Summer
2018
WADING FOR
WHITING
DOWNRIGGING FOR BIG RED
- A HOW TO JIGGING
FOR
NATIVES
Contents EDITORIAL
Our Cover... Giant snapper are iconic South Aussie sport fish. Brett Mensforth caught this 12kg beauty on a soft plastic in shallow water.
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DOWNRIGGING FOR BIG RED – A HOW TO
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WADING FOR WHITING ON TOPWATER LURES JIGGING FOR NATIVES
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UBIQUITOUS BREAM - ANYWHERE ANYTIME FIT FOR A KING
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TRY SUSPENDERS
BREAMING FOR MULLOWAY SPANISH MACKEREL ON THE TROLL
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BOAT TEST - EVOLUTION 500 AXIS
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106 FROM PATERNOSTER TO PLATE
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From the Editor
SHANE MENSFORTH
Welcome
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Hi, and welcome to the maiden issue of Spooled, the all-digital publication aimed squarely at those who love their fishing as much as we do. Managing Editor, Rob Maya, has been working flat out behind the scenes for more than two years to get his ‘baby’ up and running, and I’m sure he’s both relieved and proud to see issue #1 eventually go live. Rob will be the first to admit it’s been a tough slog, as the digital platform in outdoors publishing continues to evolve at a breathtaking rate, but now he’s there – and at last he can take a breath, knowing 04 that the light at the end of the tunnel is no longer the on-coming train! I can tell you I was pretty chuffed to be invited aboard as Editor. I’ve been at this game – albeit on the print side of things – for more than 30 years, and becoming part of a dedicated digital production team is definitely an exciting prospect. We’ve been fortunate from the outset to secure some of the country’s best contributors, most of whom seem just as excited about the genesis of Spooled as we are. Rob and I are also very lucky to have Simon Bryan on board, long regarded as among the best specialist publication designers in Australia. As it states clearly on the cover, Spooled is aimed at those who fish land-based, from boats and from kayaks, which pretty much covers the entire Aussie angling spectrum. It offers a wealth of cutting edge information, delivered via traditional text and pictures and complemented by video clips. Quite obviously, you can’t go past the video angle to demonstrate a new technique, test a new boat or simply convey the excitement of a hot fishing session. Combining video with well chosen text and top class images has to be the ultimate way of imparting the sort of info thousands of fisho’s are constantly seeking. Steve Starling’s “Wading for Whiting” video, which appears in this issue, is a prime example. Not only does Starlo get the message across with typical high quality words and images, he backs it all up with a little gem of a video that fills in any gaps and entertains at the same time. You’ll notice that we’ve tried to include material from as much of the country as possible, and while we didn’t quite get to every state in this issue, you can bet on full coverage as the magazine evolves. Along with our crew of established writers, keep an eye out for a few new names who will come on board over time to expand our horizons and eventually form a formidable contributors’ team. So, keeping all this in mind, we invite you to read on and, hopefully, enjoy the first edition of Spooled. It’s a tough gig producing something new and fresh in a marketplace as competitive as this one, but I’m confident we are on the right track. I’m sure you’ll let us know if we’re not! www.spooledmagazine.com.au
Downrigging for Big Red – A How To
SHANE MENSFORTH
Downrigging For Big RED – SPOOLED MAGAZINE
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a how to
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Downrigging for Big Red – A How To
Back in fishing’s so called ‘good old days’ there was one mainstream way of targeting big snapper – baiting up with fish or squid on a weighted rig, maybe setting up a berley trail, and then sitting back to wait for that tell-tale screaming run. There’s no doubt it worked then and still works today, but for those who enjoy a more pro-active approach to their snapper fishing, targeting big red with a variety of lures can be a great alternative.
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There’s been plenty written about using soft plastics, and this is still my favourite way to do the job, but over the past couple of years we have been employing a variety of hardbodies with consistent success. Big snapper are highly efficient hunters, preying naturally on anything from crabs, prawns and other crustaceans to a variety of smaller fish. As long as it’s presented in a lifelike manner, a hard-body will nearly always attract big 08 red’s attention, so exploring the best ways to use this lure style is definitely worthwhile. Unless you’re operating in super-shallow water, working hard-bodies effectively on bottom-feeding fish isn’t easy – at least straight off the rod tip. Although snapper will hunt at most depths, depending on where the bait is situated, it’s fair to say they do most of the feeding in the bottom quarter of the water column. This is where you need to have your hard-body tracking to secure consistent hook-ups. A downrigger of some sort is by far the most effective tool for deploying hard-bodies in deeper water, and there are now plenty to choose from that
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Downrigging for Big Red – A How To
“Using
a downrigger is by
no means rocket science , but it does pay to have the right accessories and a few tricks up your sleeve to optimise its effectiveness .”
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suit South Oz situations perfectly. We have one electric downrigger (the Cannon Digi-Troll 5) and a couple of manual models that we use regularly, and there’s no doubt they have proven invaluable on many occasions. I’ll point out from the start that rarely, if ever, do we go downrigging exclusively for snapper. We nearly always set out with soft plastics as the main weapon, but sometimes, and particularly when the fish aren’t schooled up in numbers, using the downriggers can prove more effective. We have eight or nine snapper grounds high in St Vincent’s Gulf that hold big fish at various times of the year. Occasionally they are visited by large, tightly-packed schools of reds that are easily located on the sounder and will grab a well presented plastic without hesitation. These are fun times that often result in multiple hook-ups and quick boat limit catches. There are few things better in snapper fishing than dropping your softie over the side and knowing it will get crunched before reaching bottom. However, when the snapper aren’t around in big numbers, with just a few scattered fish prospecting the grounds for a quick feed before moving on, using plastics can be very hit and miss. You may pick one up here and there as you drift through the area, but it’s often a long wait between bites – and we’re not into long waits if they can be avoided! This is where a couple of downriggers with hard-body lures can really turn things around. www.spooledmagazine.com.au
Three of our regular gulf snapper haunts are quite close together – maybe a kilometre apart – and if the sounder indicates scattered fish throughout the general area, we’ll change lures and break out the downriggers without hesitation. When the snapper drops are relatively close to each other, there’s often a considerable volume of interchange as the fish swim from one structure to another. Covering plenty of water is the key to locating snapper on the move, and downriggers certainly facilitate this.
Once again, those ‘bits and pieces’ on the sounder were evident as we motored slowly between grounds, and shortly afterward son Brett’s rod tip slammed downward to a heavy strike. A 12kg fish certainly made the icebox look more appealing, and a few moments after trolling had be recommenced, my lure was snaffled too. Long story short – half an hour with the downriggers yielded our limit of four big snapper, turning a potentially dismal session into a pretty good one.
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One day late last season, just a week or so before the annual snapper closure, we had worked over every ground in the GPS. Just two ruggers sat in the icebox from six hours on the water, and our collective spirits were pretty low. We had sounded up ‘bits and pieces’ over most drops, but at no stage had we seen anything to get excited about. More as a last resort than anything else, we decided to downrig a pair of hard-bodies around the two closest grounds before throwing in the towel and heading home. It’s a tactic that had saved the day more than once in the past.
Downrigging for Big Red – A How To
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Downrigging for Big Red – A How To
Let’s take a look at what you need to buy and how to use it if you are interested in trying this now proven technique.
// CHOOSING A DOWNRIGGER As is the case with most fishing tackle and accessories, the more you pay, the more you get from your downrigger. There are plenty to choose from and, if you don’t have an unlimited budget, I’d suggest looking at some of the better manual models on the market to start with. I’ve used Penn, Cannon and Scotty and can certainly vouch for all three.
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Our US-made Cannon Uni-Troll 10 STX manual models are spot on for depths of 14 under 30m or so, which takes in the majority of snapper grounds in upper St Vincent’s Gulf. These are upmarket (and more expensive than most of the less sophisticated opposition), possessing all the necessary components such as a three-digit depth counter, extendable boom, 2:1 retrieve speed and a dual axis rod holder. I doubt you’ll find a better manual downrigger. Retail price is somewhere around $650. The Canadian-made Scotty Strong Arm is also worth considering. It’s built very well, providing many but not all of the features found in the Cannon, and sells for around $200 less than our Uni-Trolls. Unfortunately, another of our preferred manual downriggers, the Penn Fathom Master, has recently been discontinued. These were very well built and came packed with all the right features at a competitive price. There may still be a few kicking around in marine and tackle outlets, and are well worth checking out if you can get your hands on one. Electric downriggers are definitely the ants’ pants if you are serious about your snapper fishing and have a few more dollars to spend. Our Cannon Digi-Troll 5 has proven a definite winner over the four years we’ve been using it, and we rarely venture across the Gulf without it these days. The only maintenance the Digi-Troll has received during its working life to date is a quick hose off at day’s end and the occasional squirt of CRC on the electric plug. It’s a terrific unit. Naturally, electric downriggers like this take all the manual winding out of the equation, which is often handy in deeper water. The Cannon retrieves some 80m of cable per minute, automatically stopping the weight at water level. It has an integrated keypad control, extendable boom (from 60cm to 1.35m), two dual axis rod holders, 120m of 150 pound stainless steel cable and precise digital depth counter. The Digi-Troll 5 sells for around $1,750. Scotty also makes high quality automatic downriggers like the 1116 Electric, which comes with digital line counter, extendable boom (from 90cm to 1.5m), automatic brake and 76m of stainless cable. You can expect to pay around $1,500 for this model, which certainly isn’t cheap, but it’s also a beauty. www.spooledmagazine.com.au
// THE BITS YOU NEED In the same way that outriggers operate to spread lures on or near the surface, a downrigger works on a vertical plane. In other words, it takes your lure or bait down as far into the water column as required, then allows it to be trolled at a set depth. A heavy lead ball (or ‘bomb’) provides the necessary weight, a thin stainless steel cable connects the ball to the downrigger spool, and a release clip enables the lure to detach from the system once a fish grabs it.
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Most of the portable manual models require a vertical (not angled) rod holder for correct mounting. They come with a slotted base spigot that drops into the rod holder and locks onto the cross pin; pretty much the same as the gimbal fitting on the butt of a game rod. These portable downriggers are extremely versatile, as they can be moved around from one boat to another with no fuss at all.
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Downrigging for Big Red – A How To
Electric downriggers, such as our Cannon Digi-Troll, come with base plates that need to be permanently mounted in a suitable position on the boat’s gunwale or transom coaming. They also require a 12 volt power source with an outlet handy to the mounting position. The units themselves are quite a bit heavier than manual versions, but they can be removed and replaced easily enough. Most downriggers come with a suitable length of thin stainless steel cable on the spool, and thin is definitely the operative word here. It’s usually 150-200 pounds breaking strain. Alternatively, you can replace the cable with Dyneema or Spectra braid, which is definitely quieter through the water than cable.
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Downrigger weights vary in shape and weight. We use 4.5kg lead bombs for much of our Gulf snapper fishing, which are spot on for trolling most hard-body lures in 20-30m of water. Some weights are moulded with ‘vanes’ to assist with maintaining depth at slightly increased trolling speed, but these aren’t necessary for the super-slow work we do. The final (and extremely vital) component of the downrigging system is a release clip. As its name suggests, this little accessory holds the line securely while the lure is being trolled, but lets it go as soon as the lure is taken. There are several brands and styles available, but we’ve found the AFTCO and Cannon clips to be the best.
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// DOWNRIGGING TACKLE As snapper downrigging is almost exclusively a lure trolling exercise, you can use either threadline or overhead tackle effectively. We tend to mix things up a bit with a baitcaster and a spin outfit, but the choice is entirely yours. The gear you would normally use for soft plastics fishing is ideal.
“There
is just one other small , but significant piece
of equipment
I
haven’t mentioned to this point,
...”
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Downrigging for Big Red – A How To
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Braided line is virtually essential to eliminate stretch from the trolling system, but you need to attach at least a couple of metres of nylon or fluorocarbon leader via a knot you are comfortable with. We’ve used several different hard-body lure styles on big snapper, but I prefer a medium diver of around 15cm that works strongly at slow speeds. Deep divers aren’t necessary, of course, as the downrigger bomb does the job of getting a hardbody down into the strike zone without assistance from the lure’s bib. Generally, a lure that’s designated to dive to two metres at normal troll speed will work nicely. As well as the traditional diving hard-bodies, we have had success with a few of the metal vibes and even some soft plastics with big, pulsating tails. The Berkley Gulp Nemesis 6.5 inch, for example, seems to troll well and we all know how much big reds adore them!
// HOW TO SET UP FOR DOWNRIGGING With your downrigger mounted, your tackle ready and a likely snapper-holding area to prospect, deploying the weight and lure correctly is the next important consideration. The ideal situation is to have the lure swimming about 8-10m behind the downrigger bomb. I’m not sure if that big lump of lead tracking along through the water puts the snapper off at all, but allowing some distance between lure and weight is generally accepted practice. www.spooledmagazine.com.au
I like to cast the lure 10m out the back of the boat, then grab the braid at the rod tip. Next I’ll attach the braid to the downrigger clip before releasing the downrigger brake and allowing the bomb to drop slowly. You’ll need to have the boat’s motor in gear at the same time to initiate some forward momentum and, of course, the reel drag should be slackened right off to let line escape under light pressure. It’s a bit of a juggling act, I guess, and it’s a good idea (at least in the early stages) to have someone else to assist while you get the process sorted.
As mentioned, trolling speed needs to be slow – 3-4 knots is ideal – as big snapper aren’t renowned for their lightning-fast attacks. Make sure you wind most of the slack line out of the system as you troll; the rod tips will be bent slightly due to water pressure, and you should be able to detect vibration from the swimming lures as you troll. Reel drags should be set to about two thirds of your normal fighting pressure. When a big snapper strikes, you will see the rod tip spring up momentarily and then load as full weight comes on from below. It’s at this point that you need to grab the rod and enjoy the fight! Your crew should retrieve the downrigger bomb as quickly as possible after hook-up to ensure it doesn’t get in the way and possibly tangle your braid. There is just one other small, but significant piece of equipment I haven’t mentioned to this point, and that’s the humble rubber band. While most of the better quality downrigger release clips work well enough in letting go under the desired amount of pressure, they do have the potential to damage thinner lines. We like to attach a thin elastic band to the braid at the desired distance from the lure, then loop the band into the release clip. This means the line doesn’t come in contact with the clip at all. When a snapper strikes, the rubber band simply breaks and you’re connected cleanly. The remnants of the broken band can be removed at a later time, and won’t adversely affect your ability to fight the fish in any way. Having re-read all of the above before signing off, I’ll admit that this downrigging caper may sound a bit complicated, but nothing could be further from the truth. Once you have the system sorted, it becomes second nature, and I can guarantee there will be times when downrigging a couple of hard-bodies for big red saves the day!
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The digital depth counter will let you know exactly how much cable has been released, and it’s here you need to make a couple of quick mathematical calculations to get things right. If the water is, say, 22m deep, the optimum depth at which the lure should run is around 18m. Even though the boat’s forward speed will be no more than three knots, the weight will still be lifted slightly as it’s towed along, so although the depth counter is reading 18m, the downrigger bomb will probably be riding at 16 or 17m. Now add in the extra 2m provided by the lure as it swims and you’re back around the desired trolling depth. Confused? Experimentation is the key here, and if your lure is getting snagged on the bottom and pulled out of the release clip regularly, simply crank up a couple of metres of cable and try again.
Wading For Whiting On Topwater Lures
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STEVE ‘STARLO’ STARLING
WADING FOR On Topwater WHITING Lures
STARLO LIF TS THE LID ON ONE OF HIS FAVOURITE SUMMER PASTIMES AND SHARES THE WONDROUS JOYS OF LAND-BASED FISHING FOR WHITING USING SURFACE LURES.
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A recurring theme in much of what I write these days has to do with the changing face of recreational fishing. Very little stays the same for long, and the pace of this change seems to be accelerating all the time. That can be either exciting or daunting, depending on how you look at it. Personally, I’ve always enjoyed the stimulation provided by change, but I see how it can be confusing, too. Like many others, I’ve had my own struggles to keep up with technological advances in computing, communications, photography and so on over the years. Fortunately, I find fluctuating fishing fashions a little easier to stay abreast of.
Wading For Whiting On Topwater Lures
Sometimes this change delivers us an entirely new fishery, and that’s extremely exciting in my book! The whole whiting-on-surfacelures “thing” is a classic example of this. Catching fat, fit, hard-fighting whiting on chugging surface poppers or bobbing stick baits has gone from novelty to normal in amazingly quick time. A little over a decade ago, if you’d told most Aussie anglers 22 that it was possible to consistently and successfully target yellowfin, sand, summer or silver whiting on surface lures, they’d have
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raised an eyebrow, snickered, or even openly scoffed at this seemingly outrageous suggestion. However, even back in those days a few of us had begun to notice that these supposed bottom grubbers would occasionally streak up to the surface and smack a small popper or stick bait intended for bream. Most of us wrote this off as abnormal behaviour — perhaps a rush of piscine blood, or a moment of out-ofcharacter confusion on the part of these typically shy and retiring fish. Certainly not something we could build an entire fishery on… But how very wrong we were!
Fast forward 12 years or so and “poppering for whiting” is now an established part of the estuary fishing scene wherever these great little fish are encountered (see the fact box about the whiting clan with this feature). However, lots of anglers are yet to try it, or have had a go but failed to crack the code. A few even remain skeptical about the whole deal, and wonder if it’s all a massive con job. My aim in this feature is to offer all those folks — the starters and the skeptics — a leg-up on the ladder to surface whiting enlightenment, with particular emphasis on chasing these great fish without a boat: while walking the shore or wading the flats.
//FOOTLOOSE AND FANCY FREE With all the emphasis on boat and kayak fishing in the angling media these days, it’s easy to forget just how much great action is still available to the landbased or wading angler. This is particularly true around the southern half of our continent, where crocodiles aren’t an issue! There are vast stretches of shore and shallow flats readily accessible to the walking or wading angler. Lightweight lure casting is especially well suited to this caper. With a single-handed flick stick, a light backpack or shoulder bag and a small selection of lures, it’s possible to spend many long, happy hours walking and wading the flats in pursuit of a dozen or more popular (and tasty!) targets. Few species better encapsulate this footloose ethos than the various members of the sand whiting clan. The real trick is to stay mobile and not burden yourself with too much paraphernalia. Covering ground (and water) is very often the key to success, and this is done far more easily if you’re not loaded down with gear. However, there are a few essentials that you’ll need to consider carrying. If you plan on keeping the odd fish for the table (as I invariably do), think about how you’re going to bring them home. A plastic garbage bag folded up www.spooledmagazine.com.au
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As is usually the case, it took a couple of innovative anglers capable of thinking outside the box to convert an occasional “accident” into a regular, predictable occurrence. Foremost amongst them were NSW south coast residents, Kevin Gleed and Kaj “Bushy” Busch, but many others played their part, too.
Wading For Whiting On Topwater Lures
in your backpack is one workable option, but I actually favour one of those vinyl shoulder bags, of the sort commonly used by surf and rock fishers. It should go without saying that a long-peaked or wide-brimmed hat and a pair of quality polarised sunglasses are essential for safe and effective flats’ fishing. Make it a habit to wear both items at all times. You’ll also need a pair of braid scissors or line cutters, some long-nosed pliers for hook removal, a spool or two of leader material and a box or flat tray of lures… And that just about covers it!
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If you pack your mobile phone (even if only to take photos) and it’s not a waterproof model, place it in a zip lock sandwich bag to keep it dry. Choice of footwear is a very personal issue. I tend to wade barefoot 90 per cent of the time, and I accept the risks involved. As well as the odd oyster, razor fish, bullrout, fortescue and broken bottle, our estuary flats are also home to stingrays that range in size from bread plates to monsters the width of a billiard table. All are equipped with serrated, venomous barbs on their tails and are capable of inflicting very nasty wounds.
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By nature, rays are not aggressive creatures and only use these formidable weapons if stepped on, handled or cornered. Your best defence against rays is to watch where you’re putting your feet and to “shuffle” rather than lifting your feet high off the bottom with each step. Either avoid wading in dirty water, or anywhere else you can’t see the bottom, or wear thick rubber diver’s booties in such scenarios. Of course, further north — where stonefish can come into the equation — footwear with solid soles becomes virtually mandatory.
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//WHERE AND WHEN TO START Surface luring can and does work anywhere that yellowfin, sand, silver or summer whiting occur in decent numbers within our estuaries, bays and harbours, and I’ve even heard of the technique producing results from ocean surf beaches on calmer days! However, catches improve dramatically in clear, tidal estuarine water shallower than two metres, and some of the best action I’ve ever experienced has taken place in very skinny water indeed: from ankle to crutch deep. This is rather handy for the walking angler! www.spooledmagazine.com.au
Wading For Whiting On Topwater Lures
In my experience, surface luring for whiting is mostly a warm water technique, with results improving dramatically as the water heats beyond 20 to 22 degrees Celsius. That can mean good fishing as early as September and as late as May in parts of Queensland, while throughout most of NSW, Victoria, South Australia and the southern corner of Western Australia, best results are typically confined to the November to March period.
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I firmly believe that whiting attack surface lures primarily because they regularly target prawns, which often race to the surface and jump or skip away when chased. It’s therefore not too surprising that surface fishing results for these fish are often best where and when prawns are most active. In particular, this means the period from about four 26 days after the full moon right through the “dark” phase of the lunar cycle, until a few days after the new moon. However, I’ve caught whiting this way on every state of the moon. Tides can play a role, too, but optimum tides vary from place to place and, once again, I’ve caught fish at all states of the tide. Remember: rules were made to be broken!
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//TACKLE SELECTION Light spinning tackle and fine main lines are required for casting these lures the lengthy distances necessary for consistent success, and longer than standard rods are ideal, especially when fishing on foot. I like a light, tippy rod of at least two metres in length, with around 2.2 to 2.4 metres being absolutely optimum, in my opinion.
There is a plethora of smallish (50 to 80 mm) cup-faced poppers and surface stick baits on the market that all catch whiting. In clearer water (which tends to produce the best whiting action, in my experience), choose subtle, neutral, semi-transparent and generally “prawn-like” colours with green or brown base tones. Oh, and make sure your hooks are small, fine and extra sharp!
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It’s certainly possible to use nylon or fluorocarbon main lines, but I much prefer very skinny braid with a rated breaking strain of one to three kilos, as it definitely casts further. If you choose braid, you’ll need to add a leader, but long, ultra-fine leaders are not really essential in this game. Opt for a short length of four to eight kilo nylon or fluorocarbon. A short, heavier leader like this won’t usually put the whiting off biting (because the leader is up on the surface) and it also represents great insurance if a big flathead gets in on the act. If you keep it short enough (say 50 to 60 cm), you can also cast with the 27 connecting knot outside the tip, reducing hang ups and increasing casting distances.
Wading For Whiting On Topwater Lures
//HOW TO DO IT As explained in the accompanying video, you need to cast your smallish (50 to 80mm) cup-faced popper or surface stick bait as far as you possibly can over likely stretches of shallow water, ideally with the help of a breeze at your back. Don’t be afraid of those summer winds. They can actually be your best friend in this game! For whiting, always work the surface lure with a reasonably quick and continuous action. Pauses or stops are rarely productive on these fish.
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With poppers, look to maintain a constant spurt of water ahead of the lure and a “bloop-bloop-bloop” or “pop-pop-pop”action. When using stick baits, attempt to produce a continuous “walk the dog” zigzagging or bobbing motion. If a whiting follows either lure style, keep the retrieve going! Only try a quick pause if you’re running out of retrieve space. Pauses work extremely well on bream, but usually result in following whiting losing interest and turning away… However, there can be exceptions to this pattern. Remember what I said about rules being made to be broken!
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//WALK THE DOG To be honest, these days I hardly ever use cup-faced poppers for whiting unless the water is badly chopped up by wind. I much prefer to throw floating stick baits most of the time. In the places where I fish, bigger whiting (which are quite old fish) have now seen a lot of poppers, and I find they can be rather suspicious of them. Stick baits are more subtle and sneaky and seem able to go on catching these “educated” whiting, season after season. The trick with surface stick baits lies in achieving that deadly “walk-the-dog” action described earlier, with the lure bobbing, weaving and zigzagging seductively from side to side. Each brand and model of stick bait requires a slightly different retrieve to achieve its optimum action, but the basic method is to constantly crank the reel handle at a slow to medium pace while “bouncing” or flicking the rod tip with a regular, mechanical cadence, rather like one of those metronomes musicians use to maintain the beat. You can either angle the rod down towards the water (often best when standing on the casting deck of a boat) or slightly upwards (when wading or sitting in a kayak). You’ll need to experiment and practise a little to get it right, but when you do, you’ll know! My theory is that cup-faced poppers provide a sonic imitation of another whiting or bream slurping and sucking noisily at a fleeing prawn, while stick baits mimic the prawn itself. Poppers rely on an “uneducated”, competitive or fired-up fish tracking the sound to its source and then not stopping to question why the phantom predator and its prey have suddenly merged into one small dollop of plastic. However, as already mentioned, I’m increasingly finding that this particular deception is no longer quite so effective as it once was. By representing the prey item itself, 50 to 85 mm stick www.spooledmagazine.com.au
Wading For Whiting On Topwater Lures
baits have given my topwater whiting (and bream) fishing a whole new lease on life.
//HOOK TRICKS The other big breakthrough for me over recent seasons has been the adoption of small, wickedly sharp “assist� hooks, rigged to dangle from the tail of my stick baits (and poppers). These little singles on their short droppers have significantly increased my hook-up rate, especially on more hesitant or uncommitted whiting (and bream) that might only make one quick nip at the back of the lure before fading from sight.
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I began by using Ecogear’s replacement hook sets for their brilliant ZX series of metal blades or vibes. These are superb bits of kit, but a tad expensive, and also prone to an occasional failure when the non-eyed, flatted shank hook pulls free of its connection knot or snell. I’ve tried making my own, but I’m damned if I can find hooks quite as sticky sharp or effective as the ones Ecogear use in their ZX replacement kits. Like all forms of modern sport fishing, I’m sure that targeting topwater whiting will continue to evolve and develop over coming seasons. But the one thing that won’t change is the incredible thrill of seeing a lit-up, elbow-slapper of a whiting streak up from the bottom to climb all over your dancing surface lure in a rolling boil or a flurry of flying spray, especially while you’re wading knee deep in warm, crystal clear water under the summer sun on a sparkling estuary flat. It’s a truly magical experience, and if you haven’t tried it yet, you really need to!
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the future
is just
beginning
Ubiquitous Bream - Anywhere Anytime
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DAVE SEAMAN
Ubiquitous Bream Anywhere Anytime
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It would be safe to describe bream – any of the numerous species, as aquatic nomads. Their distribution range circumnavigates the Australian mainland and Tasmania, while their presence permeates even the freshwater reaches of coastal flowing rivers. They have adapted to vast conditions and environments and, at any given season, will exist in each of them.
Ubiquitous Bream - Anywhere Anytime
It wasn’t that long ago that bream were regarded as scavengers of the low light periods that were susceptible to the slightest bump or noise generated by the clumsy bait fisho. The advent of tournament bream fishing developed a groundswell of anglers, all vying to dispel the commonly held myths attached to this ubiquitous species. Only the bravest of people would have thought an industry would have risen and consumed the humble bream.
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Targeting bream as a tournament specie was a clever move because of the fish’s year-round availability. More active in the estuarine environment during summer, there are always enough fish left throughout the winter, during their coastal spawning run, to make it a challenging fishery. The seasonal movement of bream, back and forth in the estuary, is controlled by coastal water temperatures, localised floods and the mullet run. During autumn most of the bream gather to run to the coastal fringe, where they graze and spawn before returning to the estuary from September to December, depending on prevailing weather and water conditions.
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Ubiquitous Bream - Anywhere Anytime
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From spring to the summer months, the bream permeate every liveable body of water that trickles to the coast, and have been found in fresh water 10km from even brackish water. Why? Who can say? The warm water and explosion of shrimp, prawn and fodder fish-life provides a great opportunity for the bream to feed and build condition before the next transmission of the seasonal cycle. It is also the best time for anglers to set their sights on a variety of angling techniques. Perhaps the most attractive form of fishing for bream, in the summer, is using surface lures early in the morning. The fishing action isn’t dominated greatly by tidal movement, but more the low light and the fish elevated in the water column. Structure can be from worm-perforated snags in the upper rivers to the floating and stick racks of the oyster leases scattered around the mouths of estuaries. For snag fishing along the banks of a tributary, at the height of summer with cicadas piercing your ear drums with their noise, there is no greater weapon than a cicada imitation. By far the best is the Tiemco Soft Shell Cicada. A foam body replica of a 40mm cicada with transparent wings, it can be shaken on the surface and will be consumed in a boil of surface water before you know it. Other surface lures that work well in the river situations are Bassday Sugar Pens, Berkley 3B PopDogs, cup faced poppers and 3B Scumdogs. Bent minnows and variety other surface lures will work too, so the selection of lures and colours is mind blowing.
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Ubiquitous Bream - Anywhere Anytime
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Ubiquitous Bream - Anywhere Anytime
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In the lower estuary, around all the man-made structures like bridges and oyster leases, the bream have been provided with permanent habitat that contributes to their food, protection and areas where anglers can target them. The boundaries of the leases, whether fixed or floating, provide anglers with a target area to drop a weighted soft plastic that is allowed to drift and sink in the current and be intercepted by the resident bream. In clear water there is a delicate balance of www.spooledmagazine.com.au
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leader strength and attracting the bite. Leaders need to be sufficient to provide a chance of pulling the fish away from the sharp structure and thin enough not to alert the fish. I find 6 pound fluorocarbon the starting point, and if the fish are shy, drop down to 4 pound. If the fish are fighting over your lure, up the leader strength to 10 pound just in case a kilo-plus model pushes its way to the front of the line. www.spooledmagazine.com.au
Ubiquitous Bream - Anywhere Anytime
Throwing lures around structure for bream has seen the innovation and development of lures specifically for the species. The most notable is the Cranka Crab that has won more tournaments and presented more anglers with their personal best bream than, I’d say, any other lure currently on the market. They are that good. They are an anatomical reflection of real crabs and with tantalising, floating claws, are irresistible to bream and flathead, as it turned out. It harks back to the saying, “match the hatch”, and these lures do just that.
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The cunje and oyster-encrusted pylons and bridge supports are ideally fished 44 with a dribble of tidal movement while the fish are still bound to the structure by the current. A plastic or crab imitation drifted close to the bridge and undercuts has the greatest chance of being seized upon. With structure close to the entrance of an estuary, there is a fair chance of large fish-holding station as they transit back into the lake or river on their return from the coastal fringe. As the tide slackens and turns, the fish roam further from the safety of the pylons and can be picked up with small metal vibes fished in between the bridge spans.
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Ubiquitous Bream - Anywhere Anytime
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Whether it is targeting the bream on the surface or running hard-body lures along the edges of oyster lease trays, the summer months provide ample options and chances of success. There are countless lures designed and marketed directly for bream anglers. After a bit of a chat with the local tackle shop owner, I have no doubt you’ll be provided with enough intel’ to nail a few silver slabs from anywhere you choose to fish.
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JIGGING FOR NATIVES
JIGGING FOR 52
NATIVES
BEN FARO
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There’s a little-known technique that’s been the downfall of fish over in the USA for decades, but slowly freshwater anglers here in Australia are starting to catch on. The days are getting longer, the water is getting warmer, and native fish all up the eastern side of the country are starting to key onto a new food source. With the increase in water temperature, yabbies and small crayfish begin to become a lot more active, and bass, golden perch and Murray cod really can’t resist them. It’s at this time of year that the skirted jig can mean the difference between an average day on the water and a great one.
Jigging For Natives
//JIG TYPES Skirted jigs come in a variety of different head styles and weights, with football jigs and football jig variations seeming to be the most popular at this point in time for Australian natives. As the name suggests, a football jig has a football-shaped lead or tungsten head that’s designed to keep the hook point riding up at all times. This gives the lure great snag resistance and helps it crawl over logs and rocks. Football jigs come into their own in rock-covered banks with scattered lay-downs. They are not totally snag-proof though, and can get caught up in thick brush and timbered areas, as the head has a tendency to wedge into the ‘Y’ of a tree branch quite easily.
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Swim jigs are a great option in heavy timber and weed, as the streamlined head design and 30 degree line tie angle allows the jig to pull though cover very easily. Arky and flipping jigs have their place, too. The most common weights used by Aussie anglers seem to be quarter to half an ounce, depending on the style of jig and technique being used.
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//THE TECHNIQUE The way you fish your jig is going to depend greatly on what style of jig you’ve chosen and the type of prey that you’re hoping to imitate. When yabbies and crayfish are on the menu, you will want to fish something like a football or flipping jig and keep it tight to the bottom. Short, slow lifts and twitches or slow, short, shaky lifts with lots of long pauses are really all you’ll need here. Probably the worst thing you could do is fish the jig too fast or lift it too high off the bottom. Remember, yabbies and crays like to keep pretty close, if not hard to the bottom, so that consistent bottom contact is crucial.
One of the key things with a swim jig is to make sure you contact as much structure as possible during the retrieve to increase your chances of making a fish angry and drawing a strike. With the big fibre brush these things really pull through the snags well and you really don’t have to worry much about whether or not your jig will swim out of where you’ve just cast it.
//TACKLE Casting accuracy with the jig is crucial, and in most cases you’re going to want to put the lure within a foot of your target or the edge, and it’s for this reason most anglers choose to fish with a baitcaster. Fast action rods in the 7 foot-plus range with lots of backbone suit the technique really well. Don’t feel silly using an 8kg stick on something like a bass or a ‘yella’ because there are times when you’re going to need every bit of it to reef them straight out of a log jam or over the top of a massive weed bed.
//BLADED JIGS It would be silly to write an article about skirted jigs without mentioning one last kind of jig that fares pretty well with our Australian native species. There are always going to be those days when the fish are angry and hungry and a lure with a little bit of flash and vibration will never get too far without getting whacked. Of all the styles of jigs, one of the best when the fish are in the mood is the chatter bait or bladed jig. www.spooledmagazine.com.au
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If it’s small fish like bony bream, barred grunter, redfin and baby carp you’re imitating, a swim jig is going to be your better option. Because baitfish will move around through the water column, the retrieve for a swim jig can be a little bit more exciting and you can really experiment with these things to see how the fish are biting on the day. I like to fish my swim jigs with a consistent shaky retrieve, often allowing the jig to sink down through structure like timber or weed beds and then repeating. However, hopping them off the bottom or rolling them back will also draw strikes.
Jigging For Natives
They come in a variety of different weights, with about 3/8 of an ounce being a good starting point that can be fished both on the edge and out in the deep. They have a small, shiny metal plate or ‘blade’ attached to the eye of the hook, which gives the jig a shaking and vibrating action similar to that of a bibbed crank bait. One of the benefits of the bladed jig is there really is no set way to fish them, and you can be fairly creative. More often than not, a steady retrieve is all that’s needed, occasionally twitching the lure and allowing it to touch back down on the bottom. If conditions are bright and the fish are slightly deeper, however, I’ve caught plenty of natives on a burn and pause or even by hopping the jig as if it were a blade or plastic. 56
Fishing the jig is something that’s still relatively new to most Australian anglers, including myself. There’s a lot to be learned from the thousands of hours of YouTube clips from anglers over in the USA and even the odd switched on Australian. It’s a great resource that can ease the learning curve dramatically for anyone looking into this style of fishing.
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Fit For A King
JARROD DAY
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Nothing can get your blood pumping and your knees trembling as much as going toe-to-toe with a solid kingfish – better yet, one in your own backyard. Port Phillip Bay’s annual kingfish scene can now only be described as totally epic, although many will know that for the best part of 30 plus years Victoria’s kingfish fishery was all but gone. This was not necessarily the result of overfishing back in the ‘60s and ‘70s, but for one reason or another they just stopped showing up. Maybe it was fishing pressure, maybe the warm currents or maybe the lack of bait. We’ll never know. That was up until 2010 when a select few anglers began exploring a little more of the offshore coastline from Kilcunda, Phillip Island and down to Barwon Heads. During the time in between, kingfish were not really spoken of, apart from the ones caught off the NSW south coast. If anyone was catching them along the Phillip Island/Bellarine Peninsula during these times, they kept it very quiet, even through the boom of the social media evolution. Wilsons Promontory, Cape Liptrap and surrounding areas have always been known for kingfish captures, but with the influx of schooling fish in recent years, their numbers have spread right along the coastline. This has resonated amongst keen anglers and today, from January through to mid-April, the kingfish are in abundance.
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//GEARING UP If you’re new to fishing for kingfish, you’re about to be opened up to a whole new level of gear required to stop these terrors from getting back to the reef and busting you off. When it comes to targeting kingfish anywhere in the country, you have to know that they are a solid, sleek ball of pure muscle that fight ‘til the end. When it comes to landing them, the right rods and reels are vital, otherwise you’re just wasting your time – plain and simple. Kingies are one of the toughest fish to land anywhere around the coastline, but add to that the strong current of the Rip, along with some of the wildest reef structure in Victoria, and you’re in for one hell of a battle.
Tackling kingfish with the right gear can mean either an overhead or spin outfit, yet those keen on targeting this species often opt for both. Personally, I like the option of being flexible and tend to favour a spin set-up to be for both jigging and live baiting. If you’re setting up fresh for your own boat, I’d recommended both options, or at least two of each, depending on your budget. The main reason for the two is to cover all bases, from live baiting to jigging while drifting. There is a saying that “activity creates activity” and when it comes to kingfish, they are one of the most inquisitive pelagics in the ocean. If you have two overhead outfits consisting of a Shimano TLD 25 and 6 foot boat rod outfit for example, you can rig up live yakkas, calamari or squid strips and have them suspended near the bottom. Meanwhile, you can use a third outfit, such as a Shimano Saragosa 10,000 mounted on a 5’6” PE 2-5 jigging rod loaded with 50 pound braid, to create the activity by jigging and stirring the fish up. Obviously, for this all to be achievable you need to be fishing with at least two anglers on board, preferably three. Kingfish have the power to strip braid from a reel in mere seconds, and if you haven’t got the reel with the required drag strength, consider your fish all but gone. If you’re going to seek these hoodlums out, do it right from get-go. www.spooledmagazine.com.au
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Although anglers always like to use what they’ve already got, when it comes to rods and reels, the urge to tackle a new species with ‘snapper gear’ is always there. The train of thought “I’ll use what I have” is not always the best option because of the brutal strength of a solid king. Mind you, even the little tackers are a big task on light tackle. However, when it comes to kingfish, unless you’re happy to upgrade your tackle from the get-go, I personally suggest either holding off until you can afford to do so or head out with mates who are already kitted up. Sorry for the bluntness, but it is just fact if you want to land one of these brutes.
Fit For A King
RIGGING FOR KINGS Techniques have certainly changed from the “good ol’ days” where a lead line was more commonly used. Of course, commercial fishing was a big part of fishing back in those days and recreational fishing was still behind the eight ball in the scheme of things. Nevertheless, those who did target kings on rod ‘n’ reel certainly had to battle true beasts on almost inadequate tackle compared to what is used today.
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Though there are very few who still troll a lead line today, sportfishing methods have certainly taken off in a big way. However, when it comes to kings, they can be fussy, so it is vital that bait fishing methods also be used and in conjunction with jigging. Fishing for kings in Port Phillip Bay (the Rip) revolves around drifting due to the strength of the tidal flow, as well as the depth of the area being fished. Mind you, the current can tear through, exceeding 17kph at times. Starting with bait fishing methods, live baiting or fishing strips of squid baits are the most common methods used. The live baiting set-up is actually quite simple; a 2-3m length of 80lb leader is attached to your braid via an FG or PR knot, followed by a snap swivel crimped or tied to the end of the leader. Following on, you can tie up a single dropper paternoster rig from 100lb trace with sinker on the bottom and a set of snelled 6/0 octopus
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hooks. Alternatively, you can use a kingfish sinker followed by a 1m length of leader with either a snelled octopus hook set or single live bait hook, depending on the bait you’re using. Ideally, for a whole calamari live bait or a 1cm wide x 20cm long squid strip, the snelled hook set works best, while for a live yakka or salmon, bridle rigging with a single live bait hook is preferable. Regardless of whether you opt for a spin or overhead outfit, all these rigs can be used, but when it comes to jigging, things change slightly. There’s no doubt that jigging is intense work and certainly not for the faint hearted. Jigging requires a high-speed reel to get the jig to work with a desired action to catch the attention of the fish. In getting this action right, a fast reel and 5’6” jigging www.spooledmagazine.com.au
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rod is imperative, which is where a spin outfit comes into the equation. In saying that, if you’re fishing an overhead reel, a TLD won’t get the job done and you might have to opt for a higher spec’d reel. The rigging method is the same for jigging as live baiting; a 2m length of 80lb leader is attached to the end of your braid. Then, instead of attaching a snap swivel, using a three-turn unit knot, tie directly to the crane swivel that’s attached to the jig and you’re right to go. Kingfish are quite an inquisitive species and are attracted to fast movement. They are an eating machine and their acute eyesight picks up even the slightest baitfish shooting off in the water. Likened to a Velociraptor, their speed and hunting ability are legendary, and when it comes to sportfishing, it’s no wonder high-speed jigging is so effective. While the right gear and tackle is warranted to stop the fish before they bust you off on the reef, the jigging action is also vital. A schooling fish and a pack predator, a kingfish’s stomach will think before its brain. Its reaction once something is spotted moving fast through the water is to hunt it down and attack it. www.spooledmagazine.com.au
The most effective technique is to only jig half way to three quarters of the way to the surface and then re-drop to the bottom. This will often cause the fish to attack the jig on the freefall because it has suddenly come to a halt and then is falling to the bottom like a stressedout baitfish. This technique also allows you to cover more of the area where the fish are schooled while drifting. It’s amazing how quickly you drift in the Rip and how quickly you’ll drift away from where the fish are. Maximising the jigging area by not jigging all the way to the top will increase the chances of getting fish to bite. www.spooledmagazine.com.au
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When it comes to jigging, the process is simple. Drop the jig to the bottom after having sounded fish on the bottom and work the jig back towards the surface in a vigorous lift and pump action – as fast as you can. Where you can come unstuck is that not all the time will the kings attack the jig immediately. Most often they will chase it to the surface where you’ll find you’ve run out of water, and they’ll shoot off after the jig is lifted out.
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//FISHING THE RIP Without doubt, fishing the Rip requires experience, and to do so, it is imperative that you get your timing right. To be able to get a live bait or jig to the bottom, or at least within the realm of where the kings are, the prime time to be dropping a bait is 2-3 hours either side of the slack water. Keep in mind, slack water is different to a tide change and many anglers get this wrong.
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Slack water in the Rip occurs approximately three hours before high tide and three hours after high tide when the Bay’s water level is equal from Williamstown to the Heads. So, as an example, the high tide at the Rip will be around three 70 hours before that at Williamston and the slack water at the Rip will be when it is high or low tide at Williamston. Consequently, when picking the prime time to be fishing for kings, choose the 2-3 hours either side of the slack water.
Once you have the timing right, setting the trap is next in line. Obviously, at this time of the year many other anglers are also out trying their luck, so keep your eyes peeled and should you see another anglers hook and land a fish, there is no problem in picking the same drift line. However, always keep in mind some fishing etiquette and share the love rather than getting all aggressive. www.spooledmagazine.com.au
If you mark up fish on your sounder yourself, no doubt other anglers will also take your same drift line, but there is plenty of room for all. Just be patient, take your time and focus on your fishing techniques rather than getting upset with other anglers. After locating fish, setting the spread is vital, which is why you need multiple anglers aboard; one to drive the boat and one or two to man the rods. Because the bottom of the Rip is solid reef, you could be drifting in 80m of water and then within a 20m drift, be in 16m of water. Because the bottom is so rugged, you need to have someone constantly watching your depth sounder and constantly talking to the other anglers, letting them know the depth. Not doing this will have your rigs and jigs snag up on the bottom and thus, you’ll be re-rigging all day long without doing too much actual fishing.
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They say, “you can have all the gear and no idea” and when it comes to fishing the Rip, having all the gear is great, but it is vital that you have some idea of the area and how to fish it. The Rip is undoubtedly the most treacherous stretch of water in Victoria, and if you’re not familiar with it but still have the urge to catch kingfish, head out on a local charter or with a bunch of mates who do have experience and begin to learn so you can go at it yourself down the track.
Spanish Mackerel On The Troll
ANDY BOUGHTON
Spanish 72
Mackerel
ON THE TROLL
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As summer approaches here in South East Queensland and the NSW Far North coast, my thoughts start to wonder what this year’s mackerel season may offer. Like many other tropical and sub-tropical anglers, Spanish and spotted mackerel are my preferred targets during the summer months. This article and associated video will provide you the skills to target and land any mackerel species found in Australian waters, including Spanish, spotted, school, grey and shark mackerel. If you’re effective at catching Spanish in the southern extremities of their range, you’ll have no problem landing them further north where they are most prolific.
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For most of us our fishing activities come second to the work roster, family commitments and weather conditions. When an opportunity becomes available to chase a mackerel, here’s a few things to consider.
//SEASON AND RANGE Spanish and spotted mackerel are caught regularly in South East Queensland and the NSW Far North coast during the summer months when water temperatures rise above 23°C. More consistent catches year-round occur above latitude 25° S, north of Fraser Island, Qld and latitude 28°S, above Geraldton, WA. The South East Queensland/NSW Far North Coast season generally starts in early December running through to late May each year. Like for most species, the season will vary in quality from year to year. The abundance of fish will depend on the arrival and distribution of the tropical East Australian Current that pushes down the East Coast from the Coral Sea. Wind direction, seasonal rain fall (run-off) and bait will all determine the difference between a poor or exceptional season. An interesting observation I’ve noticed over the years on the Gold Coast is the arrival of Christmas Beetles just prior to Christmas often coinciding with the arrival of Spanish and spotted mackerel. The best and most consistent months to target Spanish in sub-tropical waters are between February and April when the water is at its premium temperature and condition.
//WIND AND WATER CONDITIONS The summer season brings the warmest conditions, both above and below the water, with the ocean temperature usually peaking in March each year. These warmer conditions brings north-east winds, which you’d think may promote favourable conditions, but in fact deliver cold, nutrient-rich water from deep off www.spooledmagazine.com.au
the continental shelf. This is known as the Coriolis Effect – sustained winds in a consistent direction blowing over the ocean moving the top layer of seawater. Northerly winds will turn the mackerel bite and most other offshore fishing opportunity off. Keep an eye on the forecast and look for a run of south-east winds that work in the opposite, pushing warm blue water onto our coastline – just perfect mackerel conditions.
//TIDES If your fishing adventure happens to fall on the bigger full or new moon tides, your success rate may improve, especially on those inshore coastal reefs and shoals. If the fishing is quiet on the smaller tides, try those wider/deeper grounds where there’s more water movement.
The other big factor is bait. Those days on the water where you can’t turn a reel are usually the days you struggle to find bait. The predators will be in numbers where the bait fish are.
Not often you’ll get a four-way Spanish hook up and land all four fish.
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I prefer the early morning session when boating traffic is minimal and the north-easterly wind hasn’t yet kicked in.
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//STRUCTURE The best Spanish and spotty grounds are those inshore reefs and gravel patches or wider reef edges in high flow locations. Those low-lying, rubbly gravel patches are generally great for all species of mackerel. This is where the hard reef edges and bommies tend to produce and hold more Spanish than spotted mackerel. While you’re trolling a location, study your fish finder, concentrating your efforts around the bait balls and larger arches displayed.
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//TROLLING We all have our own style, preferred technique and gear selection. My first option when targeting Spaniards anywhere in Australia is trolling hard-body bibbed lures. Why, you ask? They’re extremely effective, they catch everything that swims in the ocean, and I’m not required to catch or buy fresh bait prior to each fishing trip. I like to troll at a speed between 5-13 knots, with lure placement 20-40m behind the boat. My trolling speed will depend on a few factors which include fishing location, lure selection and target species of mackerel. Around home on the Gold Coast I achieve much better results trolling between 10 – 13 knots – the faster, the better! Trolling up north on the Great Barrier Reef, in the Gulf of Carpentaria, Northern Territory and Western Australia, 5 knots is just fine. If you’re targeting Spanish, start off with the larger size bib lures (150 to 200mm). Depending where the fish are feeding in the water column, choose an appropriate diving lure to achieve that depth. Quality lures on the market these days have depth ranges between 1-10m.
TIP: To assist keeping your lure in the water at these higher trolling speeds, with the use of adjustable rod-holders keep the rod tip as close to the water surface as possible. www.spooledmagazine.com.au
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If the fishing is generally quiet, mix it up with your lure selection, varying diving depth, lure size, colour and action. Those days where spotted, school, grey and shark mackerel are your target species, your chances will improve with one of the smaller size bib lure. Spotted mackerel love the Halco Laser Pro 120DD!
//TROLL GEAR When targeting Spanish, I use a medium weight spin outfit. Overhead combos are still extremely popular for many anglers and charter operators, but I prefer the lighter spin outfit. I go for a rod and reel that covers most of my offshore fishing options, whether I’m trolling for pelagics, jigging for kings or bottom bouncing for reef fish. I use a Shimano T-Curve, Deep Jig Spin 200. It’s so versatile, light in weight and delivers plenty of grunt. Attached to that is a Shimano Saragosa 10000. Loaded with 50 pound braid and 80 pound mono leader, this is near perfect for any offshore fishing activity. www.spooledmagazine.com.au
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//LURES There’s plenty of good bib lures on the market that perform very well, but over the years I’ve found the Halo Laser Pro 190, 160 and 120 in the DD (2m) or XDD (6-7m) my lure of choice. Out of the pack it’s tough, will catch anything and if you have the 190DD (2m) rigged and operating effectively, it can be trolled over 13 knots. Lure colour is important. I can’t go past the White Redhead (H53), Bonito (H69) and Redneck (H28) in the Halco range.
Wire choice is a personal preference of course. Multi-strand is not as prone to twist, bend and weaken like single strand can. Avoid using snap clips between the lure and wire. You’ll only end up in tears if they open up or break while fighting that fish of a life time!
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Very importantly, attach your lure to a wire trace for any toothy critter like mackerel and wahoo etc. Use crimps for multistrand wire or a simple haywire twist with single strand wire. I prefer low profile 69 pound Mason single strand that can be tied quickly and easily out on the water. In tropical waters further north I’ll use a heavier 105 pound single strand wire.
Spanish Mackerel On The Troll
//SPIN GEAR My high-speed spin outfit for casting slugs into bait balls and fish boils is a Shimano T-Curve ‘Evolution’ Inshore Series Spin. Attached to that is a Shimano Sustain FI5000 standard with a 6.2:1 retrieve rate. Loaded with 30 pound braid and a 40 pound mono leader, it’s a very nice spin outfit. If you’re casting metal slugs in to a bait school, keep your rod tip low and wind as fast as you can. Again, the faster the better!
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There’s not a better sight observing that mackerel 82 or tuna attack your lure on the surface and then the sound of braid screaming from your reel! Purchase a metal slug that best replicates the bait fish mackerel are feeding on in the area. As they say “Match the Hatch”. The 15g and The 25g Gillies ‘Baitfish’ in white or blue works a treat and I always have plenty rigged with 40 pound single strand wire, ready for action. One of the bonus rewards chasing mackerel is the variety of quality bycatch you’ll land. Even when the mackerel are quiet, there’s often plenty of longtail tuna (northern bluefin), wahoo and many other tuna species available. In saying all the above, if trolling bibbed lures isn’t getting results on the day, try trolling a dead or live bonito, garfish, yellowtail or slimy mackerel. No Spanish can resist one of those lolly-pops! Finally, on a safety note there’s a few fish species that I’d recommend be subdued before pulling onboard. Spanish mackerel are one of those species. With their razor sharp teeth, powerful jaw and big head shakes, those teeth and/or the trebles hanging from a mackerel’s mouth can do some serious damage. I recommend humanely killing the fish over the side of your boat with a timber club or brain spike (aka the ‘Pacifier’) before bringing onboard. I’ve heard of and seen devastating injuries from bites and hook penetrations. www.spooledmagazine.com.au
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Try Suspenders
VICKI WINTER-LEAR
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The choice of hard bodied lures for bream can be somewhat bewildering at your local tackle shop. There are surface, deep diving, shallow diving, floating, sinking and suspending lures. Depending on what you want to chase and how you want to fish, you can then start to make your lure choice. In this article I am going to talk about suspending lures, which are staples in any bream fisherman’s tackle box. A suspending lure means that when you stop winding (the pause), the lure won’t rise or fall in the water column. It stays in the same spot for the duration of the pause.
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Wayne Friebe, while fishing a bream tournament at Mallacoota in Victoria, first introduced me to suspending lures. Mallacoota is famous for big bream, so I was keen to learn this technique. We were searching the edges for dirty patches where the sand had been dug up; this was evidence that the bream had been foraging for food. The method is to cast over the hole, bring your lure over the hole and then just stop retrieving. Then, with your wrist twitch the rod tip to move the lure ever so slightly. Basically, this means that the lure sits in the bream’s face the whole time with only a minute movement; enough to entice a bite. I was amazed and ended up catching a 1.41kg bream, with Wayne Freebie knocking me off with big bream weighing just .01kg more! From this experience I have been able to apply suspended lures in many other waterways up and down the coast and in fresh or salt water applications. I hope some of my tips help you with your experience in using suspended lures.
//LURE SELECTION You can buy a number of different suspending lures – shallow, mid or deep water. They should have information on the packets to explain what depth they reach. The only choice for you is to decide on where you are fishing. If you were fishing shallow sand and weed flats up to, say, just over a metre, a shallow lure would do the job for you. Obviously, you will move to a mid or deep running lure in deeper water or fishing rock walls or snags. But don’t get caught up in the square box, so to speak. Some people like to use a deeper lure in shallow water as they want to keep it on the bottom, but bear in mind with it not being floating, you can end up with a lot of snags. You might also be fishing deep water but the weed beds come up to within a metre of the surface, so a suspending lure would be great to sit just above the weed. There are many brands available to choose from, such as Daiwa Double Clutch, Zip Baits, Cranka, Jackall, just to name a few. They can also come www.spooledmagazine.com.au
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in a variety of lengths and profiles. Again, this is a personal preference and depends on how active the fish bite is on the day. It’s also dependent on whether you want a slimmer profile and tight action or a wider action. Colour is optional and really the angler’s choice. Each estuary system can produce better on different colours. Also, you might want to experiment when fishing clear water or if it has been raining and the water is dirty.
//WORKING THE LURE It is best to mix it up on the day. Bream can be tough to nut out. Some days they will eat a lure the moment it hits the water, and on other days you need to sit it in their face for what seems to be like an eternity to entice them to eat it. There are a couple of ways you can work a suspending lure. Most commonly, once you cast and let the lure hit the water, you want to wind it down to the desired depth. Once there, you can slow roll it all the way back to your feet. Alternatively, you can twitch and pause, which is to stop winding the lure, let it sit there idly and then, with your wrist, flick the lure either softly or aggressively, depending on how you would www.spooledmagazine.com.au
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like the lure to react, and then let it sit again. Next, give the handle a small wind and keep repeating it. You can also wind the lure down and then give it small lifts before winding it back down again, working it up and down through the water column. It is also important to keep your rod tip low to the water; in fact, I like to point it directly at the water’s surface. This keeps you in direct contact with your lure at all times. www.spooledmagazine.com.au
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//TACKLE SELECTION I prefer to use a 2-4kg rod that is light weight and about 7 feet long. This is great for casting distance, but yet still soft enough in the tip to avoid pulling hooks. It also provides enough power to put the hurt on if the fish wants to play nasty. A 2000 sized reel would balance this outfit out nicely. My personal outfit consists of the Daiwa TD Battler Beowolf, which is a 7 foot rod that can cast 2-7 gram lures and is rated 2-4 kg, teamed with the 2014 Calida reel. www.spooledmagazine.com.au
//LINE SELECTION With the above tackle options I would use 2-4 pound braid with a 4-6 pound leader, depending on what sort of territory I’m fishing. By fishing braid, you will feel every bump and bite on the lure. Sometimes this is not a good thing, as you think the fish has the lure and you load up and pull the hooks or miss the hook up entirely. This is because the braid has no stretch, so if they lightly take the hooks and feel pressure, the bream can let go before you get the chance to make the hook up. However, it is a great way to learn and feel what your lure is doing.
Once hooked up with fluorocarbon, you need to keep the pressure on the fish the whole fight because one ounce of slack line will see the fish win its freedom. It is a little difficult to get used to, but once you have had a go, you will start seeing the benefits.
//MODIFICATIONS If you have a box full of floating hard bodies in your tackle box, this doesn’t mean you have to cull them out to make room for suspending lures. You can modify them yourself to make them suspending. Depending on the weight you put on them, they will still float up slightly, but sometimes this can be a benefit. It will normally hold them just under the surface. You can change the depths by adding or subtracting the weight. There are a number of products available on the market, such as lead suspend dots, tungsten putty or lead wire to adjust weight easily. If you place them between the bib and the first set of trebles on the underside, it shouldn’t affect the swimming action of your lure. I personally have used lead wire, as I have this in my fly tying kit. I have wrapped it around the trebles to add extra weight and give it a slower sink rate, suspending the lure in the water for longer. So there you have it. Quite obviously, suspending lures provide a great alternative for the dedicated bream angler. Give them a try.
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The other alternative would be to use 4-6 pound straight-through fluorocarbon. You won’t get the same direct feel as you do with braid, but because fluorocarbon has stretch if a fish grabs it, it’s likely not to feel the resistance, which will result in a hook up. You also don’t have any joining knots like you do with braid and leader, so you are likely to be able cast further.
Breaming for Mulloway
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SCOTT COGHLAN
BREAMING for mulloway
It wasn’t something that was a particular goal of mine, I just kind of fell into it. By breaming for mulloway I mean using the sort of light gear you’d associate with estuary bream fishing to target croakers – something I now find myself doing an awful lot in the rivers and estuaries around my home town of Albany, on the south coast of Western Australia.
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Breaming for Mulloway
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Albany’s Kalgan and King rivers, in particular, are famous for their black bream fishing and it was my passion for this species, usually from a kayak, that led to my first encounter with mulloway on the light gear. From there it soon became a passion, to the point where, more often than not, I’m targeting mulloway when, for all intents and purposes, my approach and tackle suggests I am fishing for bream. Don’t get me wrong, I still love my bream and target them quite a bit, but haven’t found anywhere that produces blackies over 60cm yet. When I am fishing a location that offers both bream and mulla’s, I’ll lean towards the screaming drag against a fish of close to a metre in length almost every time. The tactics I use I am sure could be replicated with success in other estuary systems.
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//IT’S A SEASONAL THING At this time of year the mulloway are extremely active. They tend to slow down in the depths of winter as fresh water pumps into the system, but then school up to spawn as spring approaches and can be found in good numbers in the deeper holes. They are very noisy when landed and can often be heard croaking quite loudly as the sun drops late afternoon. This habit can be handy for the fisher, who can identify where the schools are, which is often the trick to good mulloway fishing in this system. The Kalgan is certainly the premier mulloway river on the south coast of WA and the fish will usually be found in deeper holes from 2.5-4m, although occasionally venturing into shallower water.
//LIGHT TACKLE MULLOWAY GEAR With so many small mulloway in the system, light tackle is a very viable option. There is little structure to run foul of, and the shallow water also assists with successful releases, with none of the barotrauma this species is associated with. I will usually just use my bream outfit to target mulloway and even the bigger fish can be subdued with patience and a soft hand. My usual outfit for mulloway is a 2.1m Samurai Reaction 203 matched to a Stella 2500, spooled with 3kg braid and finished off with around a metre of 4kg fluorocarbon leader. This is a nice casting outfit, as I want to cover as much ground as possible, and it’s soft enough to absorb the surges and violent head shakes typical of mulloway. I have no problem using a little size 0 or 00 clip, which gives me the flexibility to change lures. Heavier gear can be used, especially when casting bigger lures such as minnows and stickbaits up to 15cm or more in length, but I personally gain much more enjoyment from fishing light and enjoying the ‘feel’ of the battle.
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Breaming for Mulloway
//LURE CHOICE I have three main lures I will use and all are of the size you would associate with bream. My lure of choice is inevitably a Tackle House Rolling Bait 48, which is dynamite on mulloway. It has the bib on top and boasts a very pronounced action, which is irresistible to many species, but especially mulloway. I remove the trebles and replace the rear ones with assist hooks. This reduces lost lures due to snags, and every mulloway I hook is invariably pinned nicely in the corner of the mouth.
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Small vibes to around 7cm long (the Samaki Vibelicious can be dynamite) also work when bumped along the bottom, as do small soft plastics such as the 2.5inch grubs available from Z-Man and Samaki. Mulloway in this system have much to feed on, with mullet, tailor, herring and juvenile salmon all in abundance, not to mention bream. However, the main baitfish are small anchovies up to around 8cm in length and this is why I believe smaller lures work so well. If I were purely targeting larger fish, I would consider graduating to heavier tackle and bigger lures. Having said that, I have found even big fish will hit small lures.
//TECHNIQUE In this system the mulloway do most of their feeding on or near the bottom in my experience. The lures I use all sink and enable me to fish that bottom metre of the water column. My technique is simple – I cast the lure and let it sink to the bottom. I then hop it along the bottom with small lifts of the rod tip, trying to keep it as close to the riverbed as possible while still giving the lure action. I have caught mulloway by bouncing stickbaits along the bottom too, and also by trolling, but I find these methods are less reliable. Even now and then they will be caught near the surface too, but playing the odds means fishing the bottom third of the water column most of the time.
//TIMING Mulloway can be caught at any time of the day, but I firmly believe the best action is on the turn of the tide. If I am to have a red-letter session, this is usually when it will happen – on the slack water. Ideally, I prefer the bottom of the tide, as I believe this concentrates the mulloway and the baitfish they are feeding on into the deeper holes. The last hour before dark is certainly a peak time, and if this coincides with the bottom of the tide, confidence is high. www.spooledmagazine.com.au
//THE FIGHT The take of a mulloway is quite distinctive. It is a thump, and feels like a barramundi has just inhaled the lure. Fishing this way also produces a lot of bream, but you can tell when a mulloway, even a small one, is hooked. There is often a moment of contemplation before the fish realises it is hooked, and the rod then bows over and the first run begins. I’ve never yet been buried by a mulloway, so all it takes is patience and letting the fish tire itself out. Gentle pressure will eventually win the day.
//RELEASING THE CATCH
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As mentioned earlier, in the shallow waters of these rivers mulloway generally appear to release very well. I have never kept a fish, as I believe it is imperative to maintain the quality of this unique little fishery. I try to keep them out of the water for a short a time as possible – just long enough for a couple of selfies with the camera mounted on the kayak. Recently I have also started tagging them before release, which delays the process a little as I measure them and apply the tag. With minimal handling most mulloway only take a few moments to recover and then power off, ending a memorable interaction.
BOAT TEST - Evolution 500 AXIS
BOAT TEST
- EVOLUTION 500 AXIS
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JOHN WILLIS
A good many years ago I made a statement that stuck. “Not a bad bloke Junga, pity he can’t fish!” (Evolution Boats Paul Junginger) Roll on nearly a decade and the Evolution range of boats has grown steadily, with models from the monster 652 Apex Extreme right down to the versatile 500 Cuddy and Sportsfisher Runabout. Junga has learnt to fish a bit better too, but don’t tell him that. He’s already got a big enough head! All jokes aside, the little 500 series hull is a terrific performer, with huge volume and stability due to its wide 2.25m beam. It is now available in the nimble new 500 Axis centre console. Centre consoles always create a world of controversy amongst fisho’s, mainly because they are marketed directly to dedicated anglers who generally specialise in their target species and method. They say the ‘perfect boat’ will www.spooledmagazine.com.au
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BOAT TEST - Evolution 500 AXIS
never be made, and that is the reason – everyone’s different. However, in my opinion the Evolution 500 Axis is as good a sports fisher as I’ve ever seen The Axis’ multiple function ability appeals to my diverse range of fishing endeavours. I am primarily salt water oriented, loving nothing more than chasing my beloved snapper, often in those harsh Victorian spring mornings where the wind and chop shivers and shakes you to the bone. Hence a seafaring, soft riding deep-V fibreglass hull with nice high sides fits the bill. Then there are those days chasing the enigmatic King George whiting, often in difficult wind-against- tide conditions in the fast tidal streams of Western Port or maybe Port Welshpool. 100 SPOOLED MAGAZINE
FOR SPECIFICATIONS AND PERFORMANCE DETAILS TAP THE ICON
“Junga
is a bit of a
stubborn , old school boat builder who still measures boats the traditional way
–
from
pointy bit to blunt bit...”
CONTACT To be able to fish right around the boat in these conditions is a real bonus. A quick run offshore chasing kings or tuna really takes my wrinkles out, but then there are those more sedate times in the sweet water working rivers, lakes and estuaries that simply cleanse the mind and soul. The Evolution 500 Axis centre console fits all of my piscatorial moods. Junga is a bit of a stubborn, old school boat builder who still measures boats the traditional way – from pointy bit to blunt bit – so if you think the 500 looks larger than most, it is! Its overall measurement, including the moulded bowsprit, is 5.3m. It features an aggressive 21 degree deadrise, strong reverse chines and sharp full length strakes, combining with a hand-laid fibreglass hull that cushions the www.spooledmagazine.com.au
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chop and slices the swell. Add to this the stability of a solid hull weighing in at a hefty 650kg, plus the wide beam, and you also have an extremely stable package at rest that enables heavyweight fishos to hop around the decks with ease.
SIZE DOES MATTER There’s always debate amongst the purists about the length and size of the casting decks, the positioning of the centre console and the height of the coamings. In my opinion, Evolution has achieved a terrific combination of volume, comforts, features and proportions in the 500 Axis. It starts at the bow with a moulded sprit and anchor well, to which I would personally fit an electric winch, but many others will be more than satisfied with the position-lock ability of the optional Motorguide Xi5 electric engine.
Thankfully, the 500 Axis has well recessed toeholds around the coamings and very few line snags, should you be flicking a fly. Fishing is aided by the stealth and power of the remote Motoguide electric motor, plus a bow-mounted Lowrance HDS7 Multi-function screen. The 500 Axis has non-skid decks throughout, including the foredeck to help keep you safe from slippage.
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The casting platform is ideal for luring, and there’s room for a pair of average size anglers, or one big bloke with wide elbows like me. Most important is the stability, even when confronted with small chop and wakes from other boats, or generally choppy conditions. There is cavernous storage beneath that could double up as kill tanks for larger targets like kingfish and tuna.
BOAT TEST - Evolution 500 AXIS
Our demonstration unit had a gap between the front of the smallish, but highly efficient console, where Junga likes to stow his portable cooler. Some may like the casting platform longer and others may like the console moved forward for more rear deck room; both options are available. The console features protection for the helmsman with a single-section Perspex windscreen and stainless steel frame. There’s enough dashboard space for the Lowrance HDS12 Carbon, binnacle controls and sports steering wheel, plus the usual key start and waterproof switchgear, Mercury Vesselview panel and some storage underneath.
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I personally fish at anchor regularly, so I would ideally move the console slightly further forward for more rear deck room. Being an older bugger with stuffed knees, 104 I would also incorporate a seating/storage unit, probably with flip-over bolster back rest, but there are plenty of others out there who like it just as it is. The transom work station is a ripper, with large plumbed live bait tanks either side, complete with clear view windows. Under each tank and across the centre are three elevated compartments for all of the electrical and plumbing gear, plus some added storage. For added comfort there’s a padded coaming to save your knees, full-width toeholds, bilge access, underfloor kill tank and a pair of optional stainless steel snapper racks in each corner to suit southern bait fishing. Out back is a pair of boarding platforms either side of the half pod engine well, with a stainless ladder for water sports. Our ripper little demo boat was fitted with the industry-leading Mercury 115HP four-stroke outboard, which I consider a perfect combination. These gutsy 2.1 litre in-line four cylinder power plants have certainly revolutionised this popular horse power range, with quiet, fuel efficient drive propelling the Evolution 500 Axis up to a pleasing 38.8 knots at 5810 rpm with two on board, where it was using only 40.6 litres per hour. That’s pretty damned good for wide open throttle! Easing back to a more realistic fast cruise, we found a terrific average planing speed of 20.6 knots at 3970 rpm, where she was drinking a very miserly 16.4 litres per hour. The whole package feels nimble, responsive and trustworthy, with no bad habits and terrific tracking and turning ability. It was a nice calm day, so we chased as many large wakes as possible, where the hull sounded immensely quiet. I keep on hearing those repetitive words “Built by fishermen, for fishermen” ringing around in my head. Well, it seems Junga must have learned more than a bit about fishing over the years because the Evolution 500 Axis is an absolute sportsfishing weapon!
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“In terms of safety, vision and looks, it’s hard to go past Clearview Powerfold Mirrors.” Pat Callinan
Clearview Towing Mirrors now include the following options* • Black or chrome • Manual or electric • With or without indicators • Power-Fold • Blind spot monitoring • Heated glass *selected models only
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From Paternoster to Plate
GLEN BOOTH
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Getting the Most out of Big Red
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BIG SNAPPER CAN BE TRICKY TO FILLE T, BUT THERE ARE A FEW WAYS TO GE T GREATER VALUE OUT OF THOSE JUMBO REDS, AS GLEN BOOTH EXPL AINS. Long before the term had been coined, some older gents I once knew who lived through hard times such as the Great Depression and World War II had a remarkably holistic approach to the treatment of big snapper they caught — and believe me, there was a lot of them. Coming from an era of waste not, want not, everyone grew their own vegies, every backyard had a chook pen, and bartering with excess produce, whether from land or sea, was how people got by.
Times were obviously tough, but when crayfish was also common enough for the tails to be used as bait, maybe there was an upside! These canny snapper fishermen barely wasted any part of a big red, and to pay due respect to these great fish, we should strive to do the same. Even with careful filleting, snapper meat recovery is relatively low in comparison to many other species, but there are ways of utilising the meat that the filleting blade can’t reach. Cooking fish whole is obviously one solution, with only the scales, guts and gills being discarded, but some people don’t like the sightless stare of their dinner looking back up at them, and prefer uncomplicated boneless fillets.
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As bayside residents they’d catch and salt their own bait. Whole garfish, salmon trout and flathead fillets were widely used for snapper. Fish were more numerous and less sophisticated back then, with classic near unbendable ‘boat’ rods and centrepin reels spooled with heavy line (often cuttyhunk in the days before nylon became widely available) producing the goods.
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//INTO THE GARDEN So, you’ve processed your snapper and have a plate of chunky white fillets, but what do you do with the leftovers? Fish-based fertilisers are extremely popular with gardeners, and for the vegie growers it’s a tonic that gives flavoursome home-grown produce a tremendous boost in quality, quantity and flavour. So bury the heads, frames, guts, skin and trimmings in the garden and watch that home vegetable garden soar. If you do bury fish frames in the vegie patch or wherever, lay some fine wire mesh over the burial site until it has broken down, as dogs, and vermin like rats and foxes will find it and dig it up, even months later. Speaking of dogs, fish is a wonderful meal for them. A rich source of Omega 3 fatty acids, it’s good for joints, heart function, limits or prevents dementia, cleans their teeth and reduces allergic response if they have any allergies. Win, win! Come cleaning time, my canine lot will park themselves beside the filleting table like makos at a berley bucket. Rib sections, wings and the dark meat along the lateral line are popular, but they aren’t so fussed about fish heads. Oh, they’ll make a big song and dance about them initially, and slink off with their trophy. Then, a few days later, you’ll be walking around outside and gasp, “What the hell is that smell?” It doesn’t take long to find it, believe me ! www.spooledmagazine.com.au
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//SNAPPER SOUP Everyone has a signature dish, and I guess snapper soup is mine. The only downside to this tasty recipe is that making the stock, which is the secret to its incredible flavour, is a monumentally smelly process. It involves boiling the heads and frames, which should only be done outside (a wok burner on a barbecue is ideal), as in the kitchen the odour attaches itself like some sort of malevolent presence that can take days of airing to remove.
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From Paternoster to Plate
Clean all the heads and frames of gills and blood, then chop them into pieces small enough to fit into a 10-15 litre pot. Bigger heads produce more nooks and crannies and a far richer stock. You certainly don’t have to worry about adding all the fancy condiments like bay leaves and vegies that the TV chefs do; just fish frames and sufficient water to cover them and you’ll be sweet.
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Bring all this to a boil, and then allow the fishy broth to simmer for about an hour. Keep the lid on though, or every blowfly in the state will soon be in a holding pattern above it. After about 20 minutes you can halt the process and pick the cooked flesh from the bones and around the head(s), but for lazy 110 chefs like me, just throw some cubed fillets in when the soup is cooked. Drain the stock into a suitable container through a colander to catch all the bones and scales, which will have broken down by this stage. You’ll also end up with some unusual skull formations, especially from the knobby males, that make an interesting discussion piece amongst your mates. Allow the stock to cool, and then stick it in the fridge. A day later it will have turned to a cream-coloured jelly, and what isn’t immediately needed can be scooped into zip-lock bags and frozen. About six to eight cups of stock is usually sufficient to feed four people. To make the soup, bring stock to the boil, throw everything in bar the seafood, and allow it to simmer for 30 minutes or so. Add the milk and then, if you really want to pimp it as you add the fish cubes, throw in 500g of green prawns and some fresh mussels. If the soup is too thick, add a little water. Crumble some dry bikkies on top for crunch or serve with crusty bread. This is a meal and a half for a cold winter’s night and like spag bol’, snapper soup seems to miraculously develop more flavour the following day.
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//WINGS Surprisingly, the sweetest meat comes from around the head. The real fish ferrets who like to get into every crevice will know that the cheek meat is a delicacy to be fought to the death over. The other delicious part is the belly section or ‘wings’. It’s remarkably tasty and on bigger fish there’s a surprising amount of flesh around the pelvic and pectoral fins. Don’t gut the fish, as we want the belly section intact. Just sever the throat latch, then cut from above the pectoral fins down towards the soft belly, but scale it prior to cooking. Fire up the barbie, split the bony membrane on the inside so that the wings lay flat, and baste with a mix of soy sauce and olive oil. Cook on both sides, grab some paper towels and prepare to get dirty. Even the fine tips of the fins will crisp up and are highly edible. Yum! www.spooledmagazine.com.au
From Paternoster to Plate
//WASTE NOT, WANT NOT The knobbly frame of a big snapper means a reasonable amount of meat is left behind (especially if you’re a decidedly average filleter like me), but it can be accessed easily enough by scraping it with a dessert spoon or similar.
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If the fish is large enough or you’ve had a good day and caught a few, the end result is a wonderfully fine snapper mince, ideal for making into fishcakes. And snapper fishcakes are the bomb, believe me. Alternatively, leave what meat remains on there, brush or spray the head and tail-less frame with olive oil, and 112 slip it under the griller. As the saying goes, the closer to the bone, the sweeter the meat. Break into sections and serve with a couple of cold beers.
//GYO-WHAT? And finally, here’s a classic case of having your snapper and eating it too. I’ve always admired those Japanese style fish prints you see in restaurants and the like, but to replicate them looked way beyond the capabilities of someone who failed colouring-in at school. Not so. Gyotaku (‘gyo’ means ‘fish’ and ‘taku’ means ‘rub’) prints are incredibly easy to do, and the results with just some basic equipment are stunning. The secret is the correct paper, and Japanese rice paper is light enough to adhere smoothly to the fish. Eckersley’s Art Supplies is the place to go and a 10 metre roll 970mm wide will set you back less than $50. That’s a lot of Gyotaku prints, unless you’re a big fish specialist. What colours to use are really up to you, but red, pink, grey and off white are an obvious choice for snapper. You can buy non-toxic acrylic paint (so kindy kids can www.spooledmagazine.com.au
eat it, I guess), so there’s no reason why you can’t hose it off and eat the fish after you’ve indulged your artistic desires. Black is a good base colour to initially perfect the technique on, but then expand into more realistic colours, or go really funky and throw the entire palette at the subject.
A second rub and lift off the same coat of paint will produce a lighter overall effect. Once you’ve mastered the intricacies, you can get really creative with multiple fish on the one sheet, additional fish appearing and disappearing off the page, even the baitfish they might’ve been chasing. One spectacular example I saw on the Internet the other day had a bream chasing a group of prawns. Nice! The eyes might be the windows to the soul, but they’re also pretty tricky things to paint. Get it wrong and the whole Gyotaku effect is spoiled. The trick is to paint the eyes in afterwards, but have a few practice attempts on a piece of scrap paper first to see if you’re on the right track. As you can see, my results won’t be appearing in an art gallery any time soon, but half the fun is in the trying and no two paintings come out the same. And if it means going fishing for more subject matter, well that can only be a good thing, right? www.spooledmagazine.com.au
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Gyotaku works better on rough textured species with big scales and/ or outrageous fin structure, so snapper, jewies, pearl perch (and WA jewfish), bream, tuskfish and barramundi are walkup starts. A red emperor would make an interesting subject too. In my experience the pelvic area presents the greatest problems, as it’s hard to get the paper to tuck down behind the splayed fins.
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