Innehållsförteckning för August 2023 från Fishing World

SOCIAL licence is a common term these days and a relevant one for fishing. I touched on the subject in a recent editorial about the recent ABARES National Social and Economic Survey of Recreational Fishers. In a world of instant information and social media, having a strong social licence has never been more important. What exactly is social licence? In a nutshell, it’s the general publics’ acceptance of any given activity. It could be golf, sky diving, hunting or lawn bowls. Does your average Joe (or Jane) accept and support the activity? Would they be worried if it ceased to exist or would they even support it being abolished? And why is that important? After all, who cares what the average person thinks of an activity? The reality is, it…

PENN AUTHORITY AND SLAMMER ROD THE Authority is the latest premium spin reel from Penn. In product features, performance, and price, the Authority sits above the incredibly popular Slammer series. I’ve owned various Slammer 111 and Slammer IV models and couldn’t fault them. They were (and still are) tough, resilient to hard knocks, and priced surprisingly affordable. Penn’s Authority takes the strong DNA of the Slammer series and adds several features to make it a smoother, more durable and with superior performance. So, how did it go after a year of solid use? I had the Authority matched with one of the new Penn Slammer rods. It goes without saying, these rods match the Slammer series reels and also complement the Authority nicely. The model of reel tested was the…

GOVERNOR Lachlan Macquarie, in 1813, sent George Evans to follow the paths of Blaxland, Wentworth and Lawson. They were to explore further afield and find new land for the colony of Sydney whose population was now hemmed in by the Blue Mountains and were hungry for land. November 1813, George Evans and his group of five men have past the previous terminus of Blaxland, Wentworth and Lawson. Evans was constantly at a loss for words to describe this country they now traverse, never before having seen the footprint of a white man. Monday 6th November 1813 and again Evans was astounded by what he saw and is prompted to write in his diary “I am at a loss for Language to describe the Country; I named this part "Macquarie Plains".…

Raymarine’s new gear on display RAYMARINE showed off its range of new products at the recent Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show including the Axiom 2 Pro range, a powerful line of multifunction chartplotters, the Axiom 2 XL range of premium, glass bridge chartplotters, the RVM1600 CHIRP sonar module, new LightHouse charts and the CAM300 day and night IP camera. AXIOM 2 PRO The new Axiom 2 Pro is the most powerful Axiom chartplotter ever developed by Raymarine, delivering a fluid and highly intuitive navigation experience. This new all-in-one display, powered by the latest LightHouse 4 operating system, integrates with an advanced Raymarine navigation network that includes radar, autopilot and Lighthouse charts as well as FLIR thermal night vision technology. The upgraded six core processor enables faster chart scrolling, instant response…

I’ve had a love/hate relationship with winter over many years now. There are many things I hate when the weather cools down. Having ​ to put a heap of clothes on, losing daylight savings, cold mornings and having to split firewood are just a few but the worst is the fact that much of my summer fishing shuts down. My beloved flats fishing is out when it gets cold. The local estuaries certainly slow down but are still fishable for a flathead or jewie. The blackfish from the local rocks start to slow as they move into the estuaries to breed. I used to find winter quite depressing years ago but that was before I discovered our local inshore snapper fishing during the cooler months. That realisation came slowly. It…

Since 1999, China has implemented a summer fishing moratorium on a number of its coastal waters, and this year’s ban includes the Bohai Sea, the Yellow Sea, the East China Sea, and areas north of 12 degrees north in the South China Sea. The ban runs from May until mid-August in most areas, with extensions into September for some. It applies to both domestic and foreign vessels and is part of China’s efforts to promote the sustainability of marine fishing and improve marine ecology. During the moratorium period some provinces ban the sale of selected coastally caught species, such as hairtail and pomfret, both fresh and frozen, while others provide substantial marine conservation subsidies to local affected fishers. There are extensive enforcement patrols undertaken during the moratorium period. Foreign vessels…

LAND based gamefishing (LBG) is within reach of the average person. It’s always challenging, but the possibility of not knowing what you're going to hook next is what keeps us coming back. What comes to mind for me – and many other anglers – is catching a land-based black marlin (Istiompax Indica). It’s the holy grail, a crowning achievement of fishing and there are few ledges that can still be fished for marlin within Australia and the world. That make this even more challenging! When the tropical currents push down the Australian East Coast there is nowhere more productive than the sandstone ledges of point perpendicular, Jervis Bay. There have been plenty of articles on land based gamefishing already and I could take a trip down memory lane and go…

The coastal strip running north from Byron Bay to the Queensland border is known as the Tweed Coast. This once quiet area it is rapidly transforming into an upmarket residential area as well as a popular holiday destination. Apart from the recent addition of several modern housing sub-divisions and shopping precincts, a major hospital is in the final stages of construction which indicates the area is looking at further expansion. The Tweed Coast is about 40km in length and is bounded by the Billinudgel Nature Park to the south. The Tweed Shire southern boundary lies between Byron Bay and Wooyung. To the north Tweed Heads and Coolangatta straddle the border. The “Twin Towns” have long been tourist meccas with clubs, bars and shopping malls catering to Queenslanders who wanted a…

Q WHAT DOES FINGERLING MEAN? Michael E-mail A Fingerling is a term used for a fish, commonly less than a year old, that is the size of a finger or lesser. It is also a variety of potato, though this is certainly not a publication specialising in underground vegetables! Its is commonly used by hatcheries and aquaculture facilities that produce fish for fresh and saltwater stocking, fish meal, produce and more. Seeing these small sized versions of the more common species like bream, flathead, mulloway, Murray cod and golden perch is quite amazing and if you ever get the chance to participate or observe fish stocking or an aquaculture facility, I strongly suggest you check it out. Q For fish I wish to photograph and release what is the best…

Oceanworx is a new boat brand hailing from Southern Sydney. The brains behind the brand is Samson Rodway, the son of Derek Rodway. Derek owns Good Times Marine and is no stranger to alloy boat production and the needs of fishos and boats when it comes to boat choice and design. For Samson, who grew up in a boatobsessed household, it was the obvious choice to go this direction. Oceanworx kicked off its brand with the release of its first boat, the Airier 4.8. First impressions I met Samson, Derek and Derek’s daughter, Zoe, at Good Times Marine for a first glimpse of the new boat. First impressions last and this first impression was a positive one. It’s a neat looking boat! This one was painted green with a matte…

MORE than 80 per cent of WA’s fishing charter businesses, from Kalbarri to Augusta, are facing the grim prospect of going under from following Government fishery management changes. As of 1 July, 78 charter fishing operators will lose hundreds of thousands of dollars in lost business, with fishers aboard their vessels no longer able to fish for prized bottom fish like dhufish and pink snapper in the West Coast Bioregion (WCB – from Kalbarri down to Augusta). Charter fishing is responsible for only 12 per cent of total demersal catches in the WCB. Like the recreational fishing sector though, charter operators have been told to slash their catches. A tag system has been introduced for the charter sector whereby operators are issued with a limited number of tags by DPIRD,…

DAIWA STEEZ SOFT SHELL WITH the winter species on the prowl, it’s never been a better time than now to tie on a Daiwa Steez Soft Shell. A uniquely designed soft vibration bait developed in Australia, the Steez Soft Shell is a hybrid crawfish imitation featuring appendages that impart a unique action on the drop, a stand-up head design and buoyant claws that float and move in the current when the Soft Shell sits at rest. A gun lure in the freshwater on yellowbelly, bass, and barra, the Steez Soft Shell is equally as desired in the salt with popular southern winter species such as snapper and mulloway stary eyed for this unique lure. Our northern saltwater species equally have an appetite for the Soft Shell with coral trout, threadfin…

“Where you got it from” is a series that has hand-selected some of Australia’s best restaurateurs and chefs who love fishing – just like us. The goal is for our guests to take us out to wet a line in their local waterways and then take a feed to their restaurant to cook up. We learn their processes from the ocean to the kitchen, picking their brains for ideas on how your everyday punter can reproduce restaurant-quality meals at home. Mark Labrooy is one of the original co-owners of “The 3 Blue Ducks”. His ideologies and passions are reflected in the ever-changing menu at the restaurant he manages in the Sydney suburb of Rosebery. I was lucky enough to spend a few days with him getting an insight into his…

FISHING is a dynamic activity that rewards anglers who are willing to experiment and innovate. By spicing up your rigs or simply trying something different, you can maximise your chances of enticing fish and landing that prized catch. In this column, we will explore how to enhance your fishing rigs using novel baits, flash, colour and some innovative knot and lure enhancements. These elements will add excitement and effectiveness to your rigs, allowing you to elevate your fishing game and increase your chances of success on the water. NOVEL BAITS When it comes to attracting fish, bait selection is key. While traditional baits like worms and prawns are reliable options, embracing novelty and changes to your bait offering can make a difference during challenging periods. Experiment with hybrid combinations by…

WELL it’s here again and in full force. Winter! I was never a fan of the colder months but these days I’ve learned how to embrace them and make the most of the cold, the wind and the rain in southern NSW. It gives me a chance to wear jeans, boots and some favourite jackets and jumpers. It’s also a chance to start the fire when there’s a cold snap. Many of us suffer from the winter blues and I was one of them until a few years ago. I hated winter and it made me feel depressed but these days I have a different outlook on the colder months and make the most of them. The fishing isn’t anywhere near as good as summer and autumn but there are…

Whether you’re cruising up the river with your family, travelling to the next fishing spot, soaking a bait or trolling for your favourite species, for me, a quality sound system is an essential part of the boating experience. FUSION was founded in New Zealand in 1998 and acquired by Garmin in 2014. It’s now firmly established as a global dedicated marine audio entertainment brand with products suitable for multi-million dollar super yachts to stand up paddle boards. Long gone are the days when marine audio systems only played CDs and required a hefty area of console real estate to accommodate your control unit. This restricted the ability to have a high quality sound system on smaller tiller steer boats or, as in my case, a 4.6m tinny with limited console…