HOOKED UP AUGUST 2015

AUSTRALIAS ONLY FREE FISHING & BOATING MAGAZINE

THE KIMBERLEY IN STYLE

GOING BIGGER FOR YELLOWFIN BREAM

THE BASICS OF RETRIEVING LURES

TEN TIPS FOR WINTER

23,500 copies distributed nationally to over 780 points

AUGUST 2015 FREE!

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PG. 4 HOOKED UP ISSUE 41 AUGUST 2015 WWW.HOOKEDUPMAGAZINE.COM.AU TVWINTER SERIES OUT NOW

FACEBOOK.COM/HOOKEDUPMAGAZINEAll editions of hooked up can be read digitally on all formats via our website WWW.HOOKEDUPMAGAZINE.COM.AU

On This Months Cover

HOOKED UP magazine A U G U S T 2 0 1 5 I S S U E # 4 1

A Spanish mackerel taken on a Bluewater Classic F200 in the Kimberley. Image by Kosta Linardos.

PUBLISHER: Hammerhead Media Pty Ltd

EDITOR IN CHIEF: Kosta Linardos [email protected]

GRAPHIC ARTIST: Evan Stampe

ADVERTISING: [email protected]

LOGO DESIGN: Tim Haynes & Michael Cusack

TYPOGRAPHY: Michael Cusack

CONTRIBUTORS: Peter MorrisGreg Carter

CONTACT: Hammerhead MediaPhone: 03 9772 0351Fax: 03 9772 0351Address: PO Box 21 Patterson Lakes, Vic 3197Email: [email protected]

Web: www.hookedupmagazine.com.au

THERE IS A LOT OF TACKLE COMINGIve just returned from the AFTA trade show which is the tackle industries annual event where compnaies showcase all their latest offerings for the next 12 months. This was by far the best trade show Ive been to and it all came down to new gear and innovation.

There is a huge amount of new rods, reels, lures, eyewear, line and leader coming out over the next six months and well be sure to tell you all about it over the coming issues.

To get you excited for now I can tell you that Daiwa, Shimano, Pfleuger and Abu Garcia all have very awesome new reel releases ranging from small stuff all the way through to big reels.

All those same companies plus Wilson, Black Hole, Edge, G Loomis, Lox and Samaki all had some very awesome rod releases.

I think almost every company that makes lures had new lure releases and they were all innovative, very cool and had some great colour designs for Australian waters.

With regard to new line Daiwa, Shimano, Fins and Spiderwire all had new releases and they ere all excellent.

Generally these shows can be pretty boring to be honest but this one was really special and it all came down to new and cool gear. there was a definite buzz and excitement that went through the whole show. Its an exciting time for all the tackle companies and all you anglers that will be buying all this new gear. Clearly a lot of hard work has been put in by the tackle wholesalers to get Australian fishermen the gear that theyre after. One thing I did notice was a lot of r&d that had been put into designing gear for the Australian market rather than trying to sell gear designed for the overseas market that would maybe suit our waters and species.

There are exciting times ahead!

HOOKED UP TV - THE WINTER SERIES

Be sure to jump online and check out Hooked Up Tv- The Winter Series. Our latest episode covers the Noosa River and to say it went off with a bang would be an understatement. So far it has consistently had over 400 unique views a day and were getting some great feedback. The next episode to be released is all about the amazing location of Mallacoota in Victoria and the very amazing winter bream fishing that is on offer there. We take a simple approach to targeting bream that anyone can do and we use some amazing gear from Black Hole, Lucky Craft and Sunline to do it.

We then have an episode on the Kimberley that is featured in this issue followed by some other great winter fishing before we start getting into the spring & summer series.

Make sure you follow us on Instagram and Facebook for all the latest updates on the mag, the show, latest tackle releases from AFTA and a bunch of comps and giveaways.

Until next issue, keep fishing, have fun and be excellent to each other and the marine environemnt!

Kosta

TV

12 The Kimberley in Style

28 The Basics of Retrieving Lures

34 Ten Tips for Winter

38 The Hooked Up Review

22 Going Bigger for yellowfin bream

JMGILLIES.COM.AU

PG. 6 HOOKED UP ISSUE 41 AUGUST 2015 WWW.HOOKEDUPMAGAZINE.COM.AU

NEWS- FISH I N G MA G

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Shimano Stradic FK ReelsEvery couple of years it seems the Shimano technical people grab hold of the Stradic spin reel lineup and make a great reel even better. Well the 2016 reels continue that tradition big time!

Firstly, a reel of this standing couldnt be without the new Hagane Body. This metal frame delivers high rigidity, so theres no flexing when under load and no loss of cranking power either. This is complemented by the Hagane Gear system not cut gear teeth, but 3D design cold forging for increased resilience and longer durability. The new Stradics have an additional SA-RB bearing and theyre all high 6:1 to 6.2:1 gear ratios, so cast lures will really motor on the retrieve. Aero Wrap II, the AR-C spool, One Piece Bail and G-Free Body all demonstrate that these reels are going to be are a repetitive casters delight to use, with better balance in the hand. While the new gen Stradics can be used just about anywhere, the presence of Coreprotect on the roller clutch, the drag, the body and the line roller, indicate that these reels are going to be perfectly at home in the worlds harshest environment the salt.

shimanofish.com.au

Daiwa Presso Rolling Crank JuniorGood things come in very small packages with the new Presso Rolling Crank Junior. Precision designed and highly refined the Junior model combines finesse style colour schemes and baitfish patterns with superb cast ability to deliver anglers a new ultra small snack sized crankbait option.

Rolling Crank Junior stands out from the pack. Beside the diminutive size, the Junior produces a high vibration with an enticing, tight action and crash dives to a metre, ensuring anglers get the lure down to the right depth quickly.

Featuring Daiwas super sharp, high penetration SaqSas trebles this is the crank thatll make bream and trout tremble with fear and anglers shake with excitement. Ultra Finesse cranking has never looked this good.

daiwaaustralia.com.au

Bluewater Classic Live Skin SeriesThe new Live Skin series from Bluewater Classic Lures has some of the most realistic finishes ever printed on a lure. Theyre an actual image of a slimy and a saury that has been printed on to the lure to provide an ultra realistic imitation of a prey species. The images are also UV so they look just like the real thing!

jmgillies.com.au

Humminbird Helix 7 With the launch of the Helix 5 earlier this year the Helix 7 is sure to impress. Humminbird is known for its super clear imaging and the Helix 7 is the perfect 7 platform to showcase these technologies, in the all in one transducer!

The HELIX 7 is easy to use, dependable under any circumstances and unbelievably clear, bright and fastnot to mention built in the USA. Experience jaw-dropping 480x800 resolution and 1500 nit brightness, delivering a clear and precise picture of fish and fish-holding structure. The ultra-wide 16:9 ratio gives you ample room to view two screens side-by-side, making fishing and navigating easier. The built-in quick-release gimbal mount makes angle adjustments and removal easy. No matter your target. No matter conditions. Game on.

hummingbird.com.au

AUGUST 2015 ISSUE 41 HOOKED UP PG. 7WWW.HOOKEDUPMAGAZINE.COM.AU

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Penn Clash Spinning ReelWinner of the best saltwater reel iCast 2015 the new Penn Clash spinning reel is a lightweight, technical spinning reel designed for modern saltwater sportfishing. With the new CNC gear technology system, the precision aluminium/brass main gear and brass pinion are machined for exact tolerances to provide the smoothest operation

The Clash is PENN-reliable, built to withstand years of saltwater conditions. The full-metal aluminium body and side-plate, and eight-plus-one sealed ball bearings add to the reels durability. The Techno-Balanced RR30 carbon rotor on the smaller reels, aluminium on the bigger sizes, with the heavy-duty aluminium bail is built for a long life. The new Leveline slow oscillation system is rugged and produces tight, near-perfect line lay for improved casting and reduced occurrences of wind knots..

The sealed HT-100 drag system is protected from corrosion and smoothly manages the fight from hook set to landing. The drags wave spring provides more drag capability when compared to conventional coil springs. Delivering a consistent drag curve with every turn from a light setting right up to max drag. Up to 18kg on the 8000 size!

The skirted spool is braid ready with line capacity rings to keep the angler informed of line remaining on the spool.

Six Clash models featuring an attractive and long-lasting black with gold trim finish are available, from the 245-gram 2500 to the 771-gram 8000.

pennfishing.com.au

Daiwa Vadel 2015A new standard in light tackle shore game excellence, Vadel delivers anglers one of the most durable and reliable light tackle shoregame reels for some time in a range of sizes and gear ratios.

Light, powerful, and eye catching in its strong metallic cosmetic, its at home shore casting and jigging with its strength and reliability coming from the utilisation of many of the design features of its bigger brothers, Saltiga and Catalina.

Designed to excel and built to perform Vadel integrates many of Daiwas most innovative designs and technologies including Mag Seal, Air Rotor and Super Metal, and blends them with proven designs and features to create a reel that has few peers when it comes to light game spin reel excellence.

Stunning in looks, design, and performance the Vadel spin reel range opens the door to a new age in light tackle durability and reliability.

daiwafishing.com.auPflueger Trion Rods Trion rods have long been a favourite of Australian Anglers. A combination of graphite performance, quality components and great action has established the Trion name in this country.

The Pflueger rod developement team has revamped the Trion series while still maintaining all the features anglers have come to love about the Trion range. The Trion series features technique specific actions developed for Australian fish and conditions. The actions and performance of the Trion series is achiveved through a combination of high modulus carbon blank material, quality Fuji guides and reel seat delivering crisp and reliable performance in every fishing situation.

The Trion series now includes Fuji K Alconite guides and a new Hybra-Cork handle design that provides increased grip, feel and comfort.

Available in both spin and baitcast and 1 and 2 piece construction. There are light spin models perfect for flicking light lures for trout, bream and flathead. New medium to heavy spin models ideal for inshore lure casting. And a range of baitcast from light right through to heavy for tropical species like barra and mangrove jacks.

pflueger.com.au

Minn Kota TalonElectric Anchor Spikes have become the latest must have accessory for the Tournament angler, basically they are an electric spike that deploys down and drives into the bottom to hold your position while you fish

Minn Kota Talon is a shallow water anchor system designed to quickly and quietly stop and position your boat in depths down to 12ft - whether youre fishing saltwater or freshwater, the Talon is the ultimate holding device for stealth fishing. Operating from the boats existing battery setup, the Talon vertically deploys its 3 stage telescopic spike with the wireless remote and without the fish-spooking noise of a traditional anchor. When not in use, the lightweight Talon can be taken off the boat thanks to its standard release bracket or folded away for garaging with the optional tilt bracket. Its electro-mechanical, cable-driven design, is easy to install with minimal wiring & rigging.

Made of marine-grade extruded anodised aluminium, the Talon can withstand a harsh corrosive saltwater environment, and the indestructible spike, made with fibreglass reinforced composite material, is guaranteed for life. Talon is the future of shallow water fishing. An auto up/down feature means just a quick press of a button is all you need for fully automatic deployment and retraction, and each unit comes standard with two wireless remotes for added convenience. The 12ft Talon deploys in 3 stages giving ultimate anchoring depth whilst keeping the overall height of the Talon to 145cm on the transom

minnkota.com.au



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Shimano Zodias RodsUsing Shimanos exclusive Hi-Power X construction graphite blanks, Zodias casting rods deliver incredible distance and accuracy. The lightweight blanks are complemented by custom shaped EVA grips, Fuji alconite guides with a Fuji SIC tip to reduce heat buildup at a key point and a Ci4+ reel seat for an additional weight saving.

Hi-Power X blanks are really something else. Their acute sensitivity crisply transmits every tap from a snag, weed, or a cautious short-striking fish, especially when used in conjunction with reels spooled with zero stretch braided line like Power Pro.

There are four light to medium spin rods of 6 8 and 7 lengths, the latter in two piece, and a pair of 6 6 baitcasters to choose from. So whether its black bream in the Gippsland Lakes or barramundi in a muddy tropical creek, youll be impressed with the performance characteristics of the new Zodias series.

shimanofish.com.au

Minn Kota UlterraThe bar has been set to a new height with the Ulterra freshwater motor. With Auto Stow/Deploy and Power Trim, we can understand the excitement. The Ulterra comes with your choice of i-Pilot or i-Pilot Link, and a standard redesigned foot pedal with Spot Lock button, Power Trim and Stow/Deploy all from the pedal or remote control. The Ulterra also comes standard with Universal Sonar 2 transducer build into the lower unit that will suit Humminbird sounders as well as other electronics with the correct adaptor cable listed below. The saltwater Ulterra motor is expected in early 2016

minnkota.com.au

Shimano Ocea Ex8Designed with the highest quality Dyneema Fibres and woven with Shimano tuff cross Construction, this super silky eight strand PE line will see you confront and push new angling limits.

Ocea EX8 is incredibly thin and smooth for its strength, allowing anglers to fish in depths, currents and conditions that were previously unobtainable, while at the same time offering greater feel and sensitivity. With less than 1% elongation under load, Shimano Ocea EX8 PE line ensures that whatever happens at the lure end is translated to the angler in an instant.

shimanofish.com.au

Saltwater Fly Range from Chris BeechWorking closely with Mayfly Tackle and Fulling Mill, we have put together a range of my most popular salt water flies all built on the best salt water fly hooks that money can buy. Many of these patterns are variations that have drawn inspiration from some of the worlds leading fly fishers and tiers as well as my own commercial fly tying experience of more than 28 years. We pay particular attention to the quality of these flies samples are held in Australia and at Fulling Mill so each shipment is compared for quality, ensuring the flies that carry our names will not let you down.

They are all tied the way I tie them, so they will fish effectively and imitate the forage that we find in Australia. They are tied tough, so they will last. The weed guards are stiff and work as weed guards. Having these effective and popular flies widely available commercially in the right sizes, the right weights, the right colours and on the very best hooks will improve your chances of success. We have just received our first shipment with more exciting patterns due over the following months.

mayflytackle.com.au

daiwafishing.com.au



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Tonic Eyewear Gen2Tonic Polarised Eyewear, is proud to announce the release of Tonic Eyewear Gen2, featuring the thinnest polarised glass lens ever seen in Australia. At only 1.3mm the new Tonic Eyewear lens is so light you wont believe you have a pair of sunglasses on. The clarity and performance of the lens is better than anything Tonic Eyewear (already the market leader) has offered before. Specially developed by Tonic founder Doug Phillips, Gen2 represents a remarkable leap forward in polarised optics. I have pushed our optics further than ever with our new range of lenses. Anglers will not believe how good they really are says Doug.

Coming to stockists in Spring 2015, Tonics new 1.3mm Gen2 lens will be available in Photochromic Copper, new Photochromic Grey, Neon and three new Mirrors. Tonic is releasing four new frames too in its biggest expansion of styles since the brand began.

toniceyewear.com.au

Lowrance Launches Structurescan 3DLowrance, a world-leading brand in fishing electronics since 1957, has announced the release of a game-changing, sonar-imaging system Lowrance StructureScan 3D.

Lowrance StructureScan 3D allows anglers to easily see fish, underwater structure and bottom contours in a stunning three-dimensional display on their HDS Gen3 fishfinder/chartplotter. StructureScan 3D imaging quickly scans underwater terrain and fish-holding structure to create high-resolution, 180-degree super-wide, three-dimensional views in depths to 300 feet and as far as 600 feet port and starboard. Yielding captivating images with unprecedented detail, StructureScan 3D gives anglers a better understanding of where fish and structure are located in relation to their boat. The true-to-life 3D scans are viewed on the Lowrance HDS Gen3 display, when used in combination with the SideScan 3D Skimmer transducer and StructureScan 3D module making HDS Gen3 the ultimate fishfinder.

StructureScan 3D sonar provides multiple viewing options including boosted DownScan Imaging, even more detailed StructureScan HD and the new revolutionary three-dimensional views. Using virtual point-of-view angles or ScanTrack pan-tilt-rotate control, anglers can combine custom HD and 3D views to increase situational awareness and search fishing areas as never before.

Scheduled for around December 2015, Lowrance StructureScan 3D can be purchased from authorised Lowrance dealers and distributors throughout Australia

lowrance.com.au

Daiwa Saltiga AirportableSaltiga rods have set the industry standard over many years as the strongest and lightest jigging and casting rods available. 2015 sees the introduction of the latest Saltiga rod series Saltiga Airportable.

Designed for ultimate transportability and to match the awesome power of the Saltiga reels this rod series heralds a new concept multi piece, high quality offshore sports fishing rods. Saltiga Airportable features many of Daiwas latest design and blank technologies to create a range that is equally refined, as it is rugged and robust.

daiwafishing.com.au

Fins 40G Released internationally at this years tackle trade show is the new Fins 40G. A super line like no other that has been the talk of all trade shows around the world. Fins 40G is smooth and round to touch and differs from any line ever produced. Its a 9-carrier line with a big difference. It has a coloured core that is then braided by another 8 strands over the top. This means that the line never loses colour, it doesnt fade and it actually gets brighter when its wet.

Its an extremely thin braid for its breaking strain and its suited for both spin and baitcast style reels. Maybe the most amazing feature of this line is its ability to prevent wind knots. Not only will you get less wind knots in this line but if you do, you can literally just pull them straight out and the line wont break and it wont damage. You have to see it for yourself.

This is the most unique super line to hit the market since super lines were invented.

jmgillies.com.au

For stockists contact GLADIATORe: [email protected]

p: (02) 9721 9388 w: www.gladiatortackle.com.au

DESIGNED BYPAUL KUMA CARTER

EXCLUSIVE TO AUSTRALIACOLOUR RANGE

Slamin Salmon Designed to imitate a juvenile Australian salmon Silver under foil with high contrast realistic cloth

Natural eye and finish Best suited to daylight fishing when the sun is high in the sky.

Boxing Kangaroo Colour scheme based around the Mahi Mahi Gold foil with bright yellow and green cloth

Blue spots provide maximum contrast UV highlights Best suited for slightly discoloured water

BlacK Betty Both red an gold foils Red foil on the bottom gives it best use at night

Gold foil on top for best use in the mornings and afternoons Covered in a cloak of black cloth to create the best silhouette possible

Finished with a red eye and red feathers Best used at night but will work in any conditions

BoarfiSh Black bands on pink cloth for maximum contrast

Designed to imitate a spawning boarfish Red foil for maximum refraction at night UV Highlights

Best used at night but will work in all conditions

garfiSh Designed to imitate a squids most favourite prey

Translucent body that allows natural light to filter through Belly is clear to give perception of a slimmer body just like a Garfish

Reflective plate mounted in centre of jig to give ultimate light refraction UV finish Best used in high sun conditions

White Bait Translucent body allows light to filter through

Finished with a UV white stripe Lower section free of colour to provide a slimmer profile

Best used in high sun conditions

tone tone High contrast for maximum exposure Black under belly

Large red eye and red hew through the head Designed for dirty water

Matte finish with a satin texture Best used in dirty water, night and early mornings

Egijya GANCRAFT CUSTOM SQUID JIGS

UO jya GANCRAFT CUSTOM SQUID JIGS

A 12kg mackerel that had been feeding on small trevally when he took a liking to a trolled Bluewater Classic. Note

half a trev still sitting in his mouth.

Words and Images: Kosta Linardos Additional Images: Tim Haynes

WWW.HOOKEDUPMAGAZINE.COM.AUPG. 14 HOOKED UP ISSUE 41 AUGUST 2015 TVWINTER SERIES OUT NOW

The KimberleyGetting out of the cold and getting away fishing somewhere warm has always been a dream of Australians that live in the countrys south. This year has seen a very cold winter right around the bottom part of the country and many are fleeing for some warmth of Australias top-end. Another dream of Australians and people all over the world is to visit Australias Kimberley. The Kimberley is geologically one of the Earths oldest places with rock formations dating back 180 million years. It is a site to behold and a simply amazing place to go fishing. I have spent a lot of time in the Northern Territory, Cape York and other parts of WA such as Cape Leveque and while they are all amazing, the Kimberley just has that extra something special. We recently headed over at the invite of the Kimberley Coastal Camp to write this article and also shoot an episode of Hooked Up TV that will be out shortly.

We requested that we spend our time at the camp targeting pelagic species rather than barramundi, which the area and the camp is famous for. We had heard that the Kimberley and the region surrounding this particular camp was famous for its huge queenfish and abundance of Spanish mackerel. The idea of the shoot was to test out new lures from JM Gillies, mainly in the Bluewater Classic range and to put some new Shimano gear through its paces mainly being the new Twin Power. So armed with some beautiful Anarchy rods and various reels from Shimano and a swag of lures from the JM Gillies stable we headed off to experience this magical place.

Spending the day fishing in 30 degree weather and then returning for a swim in the pool is something any angler can appreciate.

If you want Spanish mackerel there are plenty on offer within a fifteen minute boat ride of the camp.

Focus your PassionFORGET THE WORLD

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Remote Accommodation with styleA flight from Melbourne to Broome via Perth and then an amazing light plane ride from Broome to the Mitchell Plateau is a great way to kick off the trip and soak in an aerial view of some very magical country. Its then just a quick and amazing 15-minute chopper ride to have you at the camp. At the camp our gracious hosts (who are also the owners of the camp) Tub and Jules greeted us. Tub (he goes by no other name) who is a cross between Steve Irwin, Mick Dundee and Billy Brownless is a great bloke, an extremely charismatic character and he is part of the whole experience. He has an intimate knowledge of the Kimberley and its surrounds. Jules who is a qualified chef, and was previously a world touring singer makes up the other half of the team and brings the class and style to this very well suited partnership. Jules prepared us amazing breakfast, lunch and dinner every day. She was also ready and waiting each day with a cold beer as the boat came into dock right at the foot of the camp. We instantly felt welcome and comfortable and food and cold beer was awaiting us upon our landing and it never stopped coming over the following days.

I have stayed at five different high-end fishing lodges in Australias top-end and this place leaves them all for dead. The camp itself is outstanding in every way. Its more of a resort than a camp and is beautifully situated and laid out in a landscape that looks as though man has never stepped foot upon it. The camp is equipped with gorgeous cabins with double beds, open showers that are plumbed into natural rock faces that allow you to stare at the stars, a pool, an amazing central mess hut that is a cross between a contemporary Melbourne caf, a barn and a Balinese hut and all perfectly placed and styled to fit in with the natural wonders of the Kimberley and its natural shell-grit ground. Everything from the dcor made up of old rustic chains, croc skulls, fresh local flowers, bull horns, old signage, an open camp fire and a huge wooden table for everyone to eat at make the central hub of the camp a relaxing and enjoyable place to spend the evening talking about the days fishing. This a place you could stay at for weeks and you wont want to leave. This camp is like no other in the country and perhaps the world, its a very special place within an already very special place.

The food that Jules prepared each night is five star restaurant quality food made from the fresh fish you have just caught. Many lodges and remote locations boast of their amazing food but this place takes it to the next level. Whatever you want to eat, Jules can cook it and you can watch her do it all in the big open kitchen.

Lunch can be freshly caught and cooked on any of the many amazing beaches in the Kimberley and its set up with table, chairs, table cloths, cold beer, wine, cutlery and crockery. Fresh mud crab, oysters and various fish species are all on the menu. Each morning you can have the choice of getting up super early to get fishing and have freshly made bacon and egg rolls on the boat or you can stay at camp and have a freshly prepared breakfast. Bacon, eggs, pancakes, cereal, whatever you want, its all prepared fresh to order and made for you with juice and freshly ground coffee.

There are multiple species of trevally available in the Kimberley and you can target them in a number of ways.

Cold beer, a great meal and an open fire as the sun sets is a great way to reflect on your days fishing.

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Wild LifeYou dont need to head off on some huge walk to see Australian wildlife at the camp. The waters at the foot of the camp are home to lemon sharks that can be hand fed the fish frames from your days catch. You can place fresh frames up on a naturally elevated rock formation at the front of the camp and watch huge sea eagles come down and grab them and fly away. If the eagles dont come the local dingo will sneak in and grab them. All this can be viewed from the comfort of your deck chair while you watch the pinkest of pink sunsets settle over one of the oldest places on the planet.

The FishingAt any lodge you stay at the fishing will only be as good as the boats and the guide. Thankfully the camp was equipped with five great boats and the custom-built alloy 8-metre centre console was a great fishing platform for our trip. More importantly Tub didnt have that all too common northern guide arrogance and was always open to new techniques, new tackle and was genuinely excited to see it all. While we were relying on Tub to show us around and take us to where the fish were, we could fish how we want, when we wanted and with whatever we wanted. If I saw a good looking point, snag or bommie and I wanted to cast at it we could. I can understand that those reading this that have never done a trip of this nature would think that this is common practice with a guide/charter youre paying good money to fish with, however, my experience and the experiences of others has shown that it isnt. While some fishing guides can be great, many can be arrogant and lazy. The idea of this camp is that you get a boat and a guide and they can do everything from baiting a hook and hooking the fish for you if thats your thing, or if youre more experienced you can do everything from casting surface lures, slow jigging, trolling or whatever takes your fancy. You are welcome to take all your own gear or use the camps. Another uncommon feature of the camp is you dont pay for what lures you lose. Most places charge you for gear loss. The gear that they have on hand is excellent with Shimano rods and Shimano Calcutta reels being the main outfits on hand.

The camp offers many styles of fishing and you can do everything from target barra, threadfin salmon and jacks up the rivers or chase pelagic species such as queenfish, Spanish mackerel, longtail tuna and many species of trevally. Alternatively you can jig or bait fish the reefs for finger mark, coral trout and black jewfish.

An early morning run from a 15kg mackerel will get you warmed up.

The large size of the Bluewater Classic F200 allowed us to fish mono which put us on to more fish.

The queenfish that surround the waters off the camp are thick and they are huge. This model in

excess of a metre was a common capture.

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Another queenfish that was over a metre in length that took a Bluewater Rocket Popper. These are a great fish to fight on the surface.

Its important that you call the camp and discuss exactly what youre wanting to target and book on the tides that best suit your target species.

We wanted to target the big queenfish, which are a regular capture at the waters around the camp, and we also wanted Spanish mackerel. The stories of the big queenfish were true and by the end of the trip we had landed over 10 queenies that passed the metre mark with only two queenfish under 80cm. This place has some seriously big queenies and according to Tub they seem to be a year round prospect. You could come up here and target them on fly, jigs, surface lures or troll and pretty much just do this all day until you were bored of it.

The Spanish mackerel were also thick in numbers and most were around the 10-15kg mark. They are an amazing eating fish and they take a screaming first run and put up a solid fight on light gear. We had a mix of 4000 and 8000 size reels and the bigger was brought with us to quickly get the fish in the boat before the sharks got to them. Fortunately the sharks werent a problem and we only encountered a few. This allowed me to have some fun with the smaller gear on the mackerel and the queenies. In saying that I wouldnt play a fish for too long in these waters as they sharks would turn up eventually.

There is a very healthy population of big brassy trevally that inhabit these waters and while I managed one small one around the 6kg mark I got smoked by a quite few far larger models in some very shallow water. I also did see some schools of GTs that were easily around the 12-15kg mark but I couldnt tempt them after they followed in a slug and saw the boat.

There is some great reef fishing on offer for those that want to bottom bounce for coral trout, black jew and finger mark. We spent some time slow jigging on what was not an ideal tide and I managed a coral trout but this was the one time the sharks arrived and we called it a day.

An unforgettable placeThe Kimberley really is one of the worlds natural wonders and every Australian should try and experience it. The fishing is sensational and doing it at the Kimberley Coastal Camp provides an amazing and luxurious experience that allows you to experience remote fishing in luxurious comfort with great guides, service, food and fishing.

A coral trout that was slow jigged on an Asari K5. There are a plenty of rigs to jig on around the camp.

Double beds and large open rooms provide an amazing sleep after a long day fishing.

Jules and Tub, the owners of the camp. Great people that made our stay even more special.

55mm lures such as this one from Maria are often thought of as too large for bream.

Words and Images: Greg Carter


The first few times I ever attempted to chase bream on lures was with small hardbodies on an overgunned outfit and results were patchy to say the least. This is going back many years about the same time the gulp revolution started which seemed to be the ultimate bream fishing technique at the time that I along with many others quickly embraced. I had pretty much stayed in that state of mind when it comes to bream fishing ever since with the exception of throwing surface lures mostly in the summer. I found it hard to throw hardbodies during the winter season because of those failed early memories and the occasional attempts I did make over the years were only brief. The lures I had used were tiny hardbodies around 35-45mm so most bream were of no better quality but of less quantity than if I was using small plastics. I had this mindset that smaller was better as it would appeal to many more fish.

When Hooked Up editor Kosta recently came up from Melbourne to film an episode of Hooked Up TV in Noosa we decided to target yellowfin bream during a bout of unfavourable weather. Kosta mainly throws hardbodies down south for the southern black bream and by applying the same tactics in the Noosa waterways his first yellowfin bream was a high 30s that took a well cast Ecogear SX60 (you can see the full capture and episode out now on the Hooked Up website). The SX60 seemed like quite a large lure when it comes to bream fishing, at least compared to what I had tried in the past. Over that session I stuck to my confidence technique, which was throwing 3 inch plastics on ridiculous class line and caught a few fish as well but he certainly smashed me in size.

My very next bream session on the river was with retiree Eddy Sweares who joined me in the river and he opted to use hardbodies while I once again reached for the plastics outfit. We both caught plenty of fish but Eddys fish were of significant quality. These two sessions reignited my curiosity for hard body breamin so over this winter I dedicated quite a

few bream sessions on the Noosa River with hardbodies only. It didnt take too long to gain confidence throwing the hards and although the outright numbers dwindled the quality of fish improved dramatically. Gone are the regular double figure sessions on barely legal fish and in are the single digits busting 30. As fun as the little bream are to catch when your catching the donkeys there really is no comparison.

Schooling to spawnWhen the winter weather rolls in you can be sure that the mature yellowfin are starting to school in the lower estuarine reaches spurred by the instinct to breed. Research gathered suggests that the yellowfin bream spawning season extends for a period of at least 10 weeks from mid-June to early September. Yellowfin mostly spawn during the evening and feed aggressively throughout the season to retain their energy levels and give their best chance of reproduction.

Fact: Single spawning of over 100,000 eggs have been observed from females of approximately 500 grams and a seasonal fecundity of at least 1.6 million eggs per kilogram of female body weight is estimated.

StructureAlthough bream can school in relatively barren areas throughout winter I much prefer to fish structure when throwing hardbody lures especially in day light hours as the bigger wiser fish may be a tad timid. I prefer to target the pet bream that hang around the jetties and are fed by humans rather than the spawning schools. Deep gutters with mangrove fringes, jetties, moored boats and rock bars in depths from two to four metres are reliable haunts to find the quality fish in most waterways. The live aboard derelict boats permanently moored often hold some thumping pets that reside underneath and scavenge any scraps that are thrown overboard. The fattest bream I have ever seen came from under one of these boats a few years ago.

Create a circuitI mostly fish the Noosa River for bream, which is a great option when the weather isnt too flash, and have refined several circuits along the lower reaches depending on the wind direction. Sometimes I visit the one location multiple times giving the fish time to recoup in between visits. Many of the big bream in built up areas are very educated and may tend to shut down when a few are caught in the one vicinity so keeping on the move increases your chances. In your own fishery you will need to put the time in and find the haunts that regularly produce but it shouldnt take long to work out a productive run at this time of year if you stick to fishing structure.

Use the ForceWhen lure fishing structure I like to use the tidal flow to my advantage. To work an area thoroughly I firstly spot lock with an electric motor up current and cast as close as possible back towards the structure. I let the lure where possible drift back as far as I can before cranking it back out. I work the entire length of the structure carefully casting into every possible nook and crevice paying special attention to shaded areas. Once this has been thoroughly worked I move around to work across the current. I cast along the length on the pushing side allowing enough room for the lure to swim past deep without snagging into the structure whether it is a jetty, moored boat with anchor lines or a rock bar. I like to use a bit of pace to hopefully bring on a reaction strike as the lure comes into view of an unsuspecting bream. Once I am on the away side of the current I position my boat with the electric and cast accurately up in between the structure or moored boats as far as practical and crank the hardbodies back with the flow as slowly as possible with twitches keeping it in the zone for as long as possible.

Basically work every fishable inch and take your time to line up shots. Accurate casting will improve your hit rate so get some practice in before hand. If you dont reach the target on the first go have another crack until you do.

While you can get big bream on small lures

, they generally catch smaller fish. Lures that have worked for me in the 50-65mm range.

The deep diving and large bodied War

lock 52 is a great bream lure.

A brute of a yellowfin thats a hard life ta

ken on the Ecogear SX60.

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Big bream, big lures!If its numbers of bream that you want to catch then using a small lure should increase the score and if you want the big stonkers then up sizing to lures in the 50-70mm range will produce the big bream much more regularly. It hasnt taken long to notice the trend and now that I have upsized my offerings the big bream are much more regular captures. One donkey I recently landed was in the high 30s on an 89mm 14a bomber which is a lure that would normally be cast at jacks, flathead or barra. Whilst trolling for other species over the years I have caught some random size bream as by-catch on large lures.

Dive DeepWhen it comes to hardbody selection you really need to fish to suit your surroundings so if fishing the shallows a shallow diving lure is the obvious choice and in deeper waters you want to be able to dive at least more than half the depth. I have mainly been using deep divers in the 1.5-2.5 meter range to suit my fishery and by keeping the lure in the bottom zone I am also picking up plenty of by-catch during a typical bream session.

RetrievalI have no perfect retrieval unfortunately so on each day the perfect recipe must be discovered through trial and error. Every fish can be so random when it comes to striking but on some days there has been a trend. A basic place that I like to start with is a slow constant crank and then Ill add pauses or twitches to start finetuning the retrieve until something works. Speeding up the lure also may entice a strike as a bream thinks its easy meal is about to escape. One of the most memorable big bream I have recently caught followed my lure all the way to the boat 3 times and by experimenting with the retrieve each time I managed to eventually get the strike at my feet. It is so rewarding when you crack the code on a quality fish.

Reaction StrikeI suspect that many of the bream I have been catching have been taken on the reaction strike. When pre-empting a reaction strike area I work the lure faster along the structure and ambush zones, when I am fishing the more open areas I slow it down and vary my retrieve.

Beef it upBig yellowfin bream take surprisingly hard runs around structure and you should expect to lose a few fish if fishing too light. Brickings and bust offs are all part of the fun however since converting from plastics to hard bodies I have put away the 1kg outfit frustrated with losing too many big fish and I am now using 6lb braid with 8lb leader. By beefing up my outfit I hardly ever get dusted and the strike rate hasnt really suffered at all. The lures I am throwing are heavy enough that I can still gain decent distance without compromising accuracy.

Water ClarityWater clarity can play a big part when it comes to lure selection and it can also dictate a hot or cold bream bite. We have had a wet winter this year is SEQ and the best sessions I have had have been around the top of the tide when the water has been notably clearer. Bream are still biting in the dirty water at the bottom of the tide however not to the same extent. The golden rules of bright colour in dirty water and naturals in clean water are proving to work very well.

TidesI have fished the neaps and big runs lately and have caught bream in hard currents, on the tide change and in slack water. Basically I just get out there and fish for them whenever I can because they are quite unpredictable at times and sometimes a great session can result from what was expected to be an average day. If I was able to choose I would prefer the high tide changes at the moment when the current is starting to run or slow down.

Lures that workI know there are many great bream lures out there on the market but there are many more very average lures that can lead you astray. I have had great success lately with the proven workers I have grown to love which were not necessarily designed for bream angling. These lures are on the larger size of what would be called a bream lure that also work on a huge variety of other estuarine fish. Its impossible for me to say what will work for everybody so I will just list a few of the standouts that Justin Mcnab and I have been using in Noosa successfully on the bigger fish.

Warlock 52mm lure Maria MS1 55mm Asari Kiro Minow 55mm Ecogear SX60 Pontoon 21 Crackjack 55mm

Last but not LeastThe by-catch we have been catching has also proved to be worth while as quality flathead, trevally, estuary cod, pike and tailor take a liking to the larger lures we have been throwing. On an average session we have been landing a combined mixed bag of a round 5 -10 fish each which sort of sweetens the deal and keeps it interesting when only a few of those stud bream are to be expected.

This big girl followed the lure in 3 times before eventually smashing it.

This stonker was bullied out

from along moored boats.

Deep divers do increase by-catch which keeps things fun.

Big bream on a big hardbody! This one was caught on an 89mm Bomber.

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I think its fair to say that in all forms of angling we experience our share of frustrations. To consistently catch any target species there is often a lot that must come together and as we jump the

hurdles of weather, tides and moon phases we can still often find fish appearing to have a horrid case of lock jaw and just not willing to play the game. It can be a great test of angler patience. While you can find a number of reasons as to why youre not catching fish on whatever lure

you may be casting towards your target species; it can more often than not be the action youre imparting on the lure that is letting you down.

AUGUST 2015 ISSUE 41 HOOKED UP PG. 29WWW.HOOKEDUPMAGAZINE.COM.AUTV WINTER SERIES OUT NOW

A slow walk on the surface followed by a pause is the undoing of many bream across the flats.


SOFT PLASTICSThe versatility and effectiveness of soft plastics make them an incredibly popular lure choice for the majority of anglers. A certain level of confidence can be attained while using your favourite soft plastic whereby you feel success is always only a moment away. However as effective as the majority of soft plastics are there are still those times where fish are difficult to tempt. The actual retrieve of your chosen soft plastic will always play an enormous role in tempting fussy fish.

In my honest opinion I still believe many anglers are guilty of retrieving a soft plastic far too quickly and while speed is not so much of a concern while targeting faster pelagic species such as trevally and tailor, other more finicky species can and will lose interest very quickly. Bream and jewfish are two species that most definitely require a finesse approach to how you retrieve your plastic. What you are effectively doing by working your plastic with too much speed is moving it out of the strike zone and not allowing fish to really see your offering. You may also be denying the lure its intended action altogether. Some plastics will only resemble a desirable prey when worked at slow speeds.

When it comes to various retrievals while using soft plastics you can basically narrow it down to three various styles or swim types. The first and possibly most common is a double hop whereby an angler simply uses his/her rod to produce an upwards twitch twitch, which produces the desired double hop action followed by a pause. The second is commonly referred to as a slow roll and as the name implies this is a very simple slow wind of your reel which will swim (or slow roll), your chosen soft plastic. This is especially popular with paddle tailed soft plastics as it generates a nice tail beat in conjunction with a realistic swimming action. The third retrieve style which is utilised heavily is a flat out burn where the angler winds very quickly and possibly incorporates series of fast twitches to make the offering dart from side to side while moving at speed. This is especially effective for fast pelagics that often become extremley excited by the fast moving presentation. Within these retrieval type generalisations there is of course always room for variations and what may work one day may not necessarily work on another and how you are able to turn fish on during those harder bite periods is what you should really be taking note of on the day.

If you are fully aware you have fish marked on your sounder and have tried the more common approaches of lure retrieval begin to really slow things right down. After casting your plastic allow the offering sufficient time to sink slowly as to appear very natural. Once certain you are on the bottom and in the zone where the fish are, allow your plastic to sit still unmoved. In certain instances you may well have inquisitive fish hovering above your lure watching and waiting for a desired movement or action to trigger a bite. On occasions a big aggressive hop,hop will see fish take flight but a very small lift of your rod tip which produces a tiny and very subtle single hop may be to the fishes liking. Subtlety will often be the game changer.

Another consideration when using soft plastics is of course the various lure scents and there is no shortage of enticing gels and sprays available on todays market. Your soft plastic preference will largely determine whether or not lure scent is in fact needed as many come pre scented or as is the case with say Berkleys Gulp range, continual scent release is already offered. There is no doubting the effectiveness of lure scents and on those days where fish are hard to come by, a combination of finesse like retrievals with the aid of added scent will see your chances dramatically improve.

If there is one thing you take away from this it should be to slow down your retrieve. This will keep your soft plastic in the strike zone longer while allowing fish to really size up your offering.

Barramundi love a simple slow rolling soft plastic and your retrieve can just be a simple slow roll.

Bream can often be labelled as near un-catchable. Scented soft plastics like the Gulp shrimp are often the fishes undoing.

Snapper love the double hop of a soft plastic and also will hit a plastics many times on the drop or fall.

Whiting much prefer a constant & medium paced retrieve where they often charge down the lure.


HARD BODIED DIVING MINNOWSVery much like soft plastics there can be instances where we are all guilty of working hardbodied divers to quickly and retrieval is again particularly important. If pelagics are what you desire then your retrieve is one often centred around speed, however for the more cast and retrieve type angler in search of bream, flathead, mangrove jack and barramundi a more thought out approach is often required.

Casting small divers for bream and having regular success come downs down to a few things which comprise of correct gear set up, sensible lure choice and the right retrieval with your chosen lure. The question is how will you entice those incredibly wary and cautious bream lining an oyster rack or roaming the shallow flats? And there are certainly times where it may seem near impossible. For me personally the large majority of my success has been with a slow rolling retrieve where all your are doing is a very slow wind of your reel to effectively swim you lure. This is quite simple and there is no need to make if difficult. Incorporating twitches or jerks (like you may do for barramundi), into your retrieval will only spook bream that may have been ghosting or following your lure. Allow the fish time to follow and be ready to strike and set the hooks.

Moving from a cautious feeder to a far more aggressive one in flathead, things are somewhat easier. Flathead are the kings of ambush and a very simple approach here is all that is needed. A slow wind that sees your lure dive to the desired depth is all that is required and your retrievals should all be about covering as much ground as possible. A great idea is to take a moment and think about how successful slow trolling a hard bodied diver is for flathead and realise that all that is happening here is the lure is swimming along at a slow to medium pace. There are no twitches, no flash rod work to generate movement or even pause phases that are required. If you replicate this as you cast and retrieve success with diving minnows will not be far away.

The game changes considerably with the more snag orientated species such as mangrove jack and barramundi. While there will of course be instances where the simple slow rolling retrieve is again accepted, a retrieve that incorporates a sharp twitch,twitch of your rod that sees the lure dive sharply followed by a subsequent pause phase will see far more attention. It is on the actual pause phase or the immediate twitch afterwards that so many strikes occur and it is widely regarded as the best retrieve for barramundi.

SURFACE LURES Surface luring has become such a popular form of angling and it is not as simple as some may have you believe. Species dependant once again, there are various forms of retrievals across the surface that will produce far more consistent results and trigger those all important strikes. From giant trevally right down to whiting various approaches will out perform others. Using big Oceanic GTs as an example here, I have seen many occasions where a fast skipping style retrieve with a pencil popper out performs that of a noisy chugger. The exact opposite can also happen in deeper water. Location, amount of current, water depth and the fishes food sources are all key factors in this and matching your lure and retrievals are of vital importance.

In the estuary while targeting bream and whiting, differences in retrievals do strongly exist also and once again finesse and subtlety are required. For small surface popper and stick bait work aimed at bream your retrieve should always be one that incorporates pause phases amongst the bloops or surface walk. In the case of surface lures bream adore this subtle pause and the anticipation of that kissing noise as a bream attempts to slurp down your lure is genuinely exciting. On the flip side as we look at whiting as our target species the retrieval is different again. A pause with your chosen surface lure will commonly see a following fish shy away. Whiting are one species that really seem to favour a more constant medium paced retrieve where they love to chase.

SIZING IT ALL UPIt is always necessary to really size up each and every angling scenario you are faced with. Factors such as amount of tidal movement and wind will always dictate just how you are able to fish on each given day. A very slow subtle finesse like retrieve using a small plastic may be quite hard to present on certain days but when conditions allow it will in 99% of cases be the clear winner. Sum up the situation of the day and aim to be as finesse like as possible. When the times of a hard bite present themselves mix it up by downsizing lure selection, slowing down your retrieve and look at adding scent to your lure or plastic. In so many instances perseverance will pay off and even if you have only managed to anger a fish into a reaction strike, you have achieved the win.

The pause of a lure is so often the moment that triggers a bite when using a surface lure.

This metro jewfish fell for an 8 inch hardbody that was worked with erratic twitches to imitate spooked mullet that were seen in the area prior to casting. Adjusting your retrieve to imitate prey species will often reap great rewards.

After a good hour of perseverance an 81cm jewie finally ate a Gulp 3 inch minnow worked incredibly slowly.


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Pre Tie RigsYoure never going to have too many rigs so you might as well sit and pre tie a

heap of them while youre not out fishing. It doesnt matter what type of fishing it is, its always easier taking out ten pre made rigs rather than relying on all the bits and pieces and retying on the boat. Small bags designed for soft plastics are great for keeping your rigs tangle free and accessible on the boat or in your pack.

Set Up A Work StationThis is a great place to start. It doesnt need to be big and it can be as simple as a trestle table with all your tools and bits and pieces on it. If you have a little workstation set up somewhere you can easily maintain your gear, tie rigs, service stuff and get ready and organised for fishing trips. It even makes it easy to grab the things you need and sit in front of the TV or a movie and get things sorted. Youll need some specific tools to get certain jobs done right so head on down to your tackle store and invest in some quality braid scissors, split ring pliers, crimpers and a set of small screw drivers. These simple tools make getting important little jobs done quickly and easily. Having an organised work station will greatly aid you in getting prepared for the warmer months and red hot fishing sessions.

Words & Images: Kosta Linardos

Bad weather is always an issue that keeps fishermen off the water, whether its excessive wind or torrential rain, sometimes we just cant get out. This doesnt mean that you have to go and

play badminton or sit around doing nothing. There is a lot you can do in the downtime to improve your fishing in general and your next fishing trip. Sometimes its the little things we do while were not fishing that make our next trip out so much more successful. So read on

for Hooked Ups 10 tips on what you can do to improve your fishing.

AUGUST 2015 ISSUE 41 HOOKED UP PG. 35WWW.HOOKEDUPMAGAZINE.COM.AUTV WINTER SERIES OUT NOW

Check hooksGet out all your lures and check the hooks. Also check the hooks on any bait rigs you may still have on rods. If theyre blunt, bent, rusty or cheap looking, change them. While youre at it change the split rings on your lures too. Make sure any lure youre going to be putting in the water has terminals that are strong, sharp and suit whatever drag pressures you may be using. There is no point having hooks that are too light when fishing heavy and there is no point

having big thick hooks if youre fishing light drag pressures. Be sure that the hooks you use suit the lure and the fish youre targeting. Some lures wont swim with single hooks and some will

stop floating if the hooks are too heavy. Also, have a think about the kind of mouth the fish has and if the hooks will easily penetrate. The wrong hooks lead to missed fish and lost fish.

Simplify Lure TraysI bet you have lure trays that are filled with lures you dont use. Maybe they dont catch fish and maybe you just dont like using them. You probably have this feeling that these

lures will one day be needed and it will lead to the greatest capture of all time. Chances are it wont because you probably wont ever cast them out. Get rid of them and go and

buy lures you like and you know that work. Or, buy lures that you think will work based on your experience of what works and what you like casting. Just because certain lures

may be effective doesnt mean you have to use them if you dont find them enjoyable. The longer you have any lure in the water the more fish you will catch. So use whats enjoyable

and what works. Youre far better off having 10 effective lures you enjoy using than what you are having 30 different lures of which half of them you dont like.

Balance your outfitHigh quality rods and reels arent just for bragging rights, bling and durability. They are designed for comfort and a to be pleasurable when used. The better your set up feels the more you will cast and the more you cast the more fish you catch. Therefore make sure that your reel suits your rod or vice versa. Make sure the line on the reel

suits the rod and the reel and that you have a well balanced outfit. If you have a 3kg rod with a 4000 size reel and 12kg braid it wont feel great and it wont work well either. Get

everything well balanced and youll catch more fish.

Get your reels serviced or buy new onesIf your reels need some care you are best sending them off for service now before the fishing gets hot. Whether its back to the manufacturer, a third party service centre or you do it yourself be sure to get

them serviced. Alternatively just buy some new reels if you can afford it. A dodgy drag, clunky gears or a seized line roller will lose you fish and take away the enjoyment from a days fishing. Its all about

maximising your pleasure so you cast more.


Plan and research a TripYou dont have too book anything in, but start planning some trips away now. You dont need to drive to another state but you may just find out there is a place three hours from home that has awesome fishing. Or it could be that place youve been meaning to get to but you never have. Spend some time now researching the location and start planning how youll fish it and what gear youll need. The more you know about a location and its target species the more fish you will catch.

Read More, Ask More, Talk LessRead more fishing articles, ask more questions and stop telling stories. The more fishing articles you read

the better understanding youll have of species and technique (well, if you read Hooked Up anyway).

While youre at your tackle store or around other fishermen ask questions and dont feel the need to add anything or think of what youll say next. I have seen anglers develop in three years faster than guys that

have been doing it for 10 and even 20 years purely because they listen and apply sound advice without their egos being bruised by it. The more you read and listen, the more youll learn and the better understanding your

fishing.

Try going lighterLighter line and leader gets you more strikes. Its just fishing basics. The less weird

stuff that a fish sees the more likely it is to strike. You may feel uncomfortable going lighter and youll be worried about losing that huge fish, however, that big

fish may only come along because of lighter line and leader. Have faith in your fish fighting skills and invest in some quality fluorocarbon or mono leader thats a few steps lighter than what youre already using. Youll be surprised how modern

quality leaders and line can withstand a lot more pressure than what you think they can. Remember, big old fish arent big and old because theyre stupid!

Figure out ways to go fishing moreThis may mean less drinking at the pub, less partying and missing the footy and cricket, but time on the water is what gets you catching more fish. You may need to make a few lifestyle changes and see less of a certain group of mates but if you love fishing none of these things will bother you. All the guys that catch the most fish spend the most time on the water.

They sacrifice common social events and use free time for fishing. If you want to fish just every now and then or when nothing much else is happening thats fine, but remember the

less you fish the less you catch. There is no substitution for time on the water when it comes to fishing knowledge.

Learn New KnotsKnots are the difference between average fishermen and great fishermen. There are probably at least five

knots that you need to know that you dont. You probably already know what they are too. I suggest buying some cheap mono and some cheap braid and learning these knots. Sit down and learn them and practice

them and tie them over and over again. There are many, many YouTube clips that teach you step by step how to tie them. Youll be surprised that at one point youll just get it and youll wonder why it ever seemed so

challenging. These knots will serve you well throughout the rest of your fishing life and will be the difference between catching fish and not catching any at all.


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Mud Magnet Anchors

Anchoring System Specialists

3 Year Unconditional Warranty

Lifetime Warranty Against Damage Due To Water Ingress

Better Winches by Design

Australian Designed

ph (03) 8774-4582

Industry Leading Customer Service & Support

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LSMprintADfeb2014.pdf 1 2/7/2014 1:30:58 PM

5

WINNER

Best of Show

Rod

2014 AFTA Sh

ow

The real difference with this range is the materials used in the blank along with our new resin system and cloth allows us to produce a blank that will dead lift 40kg+ of weight with weights of less than 110grams -something to our knowledge no other manufacturer can claim.

However, this is only the first part of the story as there is no use having the weight lifting ability without an action that will allow the angler to fully use this raw lifting power.

For more information please visit


Tested & Reviewed: Daiwa - TD Commander - Bayonet Division

Tested & Reviewed: XXXXX

Words: Kosta Linardos Images: Rob Gee Distributed By: Daiwa Australia Web: daiwafishing.com.au

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HITS: Highly Sensitive Remarkably light in weight Feels amazing in the hand Extreme casting accuracy Robust and powerful blank from tip to butt

MISSES: The bag it comes in could be a better design

The Daiwa Commander series is one of the first series of AGS rods to be released by Daiwa. You may recall a few issues back we did a review of the Battler Beowolf and heaped it with well-deserved praise. There is no doubt that the AGS guides have been a game changer. For those that arent aware about AGS guides or what they are I suggest you jump on Daiwas site and have a look at what its all about. In a nutshell they are a carbon fibre guide that adds a whole new element to the fishing rod. Theyre super light and ultra sensitive and you need to use an AGS rod to understand just how great they are.

As you would expect a new concept like this placed on a beautiful blank was never going to be cheap, so Daiwa released two AGS series. The Battler series and then the Commander series which is significantly less in price than the Battler. However, owning both I must say the Commander series only has a marginal difference in quality and some may even prefer them.

CastingThe Commander Bayonet Division is a 66 1-2kg rod that I always have paired with a 1003 cerate spooled with 3lb braid and 3lb leader. I bought it to suit two specific purposes. The first was targeting trout in skinny rivers. I needed a rod that was on the shorter side of things as I was often casting around overhanging growth. Even moderately tall reeds on a trout river can pose casting issues with a long rod. I also wanted something stiff with outstanding recovery on the cast. If you ever want to see how a rod recovers just give it a tap and watch how long it takes to stop vibrating and be still. The Commander Bayonet offers ridiculously good recovery, a very fast action and therefore excellent casting accuracy. This is important when trout fishing as you may only have one cast to get it right and if you mess that cast up you can say goodbye to that fish.

I also wanted it for a similar scenario and that was casting at deep snags up fairly skinny rivers for bream and other estuarine species from the boat. I dont have a bass boat with a flush deck so there are things such as the centre console, rods and the other angler that can get in the way of the cast. The shorter length allows me to have more casting freedom and the accuracy allows me to cast under branches, next to snags and right along rock walls and pontoons.

While you may think this rod is a great rod for light weighted soft plastics, which it is, I never use plastics with it. I use it for big hard bodies around 55-65mm in length. It can cast these lures an absolute mile and it does it with extreme accuracy.

Retrieving While its ability to cast a lure is phenomenal it is equalled and maybe even exceeded by its attributes when retrieving a lure. The sensitivity offered by the AGS guides, the Bias Wrap construction of the blank and the Surround reel seat is close to perfection. I dont believe any angler could retrieve a lure with this rod and not want to own it. I can tell exactly what my lure is doing at all times with this rod. If the rear treble fouls up on even a small piece of grass, the bib brushes a stump or a small trout has a swipe I can feel everything. Not only does it give me better control of my offering, but it also makes my fishing more enjoyable as I am always in contact with what is happening. Some lures where I used to think I was slow rolling I have now realised I was going too fast, they were swimming fine and there was action, but I just couldnt feel it.

The FightWhen in battle the Bayonet punches well above its weight. It has a lot of grunt right through the whole taper and offers control over fish in various scenarios. Whether its a brown trout using the current to escape me or a bream racing for the snags I can stop the fish, turn its head and put as much pressure on as my line will take and remain in full control. The all round sensitivity of the rod allows me to have a great understanding of exactly what the fish and the line are doing at any given time. Its a remarkably powerful rod for its rating, sensitivity and ability to cast light weighted lures.

To ConcludeThe black and green motif of the Commander series is subtle and looks great. I love the feel of the surround reel seat and the mix of EVA and cork. It looks stylish, fits in the hand perfectly and offers increased sensitivity.

While all the AGS rods come with a high price tag, they are well worth the investment. This is a very special rod and all the high praise I am placing on it is well deserved. There arent many rods that can do it all but this rod can. It isnt whippy but can cast small weights long distances. Its stiff, yet highly sensitive. Its extremely light in weight and the reel doesnt negatively affect the well-balanced blank. You have to pick one up to experience just how great a rod this is.

The only thing Daiwa got wrong was the rod bag it comes with. The rod splits apart just below the stripper guide and the opposing weights of the two sections feel as though too much pressure is being placed on the tip section. Aside from that the rod is faultless. It is my most favourite rod Ive ever owned and I own many including the more expensive Battler.


With the new Plano Guide Series Tackle Bag,

your favorite baits and lures are always ready

and accessible. A molded top conveniently

holds a ProLatch StowAway utility box to

organize all of your frequently used tackle.

And down below, this compact bag holds a set

of additional StowAway utility boxes that can

be called up whenever needed.

ON DECKKEEP YOUR TACKLE

NEW Guide Series Tackle bags467310 3700 GUIDE SERIES TACKLE BAG

466310 3600 GUIDE SERIES TACKLE BAG

465010 3500 GUIDE SERIES TACKLE BAG

WWW.PLANOMOLDING.COM

JMGILLIES.COM.AU

Super pe 8 Braid NeW* 8 strand braid with circular cross section prevents flattening

of the line when wound on the reel.* High strength polyethylene braid for complete confidence

* Super sensitive, super low stretch design to capture the most delicate bites* Slick, smooth line surface for low guide friction and excellent castability

* Knots are easy to make and keep in place * Bright orange colour for outstanding visibility.

150m 6, 8, 10, 12, 15, 20, 25, 30lb300m 40, 50, 60lb


Tested & Reviewed: Tonic Youranium Words: Kosta Linardos Images: Tim Haynes Distributed By: Tonic Eyewear Web: toniceyewear.com.au

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Designing a sunglasses frame is harder than what most would think. If you take a look around next time youre out on a sunny day you will notice that everyone has a different idea of what cool sunnies look like. If you then look a little closer youll also notice that we all have different shaped heads, brows and nose bridges. This means that making a pair of sunglasses that fits everyone is impossible. It has always been an issue with me that frames I thought looked cool didnt fit me, but thats life.

Tonic have always been a company that thinks outside the box and they have recently taken and old approach and given it a clever new spin to tackle the issue of sunglasses dropping at the nose bridge.

The new Tonic YouRanium frame, which got its name after a competition that was held with YouFish TV asking viewers to submit a name hit the shelves earlier this year. Its a cool frame that has a more squared shape in the arms and eye piece than what most Tonic frames have, yet it still has that Tonic aesthetic that anglers have come to love.

HITS: Adjustable nose bridge Very light in weight Comfortable to wear for long periods Soft arms Large eyepiece

MISSES: Not everyone will like or need

the adjustable nose bridge

Its made from Tonics very soft and very light TR90 optical grade material and is finished in a soft matte black. The standout feature of the YouRanium is the adjustable nose bridge. This is a very different adjustable nose bridge to what you would find on an old pair of aviators. Its made from a very soft and durable material and works on a dual swivel system rather than just bending a cheap wire. This new adjustable nose bridge system allows you to lift or drop the frame to suit the shape of your nose bridge and is perfect for people with a wider bridge.

Aside from this being a great addition to the new frame, its not just some gimmick stuck on an average frame. The frame itself offers full wrap around protection and covers your face from over the brow and down to the bottom of the eye. The frames dont ever impede your vision and they have been designed in a way that no matter where you adjust them to sit on your face youre just looking through lens and not seeing frame.

The arms of the YouRanium are soft at the rear and while they are a snug fit that wont fall off your head every time you bend over, they dont cause any uncomfortable pressure anywhere at the rear where the arms sit.

The YouRanium is a great design that allows you to customise the way the frame sits on your face and will be a welcomed frame for many people that have struggled with frames constantly dropping on their face. No longer

will you be constantly pushing them back up after youve dropped your head.

You can order it with any one of Tonics four amazing lenses including grey, blue mirror, neon and copper and you cant go wrong with your choice. Tonic make an amazingly clear lens that will greatly aid you on your next sight fishing adventure.

TV

We take all the latest gear and use it to catch the species that are on offer this winter. Detailed location guides and

techniques in hi-def 1080p video.

FREE TO WATCH ON ANY DEVICE AT ANY TIME

All episodes released well before spring shows itself.

Find it online at www.hookedupmagazine.com.au

We take all the latest gear and use it to catch the species that are on offer this winter. Detailed location guides and

techniques in hi-def 1080p video.

FREE TO WATCH ON ANY DEVICE AT ANY TIME

All episodes released well before spring shows itself.

Find it online at www.hookedupmagazine.com.au

ONLINE NOW!HOW TO CATCH SQUID

HOW TO CATCH KING GEORGE WHITINGFISHING THE NOOSA RIVER

See our full range of quality terminal tackle at www.blackmagictackle.com

A Black Magic C Point 4/0 hook was used to catch this massive 11.5kg snapper. Slade Weston was fishing in Coffin Bay, SA.

This excellent 7.1kg snapper was landed by Dave Parratt on a Black Magic KS 4/0 hook while fishing in Port Philip Bay, VIC.

Tyson Hortop landed this bream using the perfect hook, a Black Magic KL 1/0. Tyson was fishing in the Onkaparinga River, SA.

Weka Sands proudly holds this estimated 40kg plus kingfish he landed using a Black Magic GZ 9/0 livebait hook and Black Magic 130lb Tough Trace while fishing aboard charter vessel Pursuit off White Island, New Zealand.

GZ Livebait Series Very sharp chemically sharpened to

penetrate with ease

Super strong made in Japan from a heavier wire gauge, a tough hook for tough fighting fish

Great for cubing or choose a size to suit the livebaits availableAvailable in sizes 02, 2/0, 4/0, 6/0, 9/0 and 11/0

C Point

The ultimate in penetration effortless penetration due to the specialised design of its chemically sharpened point and a smaller than average barb

Strong and durable made in Japan from premium grade high carbon steel

Rust resistant coated with black nickel giving you a strong, durable high performance hook

Available in sizes 04, 02, 01, 1/0, 2/0, 3/0, 4/0, 5/0, 6/0, 7/0, 8/0 and 10/0

KS Series Very sharp our first chemically sharpened

hook designed to penetrate with ease

Super strong made in Japan from a heavier wire gauge than most other brands, these hooks wont break or crush easily

Multi-purpose winner of many tournaments and holder of numerous records

Available in sizes 04, 02, 01, 1/0, 2/0, 3/0, 4/0, 5/0, 6/0, 7/0 and 8/0

KL Series Self hooking the recurve style means

fish hook themselves, usually in the corner of the mouth

Sharp chemically sharpened Strong made in Japan from premium

grade high carbon steel

An excellent choice for both surfcasting and deep water fishingAvailable in sizes 06, 04, 02, 01, 1/0, 3/0, 4/0, 5/0, 6/0, 7/0 and 8/0

Documents

HOOKED UP AUGUST 2015