Innholdsfortegnelse for February 2022 i Fishing World

Central Acclimatisation Society (CAS) members recently received their annual allocation of rainbow trout from NSW DPI Dutton Hatchery to release into Central West streams to boost existing stocks for the benefit of recreational anglers. Approximately 160,000 lively rainbows were delivered by the Dutton Hatchery team boxed in oxygenated bags after Covid restrictions were relaxed to allow vaccinated CAS members to distribute the quality fish into streams around Mudgee, Sofala, Oberon, Cowra, Wallerawang, Lithgow, Bathurst, Blayney & Burraga regions. The fish between 30-50mm long at the time of release should grow to legal size of 250mm by the opening of the 2022 trout season next October long week-end and continue to supply plenty of fun for recreational anglers in coming years. The value of annual restocking which helps maintain and boosts…

DOWNSIZING lures is not a new phenomenon, however the finesse and micro fishing scene in hard fished South East Asian waters far more advanced than what we see domestically. I was introduced to Bait Finesse Style (BFS), light shore game and Ajing fishing in Singapore where local anglers would use heavily customised and pretty fancy ultralight fishing gear to cast tiny soft plastic lures, jigs and hardbodies. In a densely populated nation with immense pressure on saltwater fish stocks from industrial and shipping activity, finesse fishing was often the key to success. THE RATIONALE BEHIND MICRO FISHING Downsizing your offerings to showing fickle fish a smaller profile they might not have seen before can yield exceptional results. Ultra light soft plastics and jigs sink slower so can present for longer…

BEING stuck in NSW last year’s Covid lockdowns wasn’t a lot of fun as many of you would know. It started in about last June with mandatory masks which meant I had to wear one at work for my part time job. I wear glasses for reading and computer work which meant they were continually fogging up when I did a sale on the computer. That went on for almost two months but in mid-August all of NSW when into lockdown which meant my two days a week at a local tackle shop stopped altogether. Believe it or not I got $70 a week more in Covid Relief payments than I was actually earning. That meant I was unemployed until NSW opened up again in mid-October when I went back…

?OUT of sight, out of mind” is ok when referring to ex-girlfriends/boyfriends, but when it comes to boat fuel systems… perish the thought! Perish being the operative word, as that’s exactly what can happen to sub-floor hoses other parts of a boat’s fuel system if left unchecked. Add to that a fuel leak and many boats can inadvertently turn into floating bombs. SAFETY FIRST The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) strongly recommends trailer boat fuel systems be inspected annually. This is a difficult task in many fibreglass and aluminium trailer boats as the fuel tank is usually situated beneath the floor – under a cover that’s typically fibreglassed, glued and/or screwed into the deck. Not only is it difficult, it’s time consuming and costly to inspect these fuel systems and,…

OPTIMISM is an essential tool for a fisho. The ability to persevere in the face of defeat more than often pays off. While planning and preparing is also essential for a successful fishing trip, sometimes the best plans fail, and as the great boxer Mike Tyson once said, “Everyone has a plan ’til they get punched in the mouth”. A recent trip to the NSW Snowy Mountains comes to mind. NSW and Victoria were ending their prolonged Covid lockdowns, and I was, like everyone else, eager to get out of town and fish. The weather had other plans. This summer’s La Nina weather pattern was in full swing with the wettest November on record and major flooding throughout much of South Eastern Australia. The idea of cancelling the trip wasn’t…

BERKLEY POWERBAIT 4” BUZZ N SPEED TOAD THE PowerBait Buzz n Speed Toad adds a whole new dimension to the PowerBait family of baits with its unique serrated leg design. There’s nothing better than heart stopping surface explosions from a well-positioned Buzz n Speed Toad. The Buzz n Speed Toads serrated feet cut the water surface creating strike provoking water disturbance. When fish strike and get a taste of the PowerBait formula you know they ’ re going to hang on! RRP $ 9.99 More info at berkley-fishing.com.au. PLATYPUS PULSE MONO PLATYPUS continues its 120 + years of fishing line development with this new generation monofilament line, engineered from the ground up utilising the latest raw materials and refined processes to produce a line that exceeds the expectations of today’s…

Fish behaviour varies widely. Anglers encounter situations ranging from feeding-frenzies to shut-downs. Some cannot tell what is happening. Others can read the signs but accept things as they are. Far fewer anglers have the knowledge, skills, and tools to change the situation. Fishermen do far better by developing an understanding of their target species. Knowledge increases as you spend time on the water chasing a particular species. The ability to recognise what mood they are in is an important feature of this process. In this article, we examine fish behaviour and then describe ways to alter a fish’s state or mood to get a bite. The ratio of rest to activity will vary between species. Some predatory fish spend much of their existence conserving energy and digesting their last meal.…

When it comes to freshwater fish in Australia, there is no species more prone to starting arguments among anglers than the redfin. No, not even the European carp! You see, the enigmatic and introduced “reddie” is at once despised and desired by freshwater anglers in the south, whereas the carp is almost universally despised. For me, despite the fact that they are considered a pest species in most states, redfin have played a memorable role in my development as an angler, and more recently in that of my sons. I’ve probably already started an argument but let me explain. The redfin is the first fish that I can remember catching by myself without the presence of adult anglers. It’s certainly the first species I caught on a lure. My brothers…

The winter of 2021 saw many people take a up a new “lockdown hobby”. But Derek Rodway didn’t take up gardening or yoga, no, he took a chainsaw and chopped the roof off a 1994 Seafarer Victory. Restoring classic Aussie-built boats has never been more popular. Boats like the Victory, while they can be hard to find, provide an ideal platform to create something special if you have the time and money. For Derek, owner of Good Times Marine in Southern Sydney, it provided the perfect opportunity to showcase some of his Roswell Marine products and turn a good boat into a serious sport fishing machine. Not everyone has the time or skills to undertake such a project and Derek says he’s been inundated with requests for similar builds since…

Inshore structure is a broad term when you start thinking about the available fishholding zones through our inshore waters. To reference inshore structure, we’re grouping all the natural and man-made fish aggregation areas in our shallow marine waters under one title. These areas include natural structure such as shallow reefs, fallen or standing timber and channel edges, while on the man-made side we have jetties, piers, pontoons, bridges and oyster racks, to name a few. All these areas will aggregate bait and offer cover for smaller fish, which in turn offers an ambush zone for predatory fish. Inshore structures are basically highways for life – and are rightly frequented by inshore fishers chasing a range of species. These species will vary depending on your geographic location and type of structure,…

The Eurobodalla region is buzzing with excitement with the latest boost for recreational fishers in the form of over 100 tonnes of complex designed artificial reef strategically placed on the seabed about 3.5km north-east of Moruya Heads. This is one of nine offshore artificial reefs installed across NSW over the past decade. These complex super structures are being constructed using funds from the NSW Government’s Recreational Fishing Trust, as well as funding from the Regional Growth – Environment and Tourism Fund. The reef comprises of two steel tower modules, standing 12 metres tall with a footprint of 13 x 13 metres and built to withstand large storms. SMC Marine was responsible for the design, construction and deployment of the reef. The project has supported 30 local jobs and their project…

OKUMA ITX CARBON THE ITX is the latest lightweight reel from Okuma. The body, side plates and rotor are built using C-40X long strand carbon fibre. The drag is multi-disc carbon fibre with Hydro Block gasket to prevent water intrusion, while it features 7HPB + 1RB high performance grease packed bearings. Other features include a Quick-set anti reverse roller bearing, machined aluminium screw in handle design, precision machine cut brass pinion gear, machine alluvium 2 tone sandiest spool and 1-piece solid aluminium anodised ball wire. The above specs all sound great, but how did it perform on the water? Fishing World has been testing the 1000 size ITX over the past few months. It’s matched to a Tackle Tactics ’ Black Mamba BMS701ML 2-4kg 3-15g rod. At 7 foot long,…

IN the warmer months in most coastal areas a lot of anglers turn their attention to catching crabs. Mud crabs, sand crabs (also known as blue swimmers) and spanner crabs are all popular targets where I live on Queensland’s Gold Coast. Along the entire Australian coastline anglers have access to delicious crab meals. The regulations change from state to state, as do the species of crabs, but there are a few tricks that once mastered make crabbing easier and more productive. Most of my crabbing is done using metal framed mesh pots. There are many varieties of pots available. The best pots are the simplest pots. You need multiple entrances that crabs have to push their way into, sturdy mesh, a good bait holder and a pot that folds flat…

It is easy to take good health for granted. Mobility, hearing, and sight are basic functions that most of us assume on a daily basis, but there are people in our community who aren’t so fortunate. Here in Australia approximately 18 per cent of our population is diagnosed with a disability, with 6 per cent classified as being severe. It is highly likely that most of us will have a health issue at some stage in life – whether mild or severe, physical or mental – which may have the capacity to lessen our mobility or motivation. My Mum was in a serious car accident 20 years ago – she survived thankfully but life has never been the same for her since. And it’s a recurring story for lots of…

Q TRYING FOR MY FIRST MARLIN, HELP? Nick E-mail A This will be a moment you won’t forget. Even hooking one and not landing can be an exhilarating experience. In short, using live bait like slimy mackerel or yellowtail will be the best way hook your first marlin with a higher percentage of landing it and using a lot less fuel compared with trolling. You will need a minimum of a 15kg, preferably 24kg game or spin outfit that holds at least 500 metres of line. Then a leader of around metres of 150-250lb mono with a 7/0-10/0 non offset circle hook. January to march are the prime months in NSW especially for a black marlin on the inshore reefs. Find the good concentrations of bait and then drift or…