Indholdsfortegnelse for June 2017 i Fishing World

THE Queensland Branch of the Australian National Sportfishing Association (ANSA) has established a writing scholarship in honour of one of their founding members and a pioneer in the world of sportfishing journalism, Vic McCristal. Vic McCristal passed away in 2015 and this Scholarship recognises McCristal’s outstanding contribution to sportfishing journalism and the role he played in mentoring and nurturing the next crop of sportfishing writers. ANSA Qld president Nathan Johnson said that ANSA QLD is committed to cultivating this art form to both honour McCristal and as a pathway to promote sport, conservation and integrity in fishing. “Anyone who resides in Queensland and is interested in making a start in sportfishing journalism is welcome to apply but we are looking to give preference to those who have only limited sportfishing…

IT’S pre dawn and you’re wandering along a faint fisherman’s trail, weaving through the damp carpet of grass covering the headland. A slight easterly breeze brings a chill to the morning air, yet as you near the headland’s peak, the echoing sound of a solid swell sparks your full attention. Clambering down the rocks, you eagerly make your way towards your chosen position while scanning the white-water coated minefield of bommies beneath. You make your first cast - a long, calculated throw down the centre of the hole. Just as you begin to consider where to position your lure next, the tell-tale “clunk” of a rampaging mulloway snatching your offering shoots through your rod and all hell breaks loose! Cracking the code Australia wide, the mulloway, or jewfish, is perceived…

IN an era when technology is moving faster than we can keep up, it’s no wonder people struggle making decisions when it comes to setting up their trailer boats with marine electronics. Over the past five or so years we’ve seen technology and features that were once reserved for commercial operators appear in compact all-in-one units that are affordable enough to find their way into the helms and dashboards of recreational boats. I have quite a bit of experience with a few of the better-known brands, so I hope what I’ve learned helps you make some sense of what’s on offer and how you can integrate new electronics within your boat. Start from scratch Scrap everything you’ve heard, seen or read about marine electronics. While this goes against what I’d…

THE technological advances in marine electronics in recent years have been truly mind-blowing, and to be honest if you’re a serious angler, impossible to ignore. It’s a tremendously competitive industry and leading companies such as Lowrance are continually improving its products to maintain its edge as an industry leader. I’ve had the opportunity over recent months to field test the Lowrance Hook 5 Fish Finder/Chart Plotter on my Hobie Revolution 13 kayak which I’ve used for estuarine and inshore fishing over this period. The Lowrance Hook 5 Fish Finder/Chart Plotter is a stand-alone unit that’s ideally suited to use in trailer boats and kayaks. Some of the key features of this unit include CHIRP sonar and DownScan imaging, a 5 inch high definition colour display and advanced signal processing. The…

I’VE been wearing a quatix 3 now for over six months and during that time have become more and more reliant on its many and varied features. Truth be told, I’m now just as dependent on this smart watch as I am of my smart phone. It’s addictive! Garmin’s latest range of integrated technology was reviewed back in the October 2016 edition of Boat Fishing. At the time I touched on the watch’s useful feature of “partnering” or “integrating” with Garmin’s range of electronics products. It’s a fantastic feature and using the full suite of Garmin products in one spot shows the true potential of this technology. Boaties can use the quatix 3 via wi-fi to connect your onboard electronics. Once connected it will display data such as depth, speed,…

RUMMAGING through my ginger beard I glanced at the weather forecast and contemplated the conditions for the following day. The plan was to chase a snapper around my local waters off Sydney. Persistent rain and wind over the previous few days had me concerned that conditions would be average, despite a glamour prediction for the following day. On the way home I went via the beach just to be sure. Rounding the bend to the beach I noticed the ocean was a seething mass of white stirred up green cloudy water. About 1-2km out I could see a distinct colour change from the cloudy green to a nice clean blue colour. It was obvious the inshore was stirred up with freshwater from the rain. While stirred up water is great…

THE Washington Post, of all places, has featured a warning about releasing the herpes virus into Australia’s waterways to control our infamous carp problem. The action has been planned for some years in response to the threats posed by the “rabbits of the rivers”. Researchers have tabled concerns about “catastrophic ecosystem crashes” and “a serious risk to global food security” if the release goes ahead as scheduled in 2018. Carp herpes is aimed at eliminating 95 per cent of the European carp population over the next 30 years but the researchers are concerned about the effect of many tonnes of decomposing carp in our inland waterways and the risk of virus spread into surrounding oceans, with possible unknown impacts on other non-target species.…

Good preparation is key to success in all forms of fishing, but especially so in kayak fishing.” THE amazing rise in the popularity of kayak fishing over the past decade has been incredible. There’s something really therapeutic about getting out on the water in a ‘yak that attracts people of all ages and from all walks of life. Serious anglers have been quick to realise the fantastic fishing potential of the new generation purpose-built fishing kayaks available these days. For many estuarine fishing scenarios a well set-up fishing kayak is actually the best means to get amongst the rod bending action. I’m fortunate to live on Lake Macquarie, a vast waterway which offers tremendous estuarine yak fishing options. Recent years have been spent almost exclusively lure fishing from my Hobie…

WHERE I grew up, trout were secret society stuff. My old South Australian home turf had precious few perennial freshwater rivers, lakes or streams suited to trout, and those colonies of the species that did exist in isolated pockets of year-round cold water only clung in there thanks to the stocking efforts of local fly and fresh water fishing clubs. As a result, trout were a species that seemed shrouded in myth and rumour; the exclusive domain of skilled and very clued in anglers who kept their lips well and truly sealed lest some newcomer cotton on to where their secret quarry may be found. I guess it was a coming of age thing for a budding young angler to unlock these secrets of the pre-social media world through weight…

BRISK mornings and the jolt of cool, crisp air smarting any bit of exposed skin quickly reminds you of the bitter cold that arrives with the onset of winter. I have a love-hate relationship with winter; I hate leaving a warm bed yet love the invigorating blast of cold air as I travel at speed down Sydney Harbour in anticipation of what the frosty morning might bring. Winter time and the prevailing westerly winds make for calm waters in and around the harbour, providing a number of options for those willing to make the effort. When the westerlies blow you can sneak outside the heads and fish within casting distance of the ocean rocks and cliffs. The calm waters allowing use of an electric motor to glide around the inshore…

EVINRUDE Australia officially launched its 150hp G2 and 60hp H.O (G1) E-TECs to the local market at a recent dealer and media event. The latest products from Evinrude were originally unveiled last year in the US and have since gained traction as star performers in the company’s line-up of direct injection two-stroke technology. The 150hp G2 E-TEC is a brand new platform of engine, a 2.7L V6 with a host of market leading features. The 150 class includes a 150, 150 H.O, 175 & 200hp. The standout feature of the 150 is the awesome torque and fuel efficiency. On the water they really stand out as powerful engines! The hole shot and mid-range power is impressive to say the least. Evinrude hopes to entice anyone seeking optimum performance in this…

NAMBUCCA Shire Council has labelled itself a “fish friendly Council”. The council has not only established itself at the forefront of fish habitat creation but also been able to gain some substantial improvements to boating and fishing facilities across the shire through collaborations with other government agencies and local community groups. Fish habitat and water quality are important requirements to provide quality recreational fishing and Nambucca Shire has been looking at every opportunity to improve and maximise the habitat and health of its rivers, creeks and estuaries. Some of the more significant projects undertaken over the past few years have included large scale acid sulphate soil management, riparian revegetation projects, and river bank stabilising to reduce erosion and create fish habitat. A significant project undertaken in 2016 was the creation…

FISHINGWORLD.COM.AU ➀ ENVIRONMENT: RISKY BUSINESS BY JOHN NEWBERY ROCK fishing is a risky business… If you’re not convinced, take a look at Greg Finney’s emotional on-camera interview on the Fisho website about being washed in without a lifejacket... ➁ FISH FACTS: BROWN MAORI COD BY DR BEN DIGGLES THE brown Maori cod (Epinephelus undulatostriatus), also known as the scribbled rock cod or Maori grouper, is a temperate reef dwelling species from the family Serranidae...…

This life-supporting labyrinth is obvious when you take a slow journey through a mangrove forest, with juvenile fish and crabs ever present along the fringes.” MANGROVE forests offer a pretty unique environment. They’re the lifeblood of many estuary systems, offering habitat and structure for a variety of species; both terrestrial and aquatic. When all is quiet you can hear life abounding within a mangrove forest. From birds and fish, to crabs scurrying over the mud. Meandering through a tight coastal creek in a small boat or kayak and surrounded by mangroves is pretty cool, especially at high tide when you can duck and weave around tight bends and narrow laneways. These small creeks come into their own when the tide is high, and they can seem like they meander for…

1 Jack Patterson with his PB 53cm yellow belly from Lake Eildon. 2 Six-year-old Abby Camilleri with a 46cm skippy from Western Australia. 3 Alex Smart caught his first legal barra, a whopping 100.5cm fish, from Shady Camp in the NT. 4 Riley with his first luderick using a float and green weed. 5 Three-year-old Beau Breasley with a bream caught on his first trip with Dad. Well done, Beau!…

I FIRST heard about Baffle Creek years ago, and when it was described as having the greatest concentration of mangrove jacks of any non-tropical river, it was immediately on my bucket list. I’d passed the signs quite a few times and even taken a detour between Agnes Waters and Bundaberg to check it out, so when the opportunity arose to fish Baffle Creek, I jumped at it. European immigrants first settled the Baffle Creek region in 1908. Three years later a sugar mill was constructed and in 1915 the mill owners built a ferry to which in addition to transporting sugar cane, milk and butter to the railway, linked the Baffle Creek settlement with civilisation. When the Euleilah Bridge opened in 1965, the ferry fell into disuse. My mate Brett…

“Seated down near the stern and having the Apex Hull working through the chop and wakes up front made for a beautiful ride that was as dry as it was soft.” THE Quintrex Hornet has been around for many years now and has undergone a number of changes over that time. The early Hornets were a favourite for tournament and sportfishing anglers. The sleek design, casting platforms, plus a host of options made it an instant classic. The Hornet Trophy was the premium version with front and rear casting platforms, live well and movable seating. I even owned an early model Hornet and over the years have become spoilt and now couldn’t possibly live without all the comforts offered in the Trophy range. Quintrex has stepped things up again and…