Innholdsfortegnelse for October 2021 i Fishing World

There’s never been a better time to talk about mental health and it’s connection with fishing. This year, Australia’s Gone Fishing Day coincides with World Mental Health Day and it’s a good reason to raise the topic again. Another reason is the prolonged Covid lockdowns across Australia and the negative impact it’s having on all of us. The barrage of negative news in the media and separation from family and friends is tough and some of us at the time of writing (mid-August) aren’t even allowed to fish. It’s important we follow the Covid rules and help bring these regular and prolonged lockdowns to an end as soon as possible. But there’s no ignoring the stress a prolonged lockdown creates for everyone. No one is immune! Interestingly, the findings of…

FISH FACTS GREEDY CALAMARI Many decades ago squid were considered as bait by the majority of Aussie fishos, but times have changed. Today, these supercharged molluscs are highly regarded target species and we have even seen the emergence of specialist squid (Egi) fishing groups… ● By Dr Ben Diggles ENVIRONMENT “REAL TRUTHS” Donald Trump’s presidency redefined the meaning of the word “fact”, at least for the 75 million Americans who voted for him at the last election. 75% of Republican voters apparently still believe in the “fact” ● By John Newbery…

Q: HOW DO I MAKE MY FISH PHOTOS LOOK BETTER? BENJI E-MAIL A: Fish photography has certainly got a whole lot easier in the modern day with the technology available. It really is gobsmacking some of the pics that can be taken with just an iPhone. It doesn’t seem that long ago I had to look through a lens and focus before clicking the button and then wait till I used all the film to get it processed before I knew how the shot came out. Thankfully, it is far easier to compose a shot and get professional photographer quality images. Firstly, asses the landscape and make sure you have a nice backdrop, also take not of what lighting is available and don’t fear a backlit subject as this can…

The suggestion to “let’s go visit Keith,” came on the back of a windy morning in the Northern Rivers Region of NSW. The Loved-One had kindly organised a weekend away for the two of us with the cracker of the idea to bring along our new vessel so I could go offshore with my mate “Lightning Macqueen”. With wind forecast, the plan changed to a canoe trip on the top of the river. However, upon arrival to said spot, someone (who shall remain nameless, lest I appear less than intelligent), realised they’d left their paddle in the back of the Ute. Not a big problem really because it was pretty windy anyway. Keith is a fisherman through and through, although he reckons, he’s past it now, after taking a spill…

Boat trailers are the unsung heroes in boating. While boats and engines get most of the attention, the trailer works effortlessly to get your pride and joy to and from the boat ramp each time you go fishing. Most people only recognise the importance of a trailer when something goes wrong. And when that happens, it’s usually too late. Over the following page let’s look at some simple trailer tips, from choosing the correct one for your boat to learning how to reverse and maintain your trailer. In the end, you’ll have less hassles and spend more time doing what you should be doing, on the water catching fish. 1) Match your boat It’s important if you’re buying a trailer, boat and engine together to ensure the trailer is properly…

THE dusky flathead has always been a popular species in Australia. Flatties are very accessible, tasty and are considered an “everybody” fish, which is perhaps why captures, stories and photos of monster-size fish are so revered. At full maturity, flatties are impressive creatures. Featuring a prehistoric looking head, big jaws, tough, leathery skin and impressive markings; it is not surprising big flatties were coined “crocs”. Studying how big flathead sunbake, ambush and attack their prey adds further merit to the all-encompassing moniker, “croc”. Like many anglers, I cut my teeth with lures while chasing flatties as a kid. Early on, I concentrated my effort fishing the plentiful channels and holes of the Hastings River. I caught stacks of flatties on DOAs, Mister Twisters and Mann’s Stretch divers. While I caught…

IN November 2019, NSW DPI reported a quirky Lake Macquarie dusky flathead recapture whereby angler Dan Guilfoyle recaptured a fish that he had originally tagged three months earlier for DPI’s Lake Macquarie Flathead Tagging Program. In an interesting turn of events, Guilfoyle again recaptured the same fish. Including the initial tag and release of the fish, this means the fish has now been caught an incredible four times within two years. The details of each recapture feature below: • Tagged & released by Dan Guilfoyle on 17 July 2019. • Recaptured and re-released by Dan Guilfoyle on 14 October 2019. • Recaptured and re-released by Stephen Ireland on 13 April 2020. • Recapture and re-released by Dan Guilfoyle on 08 June 2021. Overall, the flathead has spent 693 days at…

Float fishing is a technique that is seemingly underutilised by modern anglers but offers many advantages for those in the know. The basic premise of using a float is to suspend your bait off the bottom but there’s more to float fishing than meets the eye. Not only can floats offer a novel solution in a number of different scenarios, but float fishing is also an exciting and visual form of angling with the anticipation of the float bobbing around leading to the thrill of a strike and the float suddenly vanishing below the surface. FLOAT FISHING ADVANTAGES Using a float offers a number of benefits and one in particular is the ability to accurately set the depth of your bait and target fish feeding in a particular segment of…

1 Amelia with a record tiny trevally taken on lure! 2 Ethan, 10, and Isaac, 12, love spending all their spare time fishing together, showcasing one of the many flatheads they reel in from Sussex Inlet in NSW. 3 Max Gaming caught this big salmon at Fingal bay, NSW, at the beach. 4 Matilda Crawford, age 6, with her biggest salmon to date at 48cm caught all by herself at Coffin Bay SA.…

Yamaha extends outboard colour options YAMAHA has announced the release of its new pearlescent white colour option across the its F50, F70 and F90 outboard range. This follows the successful rollout of the F115, F150, F200, F250 and F300 pearlescent white outboards earlier in the year. The pearlescent white option is now available across all key models in Yamaha’s mid and high horsepower line-up, from the compact F50 all the way up to their big horsepower F425 XTO. With current demand for outboards at record levels, Yamaha recommends you contact your local authorised Yamaha dealer today to lock in your order. For more information: www.yamaha-motor.com.au Isuzu's all-new MU-X Combining bold and dynamic design, with a comprehensive suite of standardised safety, driver-assist technologies and improved capabilities including segment-topping 3.5-tonne braked towing…

DETERMINING A FISH’S AGE Determining the age of a fish has been traditionally undertaken by counting growth rings in its ear bones, or otoliths. That, of course, means the fish must die to be investigated. The CSIRO has now completed work with Murray cod, Mary River cod and Australian lungfish which has allowed development of a fast, cost-effective DNA test to provide a non-lethal alternative to the growth ring method. Postdoctoral Fellow Dr Ben Mayne says this new method can also be adapted for other fish species and commented “Knowing the ages of fish in a population is vital for their management, such as setting sustainable harvests or determining whether a species is a risk of extinction as well as understanding growth and reproduction of a species.” He added “We’re…

IN an Australian first, it is now possible to recycle your unwanted fishing tackle at a select number of BCF - Boating, Camping, Fishing stores. Fishing conservation charity OzFish Unlimited in partnership with Tangaroa Blue Foundation are launching the program together with BCF who are opening their doors for recreational fishers to bring in their old, unwanted or recovered fishing tackle and dispose of it in purpose-built Rig Recycle bins. “Recreational fishers now have a way to recycle their fishing tackle and play their part in reducing the impact this waste has on our waterways,” says founder and CEO of OzFish, Craig Copeland. The Rig Recycle concept is an initiative of ReefClean and was developed to help overcome issues such as pollution from discarded fishing gear, while also reducing the…

THE worldwide pandemic certainly threw a spanner in the works for everyone wanting to travel anywhere. Even intestate trips became a risk for travelling fishos. Trying to get to Cairns last year for the heavy tackle, black marlin season was an absolute disaster for me and I missed out on some amazing fishing and photo opportunities. Ah well, at last things are starting to settle a little and we can finally get back to doing what we want to do. Another place I missed going to last year in Queensland was Cooktown and this quaint, little old country town has an amazing history, not only with the thousands of early settlers and gold miners, but for us fishos. The town was always a stop-over port for the old Cairns marlin…