Professional Documents
Culture Documents
features 14
26 64
08 OFFSHORE BITE O'CLOCK
Heath Woodward
26 RAKING THEM IN
regulars
Shane Murton
40
54 GOOLWA BEACH PIPI PRIMER
Shane Murton
37 SUBSCRIPTIONS
Sign up to FSA Magazine
50 BRAG BOARD
Show Off Your Catch
74 COMPETITION NEWS
08 54
SA Competition Scene
4 | www.fishingsa.com.au
49
how-to
REVIEW: HORSEFISH & HARD
WON TREASURES
Rob Murton
84 94
84 COORONG SOFT PLASTIC
MULLOWAY
Lucas Weaver
98
94 REVIEW: SQUIDGIES BIO TOUGH
Fishing SA Magazine
49
hot spots All the latest hot spots
& fishing news from
subscribe
right around SA! 37 SUBSCRIBE TO FISHING SA
Full details on how to subscribe
22
to SA's best fishing read!
24 38
22 FAR WEST COAST EP
34 70 78
Stephen W., Christian F.
34 UPPER / LOWER EP
72 82
Heath W., Robin S., Alan H.
60 RIVER COUNTRY
Lucas Weaver
88
62 FRESHWATER SCENE
90
Simon Cardone
70 YORKE PENINSULA
Alex Ciccozzi 82 FLEURIEU PENINSULA
Shane Murton
72 KANGAROO ISLAND
Matt Ingram 88 UPPER SOUTH EAST
Craig Richards
fishingsamagazine | 5
Fishing SA Magazine
October / November 2017 / Issue 55
MANAGING EDITOR
Shane Murton
shane@fishingsa.com.au
greg irving
FISHING SA
PO Box 2470, Goolwa, SA, 5214
Phone: 0428 823 834
SUBSCRIPTION ENQUIRIES
subs@fishingsa.com.au
"In many ways he pioneered fishing journalism in South Australia, SOCIAL MEDIA
fishingsamagazine
and contributed immensely to the promotion of the sport" DISTRIBUTION
Gordon & Gotch
S
taff at the magazine were just yarning about fishing as you do with AREA REPORTS
shocked with the recent and mates. Since then we'd kept in regular Adelaide Metro
sudden passing of prominent touch through his tackle shop work, and Nathan Peckham & Mark Mills
local angling figure Greg Irving more recently the magazine was helping Kangaroo Island
during August. out with information for Greg's regular Matt Ingram
Greg has been well-known newspaper column. Eyre Peninsula
in SA fishing circles for many decades Known for spinning a great fishing yarn Heath W., Christian F., Stephen W.,
through his writing and tackle shop work at the drop of a hat, Greg was one of a Alan Hall, Robin Sharp
at Brighton Tackle & Bait, and in many kind and he will be sadly missed by all who Yorke Peninsula
ways he pioneered fishing journalism knew him. Our thoughts and best wishes Alex Ciccozzi
in South Australia, and contributed are with Greg's family and friends. South East
immensely to the promotion of the sport Hugh Magarey, Craig Richards
on a local level. Probably even more Riverland
so than his prominence in the fishing Lucas Weaver
Shane Murton / Managing Editor
industry however, 'Greggy' will likely best Freshwater
be remembered for being a genuinely Simon Cardone
top bloke and one of the real nice guys in Fleurieu Peninsula
the industry. Shane Murton
On a personal note Greg gave me a
COVER SHOT
start in the fishing journalism caper and
Blue crabs are on the crawl already.
offered plenty of support for a budding
Check out the story on page 26 for
writer. He was the epitome of the perfect
where and how to rake up a feed.
editor, going above and beyond to help
out, affable, and someone you could really DISCLAIMER
respect and soon get to know outside of All content is copyright Fishing SA and
may not be duplicated without permission.
work. I remember in my second year of
Views expressed by contributors and
writing, some 15-16 years ago, Greg made advertisers are not necessarily those of
a point of meeting with me and going Fishing SA.
through the finer points of writing and
www.fishingsa.com.au
6 | www.fishingsa.com.au
8 | www.fishingsa.com.au
BITE O'CLOCK!
Heath breaks away from the norm and reaps
the rewards for trying something different
on the Port Lincoln reefs
WORDS & IMAGES BY: HEATH WOODWARD
The author
with a pair of
keepers caught
during a hectic
night bite
fishingsamagazine | 9
Heath with
part of a bag
limit haul of
cracker night
time nannygai!
10 | www.fishingsa.com.au
fishingsamagazine | 11
levels, we deployed the berley and baits. opposite from fishing daylight hours to night
Freshly caught squid were the baits of time around these reef systems in regards
choice to make life difficult for those darn to bycatch? This drove me to do a little
parrot fish, and with the sounder lighting up research and chat to a few guys who have
When the sounder with activity there was little delay before the been around the traps for a while. Also, my
lights up like this it first bite was felt and a hook sunk on a fish. good mate ‘Google’ lent its help as usual.
is hard to contain
the excitement! Immediate head shakes were felt, and as Well the answer astounded me to say the
we were expecting to have to sort through least. The possibility that we just managed
heaps of garbage fish to find something of to luck out and find a school of quality
FIRST NIGHT SESSION value, we couldn’t believe our eyes when the fish which outnumbered the undesired
Launching late in the afternoon into a glassy first fish to surface was a massive nannygai. reef fish was very wrong. The annoying
Boston Bay had my mate and I absolutely All of a sudden the excitement levels went bluethroat and other parrot fish that
pumped as any calm boating venture through the roof and we were feeling like parade around offshore reefs in a confident
does, let alone not knowing what could pioneers, in the middle of an awesome manner smashing baits and cutting traces
materialise into our ice box by the end of the fishing session in the dead of night. aren’t so brave after sun down. Feeling
night. Nannygai, snapper, gummy sharks and I chucked that big ‘goat’ on ice as my mate quite vulnerable to predation they go into
anything else could be a possibility. As we had just hooked-up solid on a fish of his lockdown at night by cocooning themselves
approached our desired spot there was just own, which meant my next bait couldn’t be in a thick mucus membrane secreted from
enough light available for a bit of exploring loaded quick enough. This eventuated into
with the sounder and to prospect what was one of the hottest bites you could think of
available. As usual, The Passage turned up as snapper (albeit most were under size)
plenty of bluethroat, rock cod and other junk and nannygai were jumping into the boat
fish on the sounder. This wasn’t too worrying without a single ‘junk fish’ being caught.
however as we were keen to find out what We simply couldn’t have been happier as
happens after dark anyway. we high fived our way to a bag limit of 20
Having dropped the anchor in a likely stomper nannygai in an hour.
looking spot we casually organised the boat, The trip home that night was filled
poured some coffee, ate some lamingtons with excitement and the craziness often
and chilled out until night fall. Once enough expressed by excited anglers, but it also
light had disappeared and our sugar and raised a few questions. One such question
caffeine levels were at optimum working pondered, was why there is such a polar
12 | www.fishingsa.com.au
I
reef instead of on top. This clearly results
a look at what’s involved for those keen to
glands in their gill t makes
cavityperfect
prior tosense
sleeping.that in a much higher return rate of anchors,
improve their offshore success down deep.
This masks their the SA offscent
natural shoreagainst
fishing but it is also the prime spot for quality
predators but also scene should
causes themprovide
to shut the fish as they love the upwellings the reef
THE IMPORTANCE OF CONTOURS
downperfecttheir own fishing
feedingscenario,
habits. edges create. Trust me, I have spent some
The ability to read and interpret a map
This given
lets the the combination
cream rise to the oftop, time sitting right on top of reefs with very
or chart is a fundamental skill that any
so to speak, largely untapped
by leaving theschools
desired of little action.
offshore angler should aim to learn. Charts
fish toand low
rule thelevels
roostofand boating traffic.
stuff their While
guts While this story is primarily aimed at
can either be hardcopy or electronic in
in theory
until the sunit’s rises
hard again.
to disagree with this, highlighting the movements of nannygai
nature, so it really comes down to what
reality
Not onlywould does suggest
this open however, it couldn’t
up a highly after dark, no reef trip would be complete
tools and information you have available.
be further from
productive fishery thewhere
truth!you don’t suffer without other fish joining in on the fun.
A good offshore chart should exhibit
theFinding
loss offiterminal
sh offshore tackleis by no means
through pesky a Leaving the ramp a little earlier in the day
a high level of detail, and in the case of
quick
critt and
ers, buteasy proposition,
it changes or anprospect
the whole easy has allowed for significant exploration
finding fish the most important element is
skill
of to fiadopt.
reef shing for As thewithbettanyer.form of fishing, of other neighbouring spots. Doing this
found within the contour lines displayed.
time
For onmethe nowwatergonewill are inevitably
the days ofassist having often ensures I go home with a fisherman’s
For those unfamiliar with the term ‘contour
with
to use honing
heavy in your
outfi skills
ts to dealinwith
order basket with catches of big blue morwong
lines’ it refers to the squiggles or lines on
to build
the weight theofconfi
driftdence
ing massiveand and snapper, and other species that can
a chart that join points of equal water
improveincatch
sinkers deep rates.
water. really fire up late in the day, at a time most
depth. This provides us with valuable
On a personal
Anchoring allows level
theit’s fishos would be contemplating heading
information in regards to bottom depths
admitt
downsizing edly taken
of tackle meand quiteto abefew
able years to
to have back to shore.
and gradients that can certainly be used to
improve
a heap ofmy funconfi
on lightdence lineout
andthere with of
a mixture I will finish off by sharing what is
our advantage.
plenty
lures. I more
have also still found
to learn, theandoilyI’m sure of
texture most undoubtedly my most successful attempt
In my eyes reading a chart correctly is
off
theshore
humble enthusiasts
pilchard towill berelate
dynamite to this.
bait at this caper from earlier in the year. Being
one of the major keys for offshore fishing
asThe offshore
it creates itsenvironment
own little berley is constantly
scent and super eagre the boat was in the water at
success. Generally speaking, wide or
changing
doesn’t getwith fish oftby
destroyed enunwanted
vacating areas fish on as lunchtime on this particular day with the
spread contour lines indicate a much less
quickly as they
immediate appeared,
deployment andcircumstance.
in this weather and plan to scour some wide lumps prior to
drastic change in the sea floor depth and
strong tidal infl
One lesson uence
I learnt also play
earlier theirwas
this year part our night session. Instead of drifting we
therefore indicate a very slight gradient.
in SA,
to and careful
be ultra are variables
whereto contend
I place with. It
the anchor deployed the anchor near a lump in broad
Conversely, contour lines bunched up
is the sense
though. of challenge and
Not demonstrating as the
much potential
care as daylight with a bag of berley to pull in
tightly can reflect a sharp drop or rise
Irewards
should have that drive
cost me a lot of fisho’s
dearly with thetowards
push anything around us. While we did grab a
in depth, often in the form of a ledge or
investing
of a button. countless
A lack of hoursvigilance andsaw dollars into
me drop couple of nans the main event had to be
underwater lump or pinnacle. Pinnacles
thispick
my rapidly
rightexpanding
into a hardcore SouthchunkAustralianof reef the 21kg samson fish we nailed on a whole
which I could see on the sounder as soon as squid, plus two 50cm whiting on the lighter
it landed. 45 minutes of trying to manoeuvre outfits. By lighter I mean these whiting
the boat on different angles to dislodge the still scoffed a 4-inch strip of squid on a 5/0
anchor was not the ideal situation to be in, hook. This was a very nice ‘entrée’ to have
particularly in the dark with a light drizzle before heading inside The Passage for a
starting to fall. I now have $800 worth of session of rampaging night time nannygai,
chain, SARCA anchor, stainless swivels and and just another reason to boast that this A good samson caught
rope sitting on the ocean floor. Trying to is one of the best fisheries I have fished. I'm even before the night
session kicked off!
retrieve the anchor also drained my main sure there's still plenty to learn yet as well!
fishingsamagazine | 13
YORKE PENINSULA
SO MANY OPTIONS! WORDS & IMAGES BY: ANDREW MCGOVERN
fishingsamagazine | 15
Sometimes it can be
a long time between
bites, particularly if
Chappie and I pulled three nice mulloway to
you are waiting for a
13kg, all of which were returned to the water. tide change
Now you have identified a handful of
beaches to fish the next piece of the puzzle
is to pinpoint the features on those beaches.
Your target species will have a bearing on
the features you require to get those rods
bending and drags singing. Some of the flat,
sheltered beaches are perfect for mullet,
tommies, garfish, or the occasional sambo.
We often fish these beaches and bays to
stock up on baits for our mulloway sessions
by targeting the edge of weed beds or small
distinct holes. However, if you are chasing
bigger prey in the form of salmon, shark, and
mulloway then you need to find beaches
with some clearly defined features that will
not only attract the fish, but also hold them
close enough to find your bait.
16 | www.fishingsa.com.au
salmon. For those undertaking long hikes eastern side of the peninsula Kleins Point,
ensure you have a high quality pack where Port Giles and Edithburgh jetties, as well
the bulk of the weight sits on your hips. This as any of the small beaches will all hold
will assist in taking the weight, and when mulloway in the summer months
walking good distances on soft sand this will On the western side some nice school
save loading up your shoulders and lower sized mulloway (up to 14 kilograms) can be
back. caught at The Gap near Port Hughes/Cape
Elizabeth, and numerous mulloway are taken
SNAPSHOT OF OPTIONS from Wallaroo Jetty and surrounding areas.
The following is a brief guide to the base
of Yorkes and some options to consider, TROUBRIDGE POINT LIGHTHOUSE
however, there are many other locations Some excellent rock fishing can be had for
that will produce trophy mulloway. On the snook, salmon, snapper and garfish near
of 30lb mono matched to a fast tapered
3-4 metre rod, is perfect for this style of
fishing. With weed being an ever-present
issue along these lower Yorkes beaches I
was advised by a couple of good mates to
use mono rather than braid. This was sound
advice as removing huge clumps of weed
tangled like a macramé set through braid is
time consuming and almost impossible to
detangle at times. Although still challenging
mono is much more user friendly when weed
is present.
Next outfit would be a multi-purpose
setup that could cover both lure and bait
fishing for salmon, squid and mullet. A 2 to
2.4 metre rod matched with a 4000 size spin The author releasing
a 'pup'. Even small
reel and 14-20lb braid with cover both bases. mulloway are a
Finally an ultra-light spin outfit capable rewarding capture
of handling 6-8lb braid for chasing bait and a good sign you're
fishing in the right area!
fish such as tommies, gar, mullet or small
fishingsamagazine | 17
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West Coast of EP
By Christian Faulkner
"October and November is a prime time to take advantage of the summer style fishing volorio seque volesse.
on the west coast without the crowds of the school holidays and Christmas tourists"
O
ctober and November on the west to the jetty or Hospital Point. The snapper year for salmon. Although there aren’t
coast can produce almost totally generally follow the blue crabs into the bay, generally many monsters landed from
different weather. October seems to and often fishing mid water will be the go Mt Camel, there are always fish there.
be mainly warm weather with light to avoid crabs stealing baits while you’re Dusk and dawn will be the best times to
winds, while November is usually waiting for snapper to swim by. Plenty of hit them, but they can be caught all day.
nice and warm to hot, but the wind berley should be used as they don’t seem My option would be to grab a couple of
pattern of summer is normally well and truly to hang in any one part of the bay, they just stubbies and head down late afternoon.
set in, with afternoon sea breezes the norm. seem to cruise through the channels. As summer nears, the Walkers Rocks area
This aside, the fishing is typically great over King George whiting schools should starts to swell with tourists and holiday
this period! be well and truly established in the makers looking to relax and catch a feed.
Blue crabs start to show up in all the bays shallows all along the coast by the start Anywhere along the beach all the way up
as October nears its end, especially at of November, but I’m sure the annual to the reef can produce whiting, tommies,
Smoky Bay. They arrive in big numbers, but annoyance of trumpeters will also be snook and small salmon. Just pull up to any
sometimes early in the season they don’t around in plague proportions! gutter or white hole and you should have a
contain very much meat. As the water warms Anglers that manage to score the perfect fair chance of getting a feed. The Talia side
up they start feeding more aggressively and mix of weather, low swell and wind, and a of the reef is renowned for producing big
begin filling up with meat - this also means late night high tide should come across salmon and gummies after dark. While you
they are easier to catch. Boat anglers might solid sized mulloway. Fresh squid, salmon only catch the odd salmon up there after
find the opposite side of the bay will produce or tommie fillets are the ideal baits, but dark they are usually the extra large ones
more crabs early on at Smoky, and as the any fish fillets will put you in with a chance. which makes it worthwhile.
season goes on and water warms up the Back Beach, Hallys and Patties are all worth The jetty at Elliston should keep fishos
town side of the bay and the jetty will be the a try. entertained with big tommies and squid,
places to try. The town jetty produces big Those fishing the lumps out from Venus especially when the water is clear. Locks
tommies this time of year, especially on a Bay can expect hauls of snapper, especially Well and Sheringa are both almost as
late night high tide. You are almost certainly when the tide is slack. Drifting over the reliable for salmon in the summer time as
going to get a good feed of big tommies if you lumps when the tide is not ripping is they are in winter, so anglers can expect to
fish the 11-12pm high tides, especially on a the preferred option and plenty of other hook a few. Sheringa is a good option, and
warm balmy night. bycatch like nannygai, King George and big if the salmon aren’t running you can drive
At Streaky Bay anglers can expect snapper trevally can be expected. Inside the bay back to the first beach and pick up a feed
to start showing up in the channel of the itself trevally can be landed from the jetty, of whiting and tommies.
bay midway through October. Anywhere in and boat anglers should be able to manage October and November is a prime time to
the bay if you are in a channel you are half a feed of whiting, but sifting through the take advantage of the summer style fishing
a chance of hooking one if you're a boatie. undersized ones might be required. on the west coast without the crowds of the
Alternatively land-based anglers should head Mt Camel Beach is a reliable option all school holidays and Christmas tourists!
24 | www.fishingsa.com.au
I
'm sure most non-fishos would associate 'raking'
with an activity far removed and much more menial
than fishing, usually in the form of a non-enjoyable
household chore. But if you're a fisho in SA you'll know
that you can have a whole lot of fun with a common-
looking rake when it comes to pinning our monster
blue swimmer crabs on the flats this warmer season.
Scratching around for blueys with a rake has a strong
following, and chasing them in this manner is a large part
of the crab culture of South Oz. The appeal is obvious. You
don't need a lot of gear, it's relaxing and typically a highly
productive way to target the flats dwelling crabs which take
up residence in our warm shallow waters. Raking crabs does
beat the hell out of raking leaves around your house that's
for sure, no comparison there! It's amazing how you can
get pumped for what is probably harder work than cleaning
up your backyard when there's a day near the water and a
seafood feast attached to the deal. The blues are
So how do you get into this raking caper and nail a few
of these explosive blue shelled land mines that invade our back! A popular
coastal flats?
ESSENTIAL GEAR
and easy way to
The simplicity of crab raking is much of the attraction. Crab get yourself a feed
rakes are widely available from most tackle stores around
the state that are within close proximity to a population of of these tasty
blueys. Essentially you just need a rake, a tub to put your
catch in and tow around with you, crab measurer and an treats is by raking
old pair of sneakers or wet suit boots and you're in the
the shallow flats
26 | www.fishingsa.com.au
fishingsamagazine | 27
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strong following, and chasing them in this manner came out of hiding and attempted to reach
any water they could find on a filthy hot
is a large part of the crab culture of South Oz" day. With all this in mind, I'm sure you'll find
more than the odd crab doing something
it shouldn't and they can be found literally
anywhere when the season is in full swing.
RAKING TECHNIQUE
Crab raking is quite an intensive activity.
When I first started off I was more selective
where I chose to rake, preferring to see
some sort of likely crab sign or a really high
probability piece of seafloor first. But after
watching more seasoned rakers closely it
was obvious they really work the bottom
hard and thorough, and it soon became
apparent why, as blue crabs can be hiding
basically anywhere and don't always give
clues as to their location.
Once you find some crab bottom it's a
matter of scouring most of it. Clear patches
surrounded by weed, or the edge of weed
beds are a couple of noteworthy areas you
can confidently rake most of the bottom
Raking over prime bottom
with plenty of features even without an obvious hint there's a crab
and holding points for home. Finding crabs like this is actually a
the crabs
buzz, as you can be half in a daze with not
fishingsamagazine | 29
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WHYALLA, UPPER EP
S
Prominent Whyalla angler Alan Hall said in front of the
outh Australia is laden with an overwhelming shacks at Cowleds Landing about 10km south of Whyalla
amount of prime crab raking areas, and in a is popular. Also Murninnie Beach about 30km south of
whirlwind look below our regular area report Whyalla. The shallows in Fitzgerald Bay can also provide
writers, and other prominent crabbers from right plenty of crabs for waders. Alan also mentioned there's no
around the state, have provided some general more crab raking at 8 Mile Creek as the area is now in the
locations to be checking out this warmer season. no take zone of the marine park.
So let's get in to it!
LOWER TO MID EP
METRO Regular writer Heath Woodward said Cowell has plenty
There's some great close handy crab raking for Adelaide of quality crab raking, with the flats of the southern
anglers to the north. Rod builder and long-term crabber peninsula in Franklin Harbour near the leases productive.
Rob Wilson suggests checking out Port Gawler, Middle He said 4WD is definitely advised as beach driving is
Beach, Thompson Beach, Webb Beach and Port Parham, required. If you are attacking it with a conventional vehicle
with Thompson and Parham particularly popular for then the gravel road running from Cowell to Port Gibbon
metro crabbers. gives access to parking points where you can venture into
the water by foot along the far south-western corner.
YORKE PENINSULA Heath also mentioned that good raking is on offer out the
Yorkes has so many crab raking options it's hard to narrow front of Limani Hotel in Port Lincoln as well.
it to a few. But FSA writer Alex Ciccozzi suggested the With so many options there's plenty of reasons to get
smaller towns of Tiddy Widdy and Port Clinton are a your gear together and rake a few blueys this season!
great starting point for a bit of family friendly crab raking
away from the larger crowds. Finding your own section of
secluded beach in these areas will certainly increase your
chance of success, so don’t be afraid to head for a long
stroll down the beach before commencing. Stansbury
foreshore south of the boat ramp is also a great little
pocket to search along, but being a larger town there’s
often a bit of traffic to contend with at times. Port Vincent
in front of the caravan park and the flats either side of the
town are also very productive.
fishingsamagazine | 31
A bucket of
crabs about to
be cooked up
- yummo!
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warmer months" good action for squid, snook and other bread and butter fish. Early
morning and late evening are always prime! I will touch base with
you closer to Christmas where we should be getting into the nuts
and bolts of the offshore season and plenty more!
a little closer to civilisation if hitting the beaches is on your agenda
but you don’t want to go to the extent of prepping yourself for
remote camping for long periods of time. It is often overlooked that
Spring and summer surf
the lower EP beaches produce some thumping salmon throughout fishing can be great
the warmer months. With the tides somewhat lower compared to around lower EP, with low
winter and swell down to a manageable level it allows for less risky swell conditions typical
navigation of known beaches including Gunyah and Wisemans. The
low swell is always welcome amongst beach fishos for also bringing
schools of sambos in close to shore as well. Throw in sharks, and
the odd mulloway and snapper and you just never know what you
fishingsamagazine | 35
A
s we move towards summer we has always been a problem for me until water can get seriously rough at times. Use a
can expect fishing in the whole of now. I have never been a fan of pickling crab very heavy sinker attached to the main line,
upper Spencer Gulf to improve with meat as all I could taste was the vinegar. then about a 2m dropper with a baited hook.
the arrival of the spring whiting and An acquaintance suggested cryovacing Drop down until bottom is reached the wind
blue crabs. The movement of the and freezing the meat after cooking and up about 2m and then start your drift.
blue crab from the deeper water to picking. I have to say now it’s the only way to Marek’s Tyre Reef in front of Whyalla is
shallower waters brings them within reach go. Meat thaws out and tastes as fresh as if always a good spot for pan size snapper
of shore-based fishers and those in boats. it was caught the day before. Straight onto and the occasional larger fish. Once again
Most popular methods of catching crab sandwiches or it can be used in cooking a pre-dawn would be the best time, and if you
are by dropping crab nets from jetties and variety of meals. stay a little longer you should also get a feed
boats, or by wading through the shallows October will see King George whiting of KG whiting.
and raking. catches improve and there should be some For those that like to smoke fish, snook
For boaties best areas are out from the good size fish around at this time of the year. can be found in November over the weed
foreshore at Whyalla and in front of Mount Broken bottom at the Whyalla foreshore is beds on the Western Shoal, Fairway Bank
Young, virtually anywhere on the broken always a good area, as is in front of Mount and along the south side of Fitzgerald Bay.
bottom. Best baits for nets would be the Young. Sandy holes along the One Steel Cowell, especially around the entrance,
easily caught trumpeter/whiting frames and breakwall are reliable as well. Eastern Shoal holds some big schools of snook in
heads, and even snapper heads and frames. usually turns it on in October and along November. Trolling and casting soft plastics
If you want to get amongst some extra- Ward Spit, and south into the Port Pirie should get you a good feed.
large blue crab, waters around Port Augusta Checker Buoy grounds. The recent completion of the installation
hold some of the biggest blue crabs I Salmon can be taken by shore casters at of solar lighting at the Point Lowly Marina
have seen and they taste much better. I’m Becky Point just north of Whyalla and also breakwall has been very welcomed by local
thinking because of the higher salt content in front of the lighthouse at Point Lowly. fishers, as they now have a much safer
in the water at Port Augusta. Crabbing at the Recent catches have seen fish to 4kg being environment for night time fishing activities.
Port is a little different as you require heavily taken which is as good as any taken on the The installation of the lights was made
weighted nets to hold the bottom during the west coast! possible by a recreational fishing grant via
tidal movements and you need to get close Snapper fishing is much less predictable Department Environment Water and Natural
to a beacon as that is where crabs seem to nowadays, but early morning fishers (pre- Resources and coordinated by Anne Ryan
congregate rather than just anywhere. Best dawn) will be able to catch fish around the at Whyalla City Council and RecFish SA. It
areas for raking will be in front of the shacks 6kg mark in The Rip at Point Lowly in front was anticipated that light spill would attract
just south of Port Augusta on the western of the lighthouse. Usual method here is to fish to the marina at night time and already
side of the gulf, and for Whyalla in the back drift through the area. Start at say 200m out this has been the case with schools of
of Fitzgerald Bay and in front of the shacks at from shore, then 300m then 400m etc. until mullet and salmon visible under the lights.
Cowled’s Landing south of Whyalla. you find them. Water depth here is anything The lights brighten up when movement is
Keeping crab meat to eat at a later date up to 28m. Anchoring is not favoured as the detected as shown in the picture.
36 | www.fishingsa.com.au
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fishingsamagazine | 37
fishingsamagazine | 39
K
angaroo Island, the jewel in SA's tourism
crown, is a place some 200 thousand people
or more visit each year, all clambering
to see a kangaroo, a koala, or some truly
remarkable rocks. It's an island full of natural
wonders, both land and sea.
2017 marks my 10th full year living here, and boy
do I love this place! One aspect of KI's angling
scene that very few visitors get to experience is the
exceptional offshore fishing this place has to offer.
For 10 years I've been dabbling in all types of fishing
here, from land-based flatties, squid and whiting, to
kayak snapper, and even tuna. But the itch that is the
hardest to satisfy, the thing that draws me the most,
has been bobbing in the deep blue and dropping
baits and jigs into the unknown.
By any standards KI has amazing offshore
possibilities, with trophy fish in reach
of most trailer boats. We are also
very lucky here to have options
when it comes to weather, as it’s not hard to find
a reasonably sheltered place inshore, should the
weather not play ball.
The north coast of KI is the primary spot for most
trailer boats to venture out in search of snapper, XOS
40 | www.fishingsa.com.au
KANGAROO ISLAND
WICKED OUT
! WIDE!!
Kangaroo Island has plenty of offshore potential to
explore as local Gavin explains WORDS & IMAGES BY: GAVIN MATHEWS
fishingsamagazine | 41
42 | www.fishingsa.com.au
found their way into the boat. Jigging with 60-100 gram micro jigs has
proven deadly on the south coast, with jigs accounting for most of
our catch, most trips. There really is so much to learn and discover
right around the island, it's mind boggling. While fish like snapper,
school and gummy sharks, XOS whiting and nannygai make up a bulk
of the catch, there's certainly bigger pelagics to be tapped into on a
regular basis.
I’m sitting on the couch at home writing this already planning
and dreaming of our next offshore adventure. The thought of so
much water to explore is keeping me awake at night! KI is a truly
amazing place, with incredible offshore fishing opportunities right on
our doorstep.
Shimano Sustain FI
The Sustain series has long been a tried roller, negating the need for heavy bail This gives the reel a much smoother
and tested favourite amongst anglers hold support. gear transition, but also unrivalled
from around the world. This year marks To oppose unwanted saltwater pulling power to handle larger predatory
the rebirth of the Sustain with the new intrusion, X Protect technology provides species.
FI series that remains true to its outlast the Sustain FI with Shimano’s highest With four sizes available in the range
and outperform reputation. degree of waterproofing protection. featuring 8+1 Shielded A-RB bearings and
The much anticipated release of the Such technology leverages both a drag output that ranges from 9kg to 11kg
Sustain FI has challenged Shimano to water repellent treatment and labyrinth depending on the model. The Sustain
deliver a reel that exceeds expectations structure that blocks any internal FI is finished in a predominately black
and sets a new benchmark for saltwater saltwater entry into the reel's internals. cosmetic that provides a premium finish
performance. With the challenge now The cold forged Hagane Gear and to match its high performance pedigree.
set, Shimano has engineered a spinning X-Ship combine to provide a gearing For further information, visit: www.
reel that offers the perfect balance system that is smoother and stronger shimanofish.com.au.
between rigidity and sensitivity. than any other available in the market.
By leveraging the benefits of the
Aluminum Hagane Body, the Sustain FI
possesses the rigidity of a metal outer
shell that maximises impact resistance
whilst eliminating body flex under load.
To provide enhanced sensitivity, a
Magnumlite Rotor has been fitted to the
Sustain FI series and offers an effortless
low inertia rotation. This is a significant
improvement on the previous Sustain FG
model, as the bail trip lever has now been
moved to the opposite side of the line
46 | www.fishingsa.com.au
Fin-Nor Primal
The new Fin-Nor Primal lever drag
fishing reel sets a new standard for
lightweight and heavy-duty overhead
fishing reels. Designed specifically
for tackling big saltwater fish on
the latest braided lines, the Primal system for stopping power and 440yd/50lb braid. Both sizes are
weighs less than 400 grams and offers six double-shielded stainless steel available in a low gear ratio of 5.8:1 for
a modern ultra-light alternative to bearings for tackling the toughest cranking power or a high gear ratio of
traditional overhead designs. The Fin- fish in the sea. The anodised handle 7.3:1 for a quick haul.
Nor Primal will be a hit with anglers and oversize EVA grips let anglers Inshore and offshore anglers will
using modern jigging techniques and turn up the heat on powerful fish with finally get their hands on a powerful
those seeking a powerful overhead immense cranking potential and the braid-friendly overhead reel that is
reel that is comfortable to use all pawl-and-ratchet back-up clutch adds exceptionally light and easy to use and
day long. security and confidence for tackling perfect for targeting trophy pelagic
The Fin-Nor Primal features an serious fish. and reef fish. The Fin-Nor Primal
ultra-smooth MegaDrag carbon-fibre The Fin-Nor Primal Lever Drag Reel allows anglers to act on instinct.
drag system that achieves up to 30lbs is available in two sizes. The Primal Kingfish, samsonfish, mackerel, tuna
of maximum drag, a MegaShield PR10 narrow spool has a line capacity and coral trout beware!
multi-layer of corrosion protection, of 415yd/30lb braid, while the Primal For further information, visit: www.
a MegaLock instant anti-reverse PR12 wide spool has a capacity of finnorfishing.com.au.
fishingsamagazine | 47
48 | www.fishingsa.com.au
If you like fishing, fossicking, exploring and the bush, then If you love this wide brown land, and the adventures it holds, get
this book is worth a read. The author, Terry Hearl, was born in yourself a copy of the 248 page soft cover HorseFish and Hard
the Barossa Valley in South Australia, but has spent much of Won Treasures.
his time in the Northern Territory. Over thirty years Terry has Available at all Dymocks stores in Adelaide; Dillons
pursued his passions, fishing and gem hunting in the remote Bookstore, Norwood; The Ravens Parlour bookstore, Tanunda;
outback, before deciding to write a book on his adventures. The Bookstore, Darwin; Gawler Books, Willaston; Gawler
As the title suggests, there are some big fish caught, including Fishing and Outdoors; Sutherlands Hotel and Dark Peak Hotel,
a legendary cod by the name of Charlie. And winning a NT Eyre Peninsula. Postal orders are available from Facebook
fishing comp, by fair means or foul, is a good yarn. That’s what page Secretcreekcrystal.
this book is really, a good yarn. Featuring true Aussie characters,
with quite a few 'F bombs' thrown in for an authentic feel, Terry
takes you on his trips, digging for rare gems, in places few
people have been. The results, some of them photographed and
in the book, are spectacular. Treasure hunting attracts a variety
of weird and wonderful types, and some are introduced along
the way.
Living and working in the bush has its moments, and the
author describes his encounters with stroppy scrub bulls, giant
spiders, crocodiles and other beasties. Spending days on the
side of a road, waiting for spare parts to get going again is all
part of knocking about in the bush, and Terry tells it like it was.
I liked this book, not just because I enjoy knocking about
myself. I’m not a gem hunter, but the yarns about chasing these
treasures, and the country where you find them is interesting.
I’ve had a taste of what the fishing is like in the Territory, so I
know why the author keeps returning. And any true blue Aussie
will know what it’s like to have a beer or three with good mates.
fishingsamagazine | 49
Looking down on a
cockler on Goolwa
Beach. Discoloured water
has featured at times
over the last few years
with so much freshwater
being released
fishingsamagazine | 55
"As South Ozzies we're so lucky to have at the end of Beach Road, and wade into
the water and start digging around with
such an amazing cockle fishery as the your toes and you'll find them. They're that
widespread.
one on Goolwa Beach that's within day On a mild weekend as you look up Goolwa
Beach towards the Murray Mouth you'll
56 | www.fishingsa.com.au
Finding Them
If you're not onto a decent patch of cockles
this caper can turn into sweaty work
quick. The fun and appeal can turn sour,
especially when the weather is less than
favourable. We've had days where we've
given up and left in disgust, and conversely
other times you just cream it and you're
back home in under an hour - a whole lot
like 'proper' fishing I guess!
During certain tides and sea conditions
the cockles will be closer to the surface and
easier to find. We've found this does vary
however. I like a rising tide as they seem
to come up to the top and in quite shallow
water, and there's usually plenty of wave
action to uncover them as well. During
slacker tides and in calmer conditions you
tend to have to walk further out in the water
and dig a bit deeper to get them, but it's
doable.
I like to find thick beds of cockles rather
than keep whipping a spot with only dribs
fishingsamagazine | 57
and drabs and mixed sized models being few lots as well. This isn't entirely necessary
found. Sure you'll get a reasonable amount as cockles are sealed units and do store
doing this still, but it'll take hours. Spot well, it's just the next level of bait care you
checking areas and moving around can may decided to do. Put the date on each
unveil small areas absolutely loaded with bag so you know precisely how old it is for
nuggets. Further to this always keep eagle future use.
eyed and look for a 'V' shape in the water
as it retracts after a big wave. A few visible Beach Hazards of contact with a narky sandie is your five
cockles can be the tip of a pipi iceberg. Last While cockling at Goolwa is mostly a fun water logged pinkies it's always good for the
season we found a 100m stretch absolutely exercise, there's inherent dangers when odd leap in the air as you realised that hard
encrusted with cockles, and they were so 'chasing' pipis. Goolwa Beach itself is quite object you thought was the cockle from
tightly packed it was hurting our feet trying flat in nature and waves shoot up the sand hell, is in fact just the edge of quite a large
to shuffle toes amongst them. If you can on a rising tide or high swell conditions and angry crab! Certain stages of the tide
find this situation you'll usually 'bag out' meaning you need to be paying attention and calmer weather conditions are more
in an hour or less and it'll only take a few at all times. Likewise when driving on conducive to increased crab encounters,
scoops with your net - pretty sweet when it the beach. but it's usually a case of potluck when you
happens! Stingrays are prolific here. It's easy to dig your toes in and take your chances with
Subtle things we've found are to look for see why there's such a huge number of what is buried below!
patches of softer sand over harder more rays on Goolwa Beach given the almost Collecting cockles is harsh on your feet,
compacted sand. You wouldn't think it's an infinite protein source that cockles provide. and it's common to leave the beach with
issue for a mollusc that can freely move up Regularly when doing the 'shuffle' we'll spot plenty of cuts. Like any marine-related
and down through sand like it's thin air, but large black and eagle rays pushing in and cuts, be sure to treat them with an
it does seem to influence the numbers of eating the cockles we've missed. I'm sure antiseptic and keep an eye on them for
pipis you'll find. Working the harder more this is learned behaviour and they have infection.
compacted sand can turn into a gruelling plenty of practice at it. Do be mindful of not For all up-to-date rules and regulations
exercise as well. With softer sand you can treading on these rays that will come within surrounding Goolwa pipis be sure to check
get your 'shuffle' on much easier and get metres of your cockle rake some days and out the signage at Goolwa Beach or jump
some white gold rolling into your net much are hard to spot except for the odd wing tip onto www.pir.sa.gov.au for a full rundown.
quicker. Another tip is to get away from protruding out of the water. Hopefully there's a lack of closures this
people and do your own thing. During the On a smaller note soft 'water wrinkled' toes season that were due to the elevated
height of the season Goolwa Beach is like can be latched onto and sliced and diced by presence of E. coli bacteria, and it's
Rundle Mall, and by breaking away from the the local sand crabs. When your first point game on!
pack you do stand a better chance of hitting
paydirt.
58 | www.fishingsa.com.au
I
’m a big fan of using freshly caught Add the tomatoes, garlic, anchovies and
seafood and locally sourced pipis cracked pepper, and continue to fry for a
provide the perfect option. The Goolwa further few minutes until the garlic starts
pipi is a highly popular SA recreational to colour.
target, and despite its common use as Next add the white wine and turn up to a
a bait source for certain fish species it medium-high heat. Let the wine reduce for
can also be used in a multitude of recipes. a few minutes.
One such recipe that’s truly hard to go past
in my opinion is steamed pipis. It’s probably
my favourite way to utilise this 'local' Ingredients
shellfish and it makes the perfect shared
entrée option, or for the less generous 1.5kg Goolwa pipi (fresh)
person you can choose to keep the whole 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
lot for yourself! Finished off with some 1 chilli, finely chopped
crusty bread and washed down with your ½ red onion, finely chopped
favourite glass of white or red, it certainly 1 punnet cherry tomatoes, halved and
makes this dish a tough one to beat! squeezed to remove excess juice
2 anchovy fillets, whole
Method ½ cup flat leaf parsley,
Put a generous amount of olive oil in a coarsely chopped
pan and bring to a medium heat. Place 1 cup white wine
the onion and chilli in the pan and fry Cracked pepper to season
for around 2 minutes, or until the onion Olive oil
becomes translucent.
fishingsamagazine | 59
River Country
By Lucas Weaver
"Shrimp are now fairly plentiful and these are the number
one bait if you're looking for a feed of callop"
once you get them by doing regular water Lakes, meaning it swam through the black
changes and keeping the bucket out of water and against the 100 Meg a day
direct sunlight. current. That is a swim of around 1000km,
and again is another great recapture for
Tag and recapTure Mick - well done mate!
I’m going to share a tag and recapture of Without the floods this callop would not
a callop made by good mate Mick Wilson. have been able to swim up the Darling
Back in 2014 Mick tagged a callop on River as it was reduced to a string of
the 14th of September, along with a few billabongs at one point. It goes to prove
others that day, and like many fish that that fish migrate throughout the entire
are tagged you never really expect to hear system with the flood/drought cycle and
much back as some never get recaptured life in the river does prevail.
fishingsamagazine | 61
Freshwater Scene
By Simon Cardone
62 | www.fishingsa.com.au
fishingsamagazine | 63
Launching Options
The Brighton area is easily accessible for all vessel types largely
thanks to the launching options available close by. Seacliff Beach
is the most obvious choice as it literally places you right on the
doorstep with a host of fishing options starting just a few metres
brighton
inshore diversity
Brighton is a classic example of a metro hot spot that will be well
worth checking out over the upcoming warmer months if you're after
a diverse range of inshore opportunities
WORDS & images by: ALEX CICCOZZI
64 | www.fishingsa.com.au
fishingsamagazine | 65
from shore.
The 'ramp' here is a highly popular beach "The late spring and summer months at Brighton
launch location for both kayak fishos and
the small to medium boating brigade. It are well-known by dedicated squid fishos as a great
is mostly a warm season option as during
winter the larger tides and runs of onshore
weather make the beach impossible to
time to be flicking jigs around"
access for launching purposes. Generally which always seem to blow more than due to weed build up, but will hopefully be
speaking it’s a fairly simple launch and predicted. The West Beach boat ramp was back in action for the prime fishing months
retrieve to execute, but the area does see a closed for much of winter and early spring from now on.
lot of traffic at times. In conjunction with a Further south and O’Sullivan Beach boat
lack of rainfall this can see the beach quickly ramp is another option to access the area,
churn up, so as with any beach launching but the driving required is much further at
location, consideration must be paid to the almost 12km and you’re passing over some
ever changing conditions. prime fishing real-estate along the way. I’ve
Boat trailers can be left up on the beach done this run a couple of times in my 4.1m
past the high tide mark but cars need to be tinny but only when I’ve been confident with
parked in the adjacent car park up on the the forecast. If offshore winds are predicted
road. There’s also no shortage of kids and for the day you can literally hug the Hallett
families visiting so do show extra care if Inshore Brighton is an ideal small Cove cliff face the whole way down for a nice
choosing this destination, and most of all boat location. There's still plenty of smooth run.
blueys this far south
please observe and respect the rules and
regulations as indicated on the signs as you WaRM WeatheR FUn
enter the beach. The late spring and summer months at
West Beach boat ramp is the next best Brighton are well-known by dedicated
place to launch a vessel if you’re unable to squid fishos as a great time to be flicking
access Seacliff Beach for whatever reasons. jigs around, with good numbers and sizes
From here it’s approximately a 7km run, rolling into the area on a daily basis. This
which is doable even in a smaller boat when headline act does experience heavy fishing
the weather is favourable. Be mindful of any pressure in the area though, especially on
pending weather change or afternoon sea weekends, with a number of commercial
breeze as it can quickly turn into a long and fishermen operating alongside a fair cohort
wet run home if you’re caught out, especially of recreational anglers. Despite the higher
with the unsuspecting metro northerlies traffic numbers the upside is that squid can
66 | www.fishingsa.com.au
Small boats
and squid -
the Brighton
special!
fishingsamagazine | 67
68 | www.fishingsa.com.au
Yorke Peninsula
By Alex Ciccozzi
70 | www.fishingsa.com.au
fishingsamagazine | 71
Kangaroo Island
By Matt Ingram
72 | www.fishingsa.com.au
fishingsamagazine | 73
A
dark horse swoops in and
takes out the 3rd round of the
South Australian Bream Kayak
Challenge in the Onkaparinga
River.
Toby Sawford snaps up the
well deserved win in what turned out to
be a record breaking round for the Bream
Challenge. 35 anglers took to the water
in what was the best field so far. Not only
biggest field so far, but also the most
amount of fish caught for a challenge to
date. 19 kayakers out of 35 caught bream, Taking out the Pro Lure Big Bream with
some 33 bream hit the measurers for a his 41cm cracker bream was Neal Palmer,
total of 1138.5cm. Two mulloway and a and splitting our Coopers Clear Wild
biggest bream of 41cm were caught. Species was Alex Bui/Clark Wilson both
Taking out first place was Toby Sawford catching a mulloway of the same size.
with 3 bream measuring 110.4cm. Slow Topping our day out with a BBQ, all anglers
rolling ZMan Grubs and Slim SwimZ had a fantastic day from all reports.
through schooled up fish seemed to be Big thanks to all our sponsors as well
the winning technique. 2nd place was donating products for us to throw into
Victorian Clark Wilson measuring 3 fish at the prize pool each round - Searing Tackle
107cm. Clark was also targeting schooled (Pontoon21, Damiki, Fish Arrow), Tackle
up fish, using Hurricane Vibz 37 in Nitro Tactics (TT Lures, ZMan), Binks Marine,
Axe. 3rd place went to reigning champ Tonic Eyewear, The Scene tackle store at
Terry Sciclunas
Andrew Videon with 3 fish for 100.9cm, Seaford, Sportfishing Scene, Boakes Auto and the biggest
again targeting schooled up fish and using and Marine, SA Bait and Tackle Supplies, tuna caught for
ZMan Grubs and Hurricane Sub Grubs Redtide Trailers, Zip Baits, Pro Lure, the comp
slow rolling them through the schools. Fishing SA Magazine, Coopers and Kay Jay
74 | www.fishingsa.com.au
T
he Kingston SE Lions Club 39th Annual Surf Fishing
Contest will be held on the 20th and 21st of January 2018.
There's some 87km of fishing along the Coorong starting at
Kingston in the SE of South Australia meaning there's no
shortage of prime fishing locations!
This is a family fun day with Junior and Senior categories
and prizes up to $25,000. In the Mulloway category the first prize will
be a boat and up to 19 other prizes can be won. The other categories
are Shark (10 prizes can be won) and the Junior (10 prizes can be
won). We also have a rod tag prize of $500 (you need to be there for
the draw) and 4 mystery prizes.
Please come and enjoy a family fun weekend. If you need any
further information contact Lyle on 0427 672 344.
fishingsamagazine | 75
A
very successful 23rd year of from Talia. Runner-up for June:
the Australian Salmon Fishing Amelie Lennox, 4.335kg from Locks
Championship has just been Well. Heaviest for August: Dylan
completed. Once again the Grey, 5.360kg pulled in from Talia.
competition was well received Runner-up for August: Chris Cooper,
by over 320 entrants with over 4.800kg, Talia.
500 plus salmon being weighed in over It wasn’t just the heaviest fish
the 3 month period. But there can be anglers were chasing while over on
only one overall winner. Catching the the west coast. Many fishermen and
heaviest salmon overall, and getting women weighed in many different size
his name on the board at the Elliston salmon just in case they were lucky
Hotel, was Matthew Gorne! This mad enough to pick up a $200 fortnightly
keen fisherman weighed in a 5.625kg mystery weight. All these results can
(gutted) salmon caught from Talia be found on our website www.elliston.
Beach and won himself $1000. Not com.au/salmon.
only that, Matthew weighed in the We would like to thank all our
second heaviest salmon in the month sponsors, and in particular our major
of July with a fish weighing in at sponsors Port Kenny Hotel and the
5.420kg to claim another $300. District Council of Elliston for the
With $1000 to be won every month donation of the prize money. Thank
throughout the competition for you to all the fishermen and women
the heaviest fish of the month, and who made their way to the west coast
$300 for the runner-up heaviest in our special 3 month period in the
salmon, the other major winners over hope of catching the big one. It is
the competition were heaviest for great to see you and we hope you
June: Phil Garland, 4.870kg caught enjoyed visiting Elliston!
76 | www.fishingsa.com.au
SAFWAA RESULTS
SAFWAA Trophy Presentations 2016/17
Retiring Northern Fisheries
Officer Graham Whibley
receives the Vice President's
trophy in recognition of his
WORDS & IMAGES BY: SIMON CARDONE wonderful contribution to
T
the club
fishingsamagazine | 77
Adelaide North
By Nathan Peckham
fishingsamagazine | 79
Adelaide South
By Mark Mills
80 | www.fishingsa.com.au
fishingsamagazine | 81
Fleurieu Peninsula
By Shane Murton
usually see you hook a cracker sambo out of the blue" up. Young Parker
Dunn with a big
fish from Milang
L
et's be honest winter and early them into a frenzy. When you've got them
spring fishing can be a hard grind on the chew you can then use a range
in SA, and it's often challenging to of baits or lures to catch them. They can
experience consistent action and literally be caught from any public landing
weather. Thankfully both these key or public access point to the water at
elements should become somewhat Goolwa, Clayton Bay, Milang and beyond.
more predictable over the next two There's also plenty of small ponds dotted
months, and it's time to get serious if you're all over Fleurieu that have carp in them and
a Fleurieu fisho! the odd redfin if you're struggling in the
The first hint of spring had the carp main system.
spawning down south, with numerous Almost at the same time as carp news
aggregations of these fish spotted doing rolled through reports of bream sparked up,
their thing from the Lower Lakes right up to both from Victor Harbor and the Coorong. more schools pushing in. Writer Lucas
Strathalbyn. With all the freshwater around Equally this is spawning time for these Weaver has a ripper yarn in this edition on
it will no doubt be an epic spawning year for fish. The Coorong has largely been running page 84 about targeting mulloway on lures
carp, and late spring and summer catches dirty so far, on all but the bigger high tides, inside the Coorong. It'd be nice to hear of
will be up as a result. Pleasingly there has with a phenomenal amount of freshwater those 15-35kg monsters on fire outside of
been some nice callop caught this year being released. This freshwater is opening the mouth once again also!
down lower which is great to hear. up the mouth and deepening the channels How much freshwater will keep coming
Hitting the freshwater for rampaging which will be a positive for the mulloway through the barrages down here is a big
mud monsters is a pretty decent way to and bream season ahead, and it could be a X factor that will dictate the fishing in the
break up saltwater sessions. Active and blinder. Already there are mulloway being Coorong over the next couple of months.
constant berlying is the trick to making caught, but this will go up another gear as Dirty water fishing is a real challenge, and it
decent catches of these fish and whipping we start to get some warm weather and doesn't inspire confidence on mulloway or
82 | www.fishingsa.com.au
coorong
WORDS & IMAGES BY: LUCAS WEAVER
days of chrome
84 | www.fishingsa.com.au
T
here’s something about mulloway in the Coorong. The addiction started There are many factors that can change
that makes every fisherman’s some 10 years ago when I first started the water in the Coorong, from freshwater
ears prick up when their name is spending decent amounts of time down flows from the barrages, to the ebb and
mentioned, and many a bloke will in this waterway getting to the know areas flow of the tide and the wind. Freshwater
strain themselves to get in on banter and plotting out bommies, channels and flows from the barrages are going to dirty
of a hot bite or extra tips. No matter sandbars. It was easy work to drift with the up the water and have fresh floating on
the size, these ghosts of the ocean raise the tide or the wind down a channel flicking as top of the salt, and the water is going to be
excitement levels of anyone, and this state is I went, marking stuff on the sounder and murky brown with a slight green mix. When
blessed to have one of the best fisheries in finding where bait and schools of mulloway these flows are not present it’s mostly the
the country for small soapies and schoolies, liked to hang out. Some of those trips wind and tide that will change the water.
to big monsters. There is no doubt about it, the petrol motor wasn’t even kicked over When there is no wind down the Coorong
SA is known for its mulloway fishery. and the amount of fish that were caught for days the water will get super clear,
Personally I get my mulloway fix down in within close proximity to each boat ramp so much so that you will see mulloway
the Coorong lagoons. I cop it from my mates was ridiculous. Sugars Beach, Mundoo swimming beneath the boat. Most of the
who give me heaps with lines like “They’re Channel, number 19 beacon and Marks time though the wind will be present and
only schoolies” or “head to the surf” or Point all got a working over, and I shook my that working against the tide will whip up
“catch a real fish” but catching and releasing head time and time again as crews drove a heap of bubbles and give you that typical
these smaller units on the right gear in the over and through schools of mulloway Coorong green, but with a lack of visibility
lagoons is a blast. A quick day trip is all I oblivious only to come back to the ramp to the human eye. Now this is where the
need for a fishing fix and I know I will nail a with an empty tank of fuel and empty colour selection of lures is vital, because
brute in the tinny one day down there and it handed. if you pick the wrong colour and are not
will mean a lot. willing to experiment you will be in for a
lUre coloUrs AnD PATTerns rather fishless day.
PlAsTic ADDicTion This is where you can either make or So let's break it down, and I will start at
Chucking plastics on light gear is where break your day, and for me lure selection the dirty/muddy water end of the scale and
it is at for me when hitting the schoolies is determined by water colour and clarity. to me this is a no brainer. Bright or fluoro
works best with soft plastics as it will stand
out in the murk, and the bigger the plastic
the better as it provides more of an object
to reflect light and a bigger target to attack.
Last year I managed a few nice mulloway
in water that could only be described as
atrocious, but sticking to bright and/or big
lure options it did the trick and got the fish.
When I say bright I mean white, fluoro yellow,
fluoro pink, fluoro green or combinations
of these. Nuclear Chicken comes to mind
as a prime colour example, and in terms of
patterns 5-7 inch jerk shads and 5-10 inch
fishingsamagazine | 85
86 | www.fishingsa.com.au
Shiny, chrome
schoolies like this
are a buzz to catch
on plastics and
balanced tackle!
fishingsamagazine | 87
se spring sensation!
I
n my last column I speculated on One of the fish I love to target at this
whether the big barrel bluefin would time of year is the hard fighting and great
show up this year. Well, get excited eating school shark. I normally launch at
fishos, because at the time of writing Cape Jaffa and head into Wrights Bay when
this report the big fellas have turned conditions are right. I find that just about
up in huge numbers at Port Mac. One every one of these big toothies goes really
fisherman I know had ten hook-ups and hard unlike their gummy mates that vary
managed to land three fish which were well greatly in their fighting attitude. They are
over 100kg. More exciting still is that one also great on the tooth and you normally
boat left from Robe and scored a big barrel, only need one for a feed since most of the
and this is the exact same pattern from two fish in this area are around the 15 to 20
years ago. So dust off the big guns and get plus kilo mark. If keeping one for a feed, I
ready! always bleed and remove the fins as soon
While waiting for the tuna there are as possible. Unlike gummies these sharks
plenty of other spring options available. By have a mouth full of very sharp teeth, so
October the snapper should start moving some people like to use wire traces, but I
onto the inshore reefs from The Granites find this can greatly reduce your bite rate. trace line, with a single 6/0 hook. The best
all the way up to the Coorong beaches. By using circle hooks (normally 6/0) the baits are fresh squid heads or whole small
Their numbers are not as prolific as they sharks are nearly always caught in the squid, and if this is not available saury or
are during the period where the water gets corner of the mouth. This keeps the trace pilchards are fine. If using large fish baits
warmer, but they are normally a better away from their teeth, especially since we like saury or pillies I will normally add
quality fish. Also, the snapper are more are normally drifting, the fish hit the bait another hook to the rig to help the bait
timid at this time of the year and so they hard and take off so the line is kept tight. run straight.
won’t just smash the first bait presented. As I just mentioned, I nearly always drift Hopefully the great whiting fishing will
Keep your baits as fresh as possible and fish, with a steady stream of berley out the continue this season, and as the crayfish
use lighter leaders, with fluorocarbon back. The rig is normally about a metre season opens on the 1st of October there
always a great option. So, go and get a nice of 40-80lb fluorocarbon attached with will be plenty of people having a go when
red before the closure on 1st November. a 1-3-ounce barrel sinker sliding on the they put their pots in. In close the crays
88 | www.fishingsa.com.au
fishingsamagazine | 89
BARRELS TO FRESHWATER
T
he barrel bluefin are once again amongst them, with a few others having a of year down here. I have also heard of good
here! For the few lucky boats that crack also. It’s just a matter of the weather numbers of knifejaw coming from the same
have been able to find a break in coming good and I'm sure plenty of beasts area as bycatch, so it’s good to see plenty of
the weather - good enough to head will be hooked and some landed! those tasty fish about.
out offshore and run some big For those that have been able to get out, The Glenelg River has continued to fish
lures – they have managed to score once again the offshore fishing for bottom extremely well for a range of fish, although
some barrels. Let’s hope we see a late run species has continued to be hot. Most have mulloway have been the main target. The
on them like we did two seasons ago, it was been fishing at depths of 60 to 120 metres river has dirtied right up and with the late
one of the best periods for the barrels off for gummy and school sharks, with reports rain we have been getting it is flowing quite
our coastline ever. Extreme Marine Charters of boats getting their bag limit in no time at hard at the time of writing. This means
have been the main boat down here getting all, which is not too uncommon for this time the majority of the fish are schooled up in
the deeper parts of the river, usually down
the middle. That’s not a bad thing though,
because it makes them easy to target by
using your sounder. You can use vibes or
heavy weighted plastics, and get it right in
front of them. I have had some really good
days down there using small vibes, some
days getting 20 or so nice mulloway in no
time at all. I also had one of the best estuary
perch sessions of my life around the time of
writing this, with easy 40 fish being caught
and released in about an hour and a half. For
this time of year, because of the flow and
the colour of the water, it is uncommon to
get them on surface, but it’s also the time of
year that they school up to spawn, so when
you do find them they are usually in huge
90 | www.fishingsa.com.au
fishingsamagazine | 91
Boat Loader
to complement the rooftop loader, with lightweight folding
aluminium trailers, rooftop outboard trolley or A-Frame
outboard trolley.
Lonsdale Marine can put together a full package of boat,
The BoatHoist SideWinder Boat Loader is a lightweight
outboard, rooftop loader, trailer, outboard trolley and fit
aluminium side boat loader that is designed to bolt to your
the whole package to your vehicle and trailer to suit your
heavy-duty roof racks. Rated to load up to 150kg depending
requirements. Demonstrations available in store.
on your roof racks, the SideWinder uses a removable 1.3
For all enquiries contact Glenn of Lonsdale Marine on
tonne, 12 volt electric winch with remote control that plugs
(08) 8384 4606.
into your Anderson plug.
This boat loader will fit all vehicle types and can be
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racks and existing cargo trays. With positive locking down
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offloading, there is no better or safer system on the market.
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rated to load 130-150kgs, no moving parts and very easy
to use. The BoatHoist SideWinder Boat Loader can be
operated by a single person with push button remote.
Max recommended boat size is 3.8m x 1.65m, with no tie
down straps required. We use simple but effective gunnel
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no need to drill holes in your boat or vehicle, and you can
upload/unload in 5 minutes safely. You can even keep a
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Made in Australia for tough Australian conditions with
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GME GX625 Handheld VHF the GX625 is always ready to go. Great buying at only
$199.00 RR.
For further information please
92 | www.fishingsa.com.au
Two LiveVü Modes between the two. By providing both LiveVü views, anglers
have the ability to tailor the PS22-TR to best fit how they
in latest Garmin fish, where the fish are, and/or how the fish are behaving.
Unlike traditional or scanning sonar, which provides
Panoptix Transducer only historical data of what’s been passed over, LiveVü
Forward shows images of fish swimming toward or away
Designed for trolling motor installation, the PS22-TR from the boat – allowing you to cast towards active fish
is the latest addition to the Garmin Panoptix product with more precision than ever before. And LiveVü Down
line, which now includes six transducers with varying shows moving sonar images below the boat – which is
installation options for freshwater, estuary, inshore and ideal for jigging and other forms of vertical fishing.
offshore applications. The Garmin Panoptix PS22-TR is compatible with
Incorporating LiveVü Forward and LiveVü Down all- the echoMAP CHIRP 75sv and 95sv, the GPSMAP
seeing sonar technology, the PS22-TR offers a narrow 752xs/952xs and 1022xsv/1222xsv series, and GPSMAP
20-degree beam angle for crisp, improved resolution and 8400 and 7400xsv series. Mounting hardware is
clear images of what’s all around and below the boat – in included to install the PS22-TR on the shaft or barrel of a
real time, while moving or stationary. trolling motor.
Paired with a compatible Garmin GPSMAP or The PS22-TR has a RRP of AU$1499. Further
echoMAP CHIRP head unit, Panoptix delivers a whole information, visit: buy.garmin.com/en-AU/AU/
new perspective to fishing, allowing anglers to watch the cOnTheWater-p1.html.
movement of fish and the reactions to their lures/baits
up to 30m away.
The PS22-TR is ideal for freshwater, estuary and inshore
anglers targeting bass, barra and bream in the snags,
and species such as jewfish, snapper and kingfish on
relatively shallow reefs. Anglers can see real-time sonar
imagery at video-like speed using the view of their choice
– forward or down – and thanks to its simple mount
Steel Viper 'S' reaches the bottom and intended GPS marks quickly.
Each winch is supplied with a complete range of
Series Winch
installation accessories, including 5mm stainless steel
sandwich mounting plate and all necessary stainless
bolts and hardware. A quality rocker switch with two
switch face plates to suit a variety of dash layouts,
solenoid and heavy-duty circuit breaker are included
Introducing the new stainless steel VIPER ‘S’ series
for easy installation. All that needs to be added is the
drum anchor winch by Bell Marine. The range starts with
correct length of power cabling.
the compact MICRO which may be small in size but is
Choose from a range of models and winch kits which
one of the most powerful electric drum winches in its
include winch and installation accessories, rope,
class. Suitable for 4 to 8 metre vessels, the MICRO has
chain, anchor swivel and roller starting from $1545.
been specially designed to fit into restricted anchor well
For further information on the complete range please
spaces commonly found in bow riders, tinnies, walk-
contact your nearest Bargain Boat Bits member, or
arounds, bass boats and half-cabs.
visit: www.bargainboatbits.com.au
The all-new stainless steel marine gearbox with worm
drive features a solid 28mm stainless steel main shaft
supported by three bearings for exceptional durability
and performance. The Viper S winch series is covered
by a comprehensive 5-year warranty while the all new
stainless steel gearbox is rated to IP68 and covered by a
lifetime warranty against water ingress.
When it comes to speed the Viper MICRO, powered by
fishingsamagazine | 93
TOUGHEN UP!
Fishing SA puts the newly released Squidgies Bio
Tough soft plastics to the test with immediate results
WORDS & IMAGES BY: FISHING SA MAGAZINE
F
SA Magazine was lucky to secure appeal have been retained. The colour
a pre-release sample of the all- range at this stage is based on popular
new Squidgies Bio Tough range natural and baitfish patterns, enough to
of plastics, and they arrived just cover all of SA's mainstream soft plastic
in time for a light tackle trip we targets no worries whatsoever.
had planned. Before getting into So how did they perform? As luck would
how a couple of initial sessions panned have it only a few cast in and using a
out however, let's take a closer look at the 100mm Bio Tough Fish in UV Pumpkin
lures themselves and what most of the Seed a whopper 75cm plus flathead
hype is about. swooped in and inhaled the lure - it was
The Squidgies Bio Tough range features a dream start! Over two days of flicking
Dura Stretch toughness technology, and the fish species were starting to add
which makes these plastics flexible and up, with a bunch of solid salmon up to
tough, and there's no real comparison around 6lb, silver trevally, tommies, a lone
between the Bio range and the previous big KG whiting, and even more croc-sized
Squidgies range in this regard - Bio flathead. We were impressed!
Tough's can be stretched out like a rubber A little handy design feature we like
band! Durability equates to more casts on the Bio Tough is the three suggested
and fish per lure, which is a win, win for guide holes for jighead hook placement
fishos. Amazingly for such a robust lure on the top of the lure, making it simpler
they're also 50% biodegradable! to rig up, and removing a lot of the
The range features some familiar names, guesswork for fishos. It's time to toughen
including Squidgie classics such as the up and give the new Squidgies Bio Tough
Wriggler, Fish and Flick Bait, however their range a try this upcoming warm season!
design has been slightly tweaked. Albeit For further information, visit: www.
the same key traits that give them their shimanofish.com.au or www.squidgies.
action in the water and subsequent fish com.au.
94 | www.fishingsa.com.au
S
avage has recently released a
budget friendly offshore fishing
machine perfect for tackling blue
water conditions.
The beauty of these boats is
that they come at a great price
point while you can still option up this
model to suit your specific needs.
These boats will get you offshore
quickly and safely with 5mm bottomsides,
3mm topsides and a 160 litre fuel tank
as standard.
The combination of the Ultra Lift Hull,
hydraulic steering and 200 horsepower
rating make this boat a breeze to drive
while giving you the confidence to tackle
those rough conditions.
The cavernous cabin has plenty of
storage as well as a cabin hatch for air
and light so you’ll be happy to spend a
night on the water.
If you’ve got more fishing gear than you
96 | www.fishingsa.com.au
fishingsamagazine | 97
CHugh&discusses
R barrel bluefin
catch and release for our XOS bluefin
WORDS & IMAGES BY: HUGH MAGAREY ADDITIONAL IMAGE BY: DAVE STANDING
A
s many of you will know the barrel like this deserves. Some people don’t even should try letting any caught go. I’m sorry to
sized southern bluefin tuna have bleed their kept barrel just so when they the people that may think I’m a mad ‘greeny’
returned for what is now seemingly weigh it in the number looks higher. At least for writing this, but all I’m asking for is more
an annual event. I am lucky enough if you are going to kill one, bleed it and look people to be conscious of protecting this
to live right in the middle of all after it, to get the best eating quality out of precious fishery. Already there are many
the XOS tuna action. Living about it. They deserve at least that much. anglers jumping on the C & R bandwagon,
twenty minutes from Port MacDonnell, I see Barrel bluefin do release well if they are and hopefully this is a growing trend for the
the good and the bad of it when it comes to treated the right way and you don’t have to seasons to come. If it wasn't for these big
how fishos interact with these giant fish. tag them. The fish can be lip gaffed or held tuna swimming past our state each year, the
These big bluefin, many topping 100kg, on the trace for a quick picture if need be. game fishing scene in SA would definitely
are a fish that we are very lucky to have Bringing them onboard obviously should be never be the same!
on our doorstep, and are amazing for the avoided if possible if you intend to release
region, drawing people to the area from all them. Trust me, seeing one of these beasts
over Victoria and SA. But a facet of catching swim free after you have had it boatside is
barrels that some people choose to ignore one of the best feelings in the whole world.
is that you don’t have to always have them I understand some fish die and are not fit
hanging on a gantry to say or prove that you for release, so some do need to be kept,
have caught one. Barrel bluefin will not be and you should come prepared to store the
here for years to come if we don’t look after fish and care for them as mentioned if this
them and manage the fishery. I’m not saying does eventuate.
don’t keep a barrel or don’t fish for them, Myself and a group of others fish for barrel
because I have kept them myself, and they tuna at every chance we get and we have
are one of my favourite fish to target. All all kept fish because they were either our
that I’m saying is make sure you only keep first, or because they died, but now every
what you need. Just one of these fish has barrel we get we try and let go and we get
so much meat, and you could eat tuna each more satisfaction out of fishing this way,
day and give it to as many people that you and we're doing our part to help maintain
know and you would still be wondering what the fishery. It would be so good to see more
to do with the remainder of the flesh from a people adopting the catch and release
typical 100kg fish. mindset for barrels - no matter if they are
If you do choose to kill a barrel, or one 60kg or 180kg these fish are too good to be A big southern
blue held boatside
dies during/just after the fight, maybe think caught just once. for a quick picture
about going home and getting it on ice, and Next time you are chasing barrels think before release -
giving it the respect a beautiful eating fish about how many you need to keep, or if you satisfying stuff!
98 | www.fishingsa.com.au fishingsamagazine | 98