five persons Hull weight............................................... 495kg Max hp............................................................75 Max motor weight................................... 175kg went over the setup and quickly deduced that this rig was for anglers who wanted the versatility to fish anywhere from a tidal river to offshore.

DE FOR EX

One of the most popular boat tests we’ve completed in Fishing Monthly recently was the simple and effective Sea Jay Ranger 460 – an unpainted, tiller steer open boat with the Samurai hull. That hull – powered by a 70hp tiller Yamaha – struck a chord with anglers Australia-wide. This iteration of the same hull is painted, has a plywood, carpeted floor and a giant console. Enter the Vision 460. And we finally got a nice, rough day to take the test boat for a spin – 15-20 knots from the southeast with a big tide is a pretty standard nasty-dayon-the-bay. Meeting Sea Jay’s Garry Fitzgerald at the ramp, we

s.morgan@fishingmonthly.com.au

Steve Morgan

CON

AN THE

Same as most boats? Yep, and once you learn the limits of the hull, you’ll comfortably traverse water that’s too uncomfortable to fish in. High gunwales make this rig comfortable to fish in, especially from the cockpit.

FMG

the windscreen, there’s ample room for a mountain of big screen electronics and a dry storage shelf underneath. The front casting deck is elevated from the main

floor, but not so high that it’s unfishable in a bit of a sea. Underneath the floor is some gear storage and a compartment that’s ideal for the batteries for the bow mounted trolling motor. On the water, we had plenty of opportunity to see how this boat performed in a variety of conditions. In the lee of the wind and chop behind the headland, the Vision jumped up and onto the plane with the 1.8L 75hp Yamaha showing the benefit of its displacement. Around the corner where the waves and wind met current you needed to match the trim and speed of the boat to conditions. Get it right and the Vision lands gently, with the bow cutting the water. Try to traverse the chop too fast and you’ll

land the boat on the belly of the hull and wear the bang to match.

Wound out to 5900rpm, the Yamaha pushed the Vision along at 63.5km/h, but the most economical speed was at 4000rpm, there the Vision delivered 40km/h at a frugal 3.3km/L. Cradled on a Sea Jay aluminium I-beam framed trailer (manufactured by Dunbier), the Vision isn’t so heavy that you’ll need a specialised 4WD to tow

tight garage situations. Overall, the 4.6m Vision would suit an angler that wants the best of all worlds, with a bent more towards bay and inshore fishing than estuary work. For more information, visit Sportsmarine Boat Centre at 57 Strickland Street, Bunbury or go to their website sportsmarine. com.au or call 08 9721 4390

With a 2.3m beam and 4.6m overall length, the Vision is definitely a wide boat with a big ol’ console. Spinning a 15” GP Alloy Yamaha prop it definitely jumps up and onto the plane.

With a steep entry up front flattening out to a 16° deadrise down the back, the 460 Vision’s Samurai hull addresses the balance between stability and ride.

The upswept shape of the Samurai hull has become a Sea Jay trademark.

Now that’s a big console – we loved the handrail the whole way around and the abundance of room to mount electronics.

You can have the best of both worlds up front. The traditional, roomy anchor locker and bowsprit can work with an offset mounting plate for a bow mounted trolling motor.

A plumbed livewell in the port corner transom is a typical, simple Sea Jay design.

The front casting deck is raised, but to an intermediate height. This provides a balance between height and stability in rougher conditions.

The practicality theme continues towards the transom with the fibreglass cooler doubling as a seat.

Even with a medium-height casting deck forward, there’s still a mountain of room to store gear underfloor – including trolling motor batteries.

Store your catch, your lunch or the food for a week away in here. The world’s your oyster with the Vision set up like this.

Cradled on a Dunbier-built, Sea Jay-branded aluminium I-beam trailer, the Sea Jay gets a twoyear rather than a one-year warranty – a solid reason to go with the factory-designed kit.

There’s some extra storage in the transom and the standard side-pockets are great for the incidental gear you’ll take for a day on the water. NOVEMBER 2018

- JOIN THE FOURSTROKE –

REVOLUTION

UNBEATABLE SAVINGS UP TO $1150 ON SELECTED 2.5–115HP FOURSTROKE It’s time to join the Mercury Revolution and get out on the water this Summer. With UNBEATABLE savings across a range of 2.5 – 115 horsepower FourStroke models and great Mercury Finance offers also available…Why Wait? So, go online to find your nearest participating Mercury Dealer and join the Mercury FourStroke Revolution today.

HURRY OFFER ENDS NOVEMBER 23RD 2018. mercurymarine.com.au