KAYAK FISHING ADVENTURES

VIC - THE BIG BEMM THEORY 20/1/2012 - 27/1/2012

2012-01-27T22:50:00.006+11:00

Just returned from seven days kayak fishing Bemm River and its surrounds, great company and an even better campsite. The angling was tougher than expected with the inlet well over nominal water levels. Apparently in November 2011 there were massive periods of inclement weather resulting in the mouth shutting/filling.

Water clarity was murky at best and those 90cm weed beds were well over 2m deep.
I witnessed some pretty cool stuff with some apex fish absolutely smashing the smaller residents, hooking and losing a few in the process. I also caught a couple of cracking Bream and some decent E.P's but other species didn't want to play lure ball. Chasing mainly Tailor proved difficult compared to last year's rewards but the ones I did land weren't kept for the table. Most had bite marks almost clean through and as savage as it seems I'm not quite sure they were bigger specimens of the same genus.

The bite marks seemed too elongated when compared to a typical Tailors mouth shape and there were numerous Shark carcasses at the local boat ramp, along with what I suspect were small Jewfish. No boils, no schooling, no large amount of bite offs or results, just serious frenetic fleeing from the basin proper right down to the mouth (Which they will apparently open shortly). One I had on peeled line sideways with dramatic speed before simply getting bored and biting me off.

Armed with Bream lures it started to get expensive so I gave up trying to tempt one and concentrated in the channel for Flathead and fringes for Estuary Perch. Fishing for a family feed I kept a few E.P's for the first time and they presented well on a plate, in fact I think I have found a new favourite table fish (Will never rival Flathead though, IMO). All in all a great trip and without the competitive rigours of a Hobie round (Bemm River now home of 2012 Grand Final).

Complete print media article in the works, stay tuned...

POLL RESULTS (RECENT) - FISH FRESH OR SALTWATER?

2012-01-16T22:13:00.002+11:00

The latest poll asked readers if they fished mainly fresh or saltwater (or both), I was a little suprised at the outcome. 36% of readers voted saltwater only while 63% voted for both. 0% voted for freshwater only, a little odd knowing the denizens of sweetwater anglers the capital holds.

Probably not that suprising I guess, being so close to the coast. I must remember to do a poll regarding which state the voter comes from (A clue for the next one). At one stage I probably would have voted freshwater only but given the decades topwater craze and the stacks of Bream and Whiting on high end Japanese lures I would now (And did mind you) definately vite both, even if I still rate yak fishing for Trout my number one favourite past time.

Random, do you know my favourite native lure is a Jackal Chubby? (Go figure)

Archived result:

DO YOU FISH FRESH OR SALTWATER?

Freshwater: 0%
Saltwater: 36%
Both: 63%%

NSW/ACT - 2011 CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY PERIOD REPORTS

2012-01-08T19:53:00.004+11:00

This is the first Christmas break I haven't owned my old coffee shop (Bless its soul), so my time off differed from past Xmas periods. Recieving the token couple of days shy of a fortnight I managed to get away to the far South Coast of NSW for a few days and then a local jaunt. With Pambula/Merimbula buzzing with Mexicans fishing the lakes was going to be a little testing, even if they only just managed to open up the new and improved boat ramp (2 days before Xmas, cutting it fine council!).

My options included Pambula Lake, top and Bottom at Merimbula or a dash to Brogo for a morning. After sussing out the attendance and weather I opted for some well needed kayak surf practice on the old Quest and some impoundment Bass action from the Pro Angler. I even packed the long wand in hope that Brogo would hopefully produce my first Bass on fly, I also packed the Hobie rashie so I could look the part at the beach and keep the glass fan bois at bay.

Pambula River Mouth -

The launch site for Stealth school was pretty packed, so much so that I had to park at the top of the hill and walk the Quest down the road a couple of hundred metres (A steep descent). Having surfed Pambula mouth before on a Hobie Adventure and then a longer Perception SIK I was keen to gain some skills on one of my own fleet. A couple of guys were frolicking around away from the bar in assorted kayaks and the beach was ram jam full of bathers, brothers and babes. With a howling southerly, outgoing tide and some decent swell I set up the Go Pro and hoped for the best.

Waves varied from 2 foot piddlers right up to 5 foot dumpers (Complete with sandy effects). With the kayaks deck bare I opted to leash the paddle and wear a PFD (After a risk assessment), stowing my keys and phone in some manner of waterproof zip lock bag in my PFD. The Go Pro has been a bit of a curse so when I told family members I was probably going to have a few spills I had a wicked glint in my eye. After all, this was about managing oneself in the surf zone and it was sure to capture a few thrills and spills.

Water was sucking out the mouth pretty quickly so was a little harder to manoeuvre around between sets than normal. With the rudder down turning the kayak around for a wave was a little easier but once on a wave the rudder threw up a disadvantage compared to being stowed. Rudder down I would immediately turn side on to the white-water and be pushed along at the whim of the wave, rudder up though and I could lock into a waves face and traverse along utilising the Quests channel like features, similar to that of a grommet body boarder.

It wasn't always that easy though as sometimes no matter what you did you went in whatever direction it wanted to, compared to the ski dude who rocked up and would just go straight (Looked boring I might add, but fast). Some of the smaller waves caught me off guard a few times and I went into the drink, basically tipping out a few seconds after takeoff due to balance. The shape of the Quest isn't flared at all so nose dives were bound to happen, leaning back helped but anything with a 4 foot face and it was a given.

With some additional skills under my belt I called it a day, the exertion paddling in the zone was minimal compared to the climb back to the car, couple that with bracing legs on each wave face and I was starting to feel sore. To sum up there was a couple of great waves with even a barrel over the bow, some great slaps and effortless re-entry (Due to mouths shallow depth). Retuning to my parents I peeped the footage and had a giggle, I then discovered my iPhone drowned due to a pin prick in the bag so was a bit of a bitter sweet moment.

Brogo Dam Bass -

The next day I trailed myself off to Brogo at a reasonable gentleman's hour, due to gate and travel times. Bumping along the dusty road I arrived around 9 am to find that a gate/chain didn't exist anymore (Or I had simply missed it) and the car park at the ramp was adorned with a couple of cars. I'm still yet to figure Brogo out due to water depth and existing/decomposed bank lines fluctuating but this was as full as I had seen it and looking super healthy so my expectations were quite high .I set up the Pro Angler and mooched around the weed edges into the smaller bays in hope of a late surface bite, alas my attempts at perpetrating a top water fraud were denied.

Breaking out the 8'6 fly rod, floating line, sinking tippet and some type of fluoro Vampire I firstly negotiated the edge fronds, followed by all manner of associated tangles on deck. Stripping slowly felt promising as the water was clear and the vamp sunk perfectly under a little tension. This was the first time I had fly fished from a Pro Angler and while my deck line management resulted in a few hazards around rod holders and the mirage drive the presentation was there. The shorter rod and Scotty fly rod holder kept things minimal enough but with the sun rising higher and the fish moving deeper I packed it away and commenced the lazy mans troll.

Trolling a Jackall Chubby in Ayu on one rod whilst casting a purple and white Jazz 1/8th oz spinnerbait on another was the only way I could get any attention from the Bass. Two hits in 10 minutes on the spinnerbait whilst slow rolling back in 4m of water and then not a touch for a thousand casts. The Chubby though got absolutely smashed, just as two blokes came paddling by muttering to each other 'Hyukk, he dem knows where da Bass ain't'. Just as quickly though the Bass turned the yak and headed for home, this was a good fish so was a little devastated when it bricked me in its deep snag pile and stole my lure, no amount of hurt or PA weight could stop it.

After 4 hours of throwing my complete tackle and outfit arsenal I conceded defeat. With a bruised ego and a burnt body I notched up another Brogo donut, definitely not for lack of trying though. Speaking to a couple of guys back at the ramp some fish had been caught and as usual with Bass it was low light dawn and dusk which accounted for the majority. My parents house in Pambula is a good hour and a bit away so fishing these periods without camping overnight has always proven to be a little tricky. Its standard Bass fishing fare though and when it comes to quality fishing experiences here the middle of the day just doesn't cut it (I wouldn't have said that if I landed the fish).

Lake G Shebang -

With one day to go before I returned to work for a year I needed a fix, something to keep my mind off the reality set whilst not taking all day to achieve. A trip to the local lakes was in order, and with a plethora of choices I made the decision to search for old mate. Old mate can come in many forms, could be your grumpy neighbour, could be some stranger across the street who is wearing flares ("Hey, check out old mate!") or it could be Old Kent. Make of it what you will but in this case it was definitely old mate the Murray Cod, targetted on on Old Kent's rewarding stomping grounds.

I chose not to visit Lake Ginninderra, kind of have a love hate relationship with that place. Most times I don't manage much at all and I swear it has the smallest Redfin known to man. However, other times I have seen a couple of Golden Perch caught and have read in the past about monster Cod stealing rod, reel and lure/baits from unsuspecting anglers. It was time to give it another shot but I was running later than anticipated, looks like a mid morning tryst in sweltering heat was all I was going to get. Still a gift horse scenario though, 10 minutes from door to ramp, rather than a 5 hour round trip average, talk about hub life.

Trolled along the rock wall and hit the course the GPS had pre-plotted, determined from past routes and marks. Trolled weed edges out into 5m and switched lures to a Poltergeist and Glass Shad Rap (In Koich colour green). Trolled down to opposite the infamous old Police boat ramp, turned around and headed back. Surprising the lack of depth in areas away from the spillway, maintaining 4-5m was easy out in the open, especially with random weed patches that stretched for what seemed like runway lengths (Marked and noted).

Looked for Old Kent and came across a few electric powered tinnies with BCF clad warriors, one crew mentioned a couple of Yellowbelly boated but only after persuasive enquiry and a demeaning glance (On their behalf, not mine). On the return journey with no signs of either old mates the GL3 finally goes off and its got some weight and its playing up proper. No headshakes so rules out Golden, could it be that old mate has found me, hunting down a switched Jackal Suji Shrimp Deep Chubby after the rapping shad whack failed?

Five minutes after the take I start to see colour, scales and one familiar pattern, screw you old mate it's a bloody Carp. Quite a big one too that was going to give my new rubberised NZ Kayaker net a run for its money. A sporting fight considering I was fishing 6lb/6lb and I was taking it easy due to my last remaining Chubby stuck firmly in its gob. Took about 10 minutes all up and was immediately bludgeoned to death with the wrong end of my lip grips. This fish was destined for my garden bed but slipped out my hands after the final photo back from whence it came. For the record, let me assure readers it was dead, dead, dead.

Broke my tiny Redfin PB by -2cm with a whopping 7cm model and believe it or not was fairly happy with how the day turned out (But no old mate, no old kent though either). Nearing the boat ramp I spied a kayak being set up and immediately made my way over to gloat to Kent (It must be Kent!). Needless to say an ex ABT GF boat straight from the local dealer loomed from behind the reeds with no old mate anywhere. Met some nice blokes and the kayaks owner on shore, shot the breeze and pointed them in the way of the forum before one last glance around and one packed up car.

SEASONS GREETINGS / HAPPY NEW YEAR / FIVE YEARS

2011-12-25T22:08:00.006+11:00

Another year been and gone, that makes 5 years online.

Hard to believe that back in 2006 this place began as more of a simplified blog, spin forward to 2011 and it's the same blog only a little more glorified. After the huge spells of rain throughout the land in December 2010 this year began kind of turbidly. Local lakes and rivers had more water than many of our man made impoundments had ever seen. Googong Dam was suddenly at 100% and overflowing, the same can be said for Wyangla/Burrinjuck (And many others Australia wide).

When the murkiness subsided the fishing was either hit and miss or full on from dusk to dawn. The Snowy Mountains Scheme probably didn't know what to make of all the additional water with Jindabyne hitting high 80% capacity (Maybe even more) and anglers licking their lips till they fell off their faces. Plenty of fish around but it took a few trips to suss out where the weed beds had shifted to (Or how deep the old ones remained) and which dreaded bank was free of that annoying drowned scrub.

Coastal estuaries like Durras and Burril opened once again either by force or mother nature. Whilst closed I never felt like Durras could fire like the days of old but it really depended on what species I was fishing for (Flathead and Bream aplenty, where were the Whiting?). Areas like Shallow Crossing and the upper anabranches of the Clyde received shed loads of water with debris in trees over 10 metres up banks. Yadboro Flat got a good flushing out and is now, according to all reports, more than just some Bass anglers bygone dream.

Victorian waters also flooded around March with the Snowy River bursting its banks on more than one occasion. The ABT competition at Marlo was a great example of how a system can outflow such murky water with tidal force, yet still hold forces of three bag limits breaking all records. This is only one example that I experienced in this region, can only imagine what happened at the 'Coota and Bemm, not to mention the rest of the Gippsland lakes.

The tournament scene this year was as popular as ever, and the schedule for 2012 is chockablock. I attended as many tournaments as I could his year including Forster, Bemm, Sydney Harbour, Marlo, St Georges Basin amongst others. To be honest I really struggled to find the fish this year which puts a dampener on enthusiasm levels (Hence the 'One trick Pony' articles). Having recently returned to work after 10 months looking after my daughter I will miss out on the first few rounds of both the ABT and SSBS and try and concentrate on the rounds a little closer to home later in the year.

Our crazy Canadian Tim Allard returned home after a year rocking it with the Canberra Massive. Tim and his wife Sue had a blast living a relocated life in Canberra and I know apart from missing friends and family they really didn't want to leave. Tim's book 'Ice Fishing - The Ultimate Guide' was released whilst he was here and many of the final editing touches were added from his Canberra abode. He was a real influence on my way of life and journalistic ways (http://www.timallard.ca), a really top bloke with a down to earth way of life. If your reading this Tim all the best for you and Sue for 2012 mate, it was a real pleasure.

With so much time off in 2011 you would think I would have fished everyday and written a few novels by now, unfortunately being a home dad really sapped my ability and spare time to really venture away. With dashed goals ranging from visiting Tasmania in February to hitting the Bass and Barra trail north I succumbed to struggling locally. My own published offerings for Yak Fisher magazine included some heavily researched offerings on being water wise. With the culmination of the release of the 'Kayak Fishing Manual' I can modestly say the more I write the more I feel like I am contributing to the sport of Kayak Fishing (On an international scale) in a positive and endearing manner.

Our website went through a bit of a lull period with contributions and timely received a small redesign and outlook. Some new features were added using social media intuition and overall its appeal has become a much smarter thanks to an easier to navigate environment. Don't get me wrong, a full design rework is on the cards so nothing is ever polished/finished as it could be (But what blog is?). At the time of writing we have had 84,000 hits/visits and are ranked on page 1 of Google under the search term 'Kayak Fishing' (A vast improvement from last year), not bad for a website based from the 'Berra.

None of this would be possible without the readers, contributors and site supporters helping along the way. Your participation in viewing, promoting and otherwise acknowledging us has made http://www.kfa.net.au one of Australia's leading online kayak fishing resources. We never planned on reinventing the wheel (Scupper cart pun) and only ever hoped to harmonise ourselves amongst similar environments and online communities by offering our viewpoint from which is often termed on many forums as 'The Hub'. Thanks to Hobie, Ugly Fish and Yak Fisher/AFN for the ongoing support and individual sponsorships throughout the years current, pre and post 2011.

Merry Christmas and a happy and safe New years to all...

Derek 'Paffoh' Steele

ANGLING ADVICE - KAYAK FISHING TALLOWA DAM, NSW

2011-12-17T21:17:00.007+11:00

Situated roughly 160km south of Sydney and an easy drive from Canberra is the centrepiece of the NSW South Coasts Shoalhaven scheme, Tallowa Dam. This concrete dam was completed in 1976 and is located immediately downstream from the junction of the Kangaroo and the Shoalhaven rivers. Tallowa Dam collects water from a 5,750 square kilometre water catchment that extends from Kangaroo Valley in the north-east to the upper Shoalhaven River south-west of Braidwood.

This water is stored in Lake Yarrunga, which is in itself is formed by Tallowa Dam. Lake Yarunga is the main water supply for the Shoalhaven and is one of Sydney’s major regular drinking water supplies.

Kangaroo Valley is often used as a thoroughfare to a better place, a journey way to the South Coast areas of Nowra and the boutique locations of Berry and beyond. The Valley itself is one of rolling, lush green plains and tourism delights. Signs like ‘Worlds best Pies’ and ‘Bush Retreat’ scatter the road sides amongst headiness hideaways and thoughtful propositions. Tourism and tranquillity are what holds Barrengary and the valley commune together, it certainly seems to ooze that dreamy appeal but its what lurks well hidden beyond that makes this author drool.

Tallowa Dam holds the water back and allows variable flow into the Shoalhaven River, which starts well above the Dam wall itself. This Dam is stocked with Australian Bass, stocking records vary but 80,000 fingerlings were released there in late 2006 under a NSW government grant deal. It’s also home to the endangered Grayling, Freshwater Catfish, numerous Gudgeon and Smelt and unfortunately an ever growing proportion of veracious European Carp. In 2009 a fishway lift was constructed at Tallowa Dam to allow for the upstream migration of fish into Lake Yarrunga and its upstream tributaries.

Angling Facilities:

It is a paddle only Dam and fishing, swimming and non-powered boating are encouraged at the Dam wall and Bendeela Camping and Picnic Area. Main water access is from parts of Kangaroo Valley, Bendeela camping grounds and the Tallowa Dam wall itself. Hiring Canoes from a local Outfitter is a popular past time, providing on water contact to the contained river runs en route to the Shoalhaven Gorge. Camping overnight in the gorge is also a popular pastime but be wary, main campsites are limited to areas at Fossickers Flat and further on at Canoe Flat.

The Sydney Catchment Authority controls access to many of the waterways that are governed by Lake Yuranga and to a lesser extent Tallowa Dam. To help control rural roundhouses the SCA have provided free camping facilities near their topical pumping station at Bendeela (Busy peaked seasons apply). Add to this the picnic and toilet amenities at Tallowa Dam wall itself and you have quite an array of facilities on hand.

As mentioned above the Dam is powerboat free, however the Canoe and Kayak launching facilities at the dam wall still incorporate a concrete boat ramp with a low slung bank. The official parking spaces at the wall fill quickly on weekends, parking may seem to be at a premium here but unofficial spots are located just a stones throw away. Visitors to the region should familiarise themselves with rules and regulations regarding camping and fishing in an SCA controlled environment.

It is also worth noting that yellow marker buoys situated near the actual wall indicate no boating beyond this point. Be careful paddling this section, it’s very difficult to discern the top of the dam when its full to overflowing (Your horizon may seem endless).

Landbased Options:

The Dam itself is quite large with a catchment of over 5750 square kilometers. This basically means many miles of banks and bays to explore, with typical scrub and lantana obstacles. Down at the wall some well worn paths exist to the right of the boat ramp, popular with bushwalkers and visitors alike.

Fishing to left of the ramp towards the wall is also popular with day visitors, angling below the wall is banned 300m downstream from the weir face but permitted further down the beaten track. Be sure to wear appropriate footwear to avoid a slip and dip, all areas above and below the wall are subject to bank erosion, deviating water lines and slippery rocks.

The Kangaroo River upstream from the Bendeela campground has abundant bank access, perfectly suited to landbased angling. It’s a popular destination for fishing families and offers a great alternative from fishing at the wall (Toilets/disabled toilets and drinking water on tap). While the SCA locks access gates further into the campgrounds to restrict vehicles, walking in on foot and carrying camping and fishing gear upstream is allowed.

By trekking into this pretty and productive river shoreline, which can be far from the maddening crowd, you can set up camp right at the river’s edge. Other landbased options include wetting a line at Beehive Point (Via car or watercraft) or Acacia Flat (Walk in or Watercraft only).

Bronze Battlers:

From late October to early April the Dams water begins to warm, the river flows seem to settle and in turn the water levels stabilise. Australian Bass begin patrolling the edges of the shallower water, providing some heart pounding action for both Canoe/Kayak and landbased anglers. Make no mistake; an Australian Bass of size will pull your arms off. The tugging power to weight ratio is the one of strongest of all freshwater species, even an average sized Tallowa Bass provides quality sportfishing on finesse tackle.

Many of the fish you will come across will be around the sub 30cm mark, indicating a sustaining fishery bounded by a healthy environment. Some real horses have been recorded over the years so keep your wits about you and always be prepared for a fierce battle.

Tallow Bass are often targeted in the shallow bays with underhanging foliage, but the big bruisers still tend to school in and around deep water structure. Shallow water encounters are often in shadowed foliage areas, where the sun is hidden and the bank is tight. It’s here where smaller Bass feel the safest and have a higher access to a possible food source.

Generally though Bass are ambush predators that habit areas throughout the entire water column with Insects, worms, grubs, freshwater shrimp, Gambusia and Tadpoles making up their varied diet.

Surface lures imitate a fleeing quarry (‘Fast food’), disturbing the topwater has accounted for countless Bass here over the years. Some great options for surface luring Tallowa from a kayak, using a walk the dog technique in bays include Ecogear PX45, Smith Towadi, Luck Craft Sammy or something similar to the new 3B crank Scumdog.

Rather than sitting in the deeper water casting straight at the trees or submerged structure, try to position yourself closer to the bank which will allow you to cast and retreive accross the face of the structure which will give your lure more time in the strikezone. When searching open water areas from a bank, try a bubble line producing Kokoda ‘bat’, Kokoda ‘Bugga chug’, Arbogast ‘Jitterbug’ to help track your previous casts.

Apart from fishing the surface, Tallowa Bass love a well presented soft plastics. They’re very functional, especially given the ability to rig them up weedless/snag proof using worm style hooks. Creature style baits will always work well (Imitating various bugs and crustaceans), in Tallowa’s case the more appendages attached the better. My favourite style soft plastics include Berkley Gulp 2” Baby Shrimp, Berkley Gulp 3” Craw and the Berkley Powerbait 2” Power Hawg.

You rarely need to go heavier than a 1/8oz jighead at Tallowa with 1/16oz or 1/12oz my preferred weight for soft plastic lures. Betts spin blades, pony heads or similar can be added/used additional flash and vibration. If you’re fishing the weedy edges only, then consider a slow sinking jighead like a Nitro Finesse Torpedo. The hidden weight system, accompanied with a sink rate of around 2.5” a second will keep your offering wafting down a little longer, appearing more natural in the process.

There’s also something to be said about using hard bodied lures, especially blades and lipless crankbaits (LCB). A slow rolled skinny minnow profile works well but Bass love lures with a bit of body to them. Using either styles try casting and retrieving across the face of structure, using a slow roll whilst imparting plenty of pauses along the way. In the past I have had success on 3b Crank ‘Fat Dogs’ (Fat), Frenzy ‘Flickershads’ (Skinny), Lively Lures ‘Mini Micro Mullet’ (Skinny), Halco ‘Scorpion’ (Skinny), tiny River2Sea ‘Baby Crank’ (Fat) and Jackall ‘Chubby/Cherry’ (Fat), Frenzy ‘Sinking Rattler’ (LCB), Jackall ‘TN50/TN60’ (LCB) and Cultiva ‘Mirra Vibe’ (LCB).

When it comes to lure patterns try focussing on factors like water clarity and sunlight. A natural pattern like ‘Perch’ or ‘Rainbow Trout’ will work well on bright days in clear water, while flashy markings such as ‘Firetiger’ and ‘Ghost Wakasagi’ dominate in overcast and washed out bays.

Chop and Change:

There is no real hard or fast rule when it comes to targeting fish in Tallowa, many other tactics will and do work. Bait is a real option here and worth considering, especially when fishing from a bank. Quality Scrub Worms, Freshwater Shrimp, Black Crickets, Bardi Grubs, Wood Grubs and even the humble Tiger Worms all have their place. Fished under a float, this is a great way of getting a presentation out into deeper water, especially if the wind is behind you. This blown presentation is also quite effective from a kayak, allowing the opportunity to fine tune your own position on the water rather than the line or baits.

While bait fishing can be extremely effective it can also be a bit of a blight, especially if you’re planning on releasing your catch and don’t squash your hooks barbs. Since Bass can swallow bait deeper than the average lure, a crimped hook tends to leave a smaller hole in soft tissue, rather than a tear. Meaning there is less tissue damage to the fish, and therefore a greater prospect of survival (Very handy for releasing undersized Bass).

Tallowa is a big dam with two large river arms to explore via kayak, both involve hours of paddling/pedalling. Trolling lures to and from points is a productive way to cover ground, especially if you pick your spot on the horizon and maintain a speed conducive enough to work your lure properly. Hugging the banks and moving in and out of coves around fallen trees is one option, another is sitting a few metres out from the bank and trolling parallel.

Unlike the cast and retrieve natural colours, the flashy, brighter selections seem to work better with deeper divers, pulling Bass interest from all spectrums of the water column, Some great results have come from bouncing lures below vertical rock faces, especially bright bleeding mullet styled markings (Red stripes over silver body).

Lures like small Spinnerbaits really come into their own, especially when you’re looking to search water and ad a bit of noise. With a high snag resistance they make excellent surveying tools, great for when the bites a little tough. As you move further into the Shoalhaven Gorge the rocky walls extend skyward, often replicating similar features underwater. Bumping obstacles as it falls creates enough disturbances to encourage Bass to investigate. The constant throb of a slow rolled retrieve seals the deal, slow enough to just get the blades just ticking over.

When it comes to Spinnerbait sizing the same rules apply to Chatterbaits, Blades and even Buzzbaits, just as they do for jigheads selection. My favourite is the Jazz 1/8oz Mini tandem, purple and white skirt with gold blades. The single willow blade helps cut through vegetation while the other Colorado blade tends to slow the pace.

Fly fishing is another crafty way of fooling a Bass, waving a long wand around during the height of summer’s insect activity. Last summer some members of the Canberra Anglers Association visited the upper reaches of the Dam towards the Bendeela pumping station, while the Bass we caught weren’t massive some were produced on fly.

Crazy Charlies, Bass Vampires, Purple Clousers, Hammerheads, Bass Bunnies and shrimp patterns were used, fished on an intermediate or sinking line with small, sharp strips. If visiting during the peak of summer try dry flies like Grasshopper, Moth and Cicada imitations, drifted on a floating line at dawn or dusk. Bass love nothing more than spying a tasty morsel flailing around on the surface film.

Tallowa Dam is known for its population of Australian Bass and rare and endangered native fish, it’s also home to an unwelcome invader. Carp are a bit of a scourge hear and can be found milling round the edges, often sighted bumping drowned foliage in hope of dislodging a meal. Most of these destructors are over a couple of kilos and are found throughout the Dam, they are more than happy to take a lure. Carp pull hard when hooked, either rising to thrash around on the surface or slugging it out deep below the yak.

There’s no real knack to tangling one, be it trolling, cast and retrieve or even hopping Spinnerbaits, Carp have a funny knack of finishing up on the end of your line. While it’s not illegal to return Carp to NSW waterways it’s definitely discouraged. If you plan on dispatching Carp from Tallowa make sure you dispose of your catch appropriately, far away from the water’s edge.

Tallowa Tourism:

Famous for its camping and picnic grounds scattered around at Bendeela, Barrengarry and the Tallowa Dam wall, the Kangaroo Valley offers many styles of accommodation. From Bed & Breakfasts, Retreats, Lodges, Farm stays down to the traditional stylings of the Glenmack Caravan Park / Kangaroo Valley Tourist Park. Tallowa Dam is more than just a special place.

It abounds in dense green vegetation, likened to subtropical rainforests much further north. Associated with Morton National Park, one of the largest parks in NSW, tourists and locals are spoilt for choice. From bush walks and river based activities to scenic surrounding drives and an abundant wildlife.

Fishing Tallowa Dam can quite easily be a day trip option; you could even bring the entire family. There is nothing better than keeping the wife and kids entertained in Kangaroo Valley while you duck off for a bit of fishing, especially when the chance of tangling with a ripper Bass is so high.

There is plenty to see and do with historical features like the Hampden Bridge, Australia’s oldest and most photographed suspension bridge on show. Combine this with the valley views, museums, galleries, cafes, restaurants and pubs and you have the perfect recipe for your next Sunday drive.

From Sydney, follow the Hume Highway [F5] south towards Goulburn and take the Mittagong to Bowral turnoff. Take Nowra Road towards Kangaroo Valley. Turn right at Bendeela Road, just before Hampden Bridge, to Bendeela Picnic Area. For Tallowa Dam, continue across Hampden Bridge and turn right down Mt Scanzi Road.

'KAYAK FISHING MANUAL' - THE FISHING BREAKTHROUGH

2011-12-06T21:17:00.013+11:00

I have been keeping this under my hat for awhile, so much so that it's been many months in the making and I had almost forgot it was happening. Low and behold AFN in conjunction with YAK Fisher magazine and contributors Nigel Webster, Rob Maya, Derek Steele, David Tindale and Carl DuBois have just released the 'Kayak Fishing Manual'. This book is the culmination of a lot of hard work for YF editor Rob Maya and I am glad to have had a major part in its development.

Having always dreamed of penning something similar when the offer came around I jumped at the chance, perhaps it was good old Tim Allards influence (Props mate). From all reports it's a corker of a publication and while I don't have a copy in my hands as yet I have been assured it will be on sale before Christmas. What makes it even sweeter that fellow Hobie Fishing Team member Cid (Carl DuBois) has also contributed greatly, a guy who has had a big influence on my yak fishing career.

Never mind the bullocks, the proof is in the pudding. 'Kayak Fishing Manual' is available at all good book and tackle stores Australia wide. Featuring Selecting, setting up, tactics, choosing, handling and transporting its chock full of everything you need to know to get you on the water and fishing like a pro.

For more information visit http://www.afn.com.au/

YAK FISHER MAGAZINE #56 (SUMMER EDITION)

2011-12-06T20:55:00.000+11:00

Issue #53 winter edition of Sport Fishing Australia (Incorporating YAK Fisher) is out in stores now, just in time for the onset of seasonal change. The Sport Fishing Australia section features many toparticles from seasoned sport fishing journalists such as Steve Starling, Shane Mensforth, Al McGlashan, Scott Gray and Nigel Webster, Lee Rayner, Neil Schultz just to name a few.

YAK Fisher Kayaking Magazine has Yak news plus articles on Margaret River, Rough Diamonds, Hervey Bay, Kayak Photography, PVC kayak pimping, 2011 Wivenhoe Kayak & Canoe Convention, Water Wise kayaking safety tips part 2 (By yours truely) and much, much more (Including yak hints & tips).

Available at all good newsagents or by subscription,

http://www.afn.com.au/cms/details.asp?NewsID=114

TWO KAYAK FISHERMEN DROWN IN MELBOURNE'S P.P BAY

2011-11-30T19:43:00.002+11:00

(Images - Trevor Pinder, Andrew Batsch, Jill Mitchell and Martin Reddy)

I have the sad duty of informing readers that recently two kayakers have drowned in Melbourne's Port Phillip Bay. The pair were new to the sport of kayaking/kayak fishing and had set up their kayaks with electric motors. Police have mentioned both men were wearing life jackets, and as such adhering to law. The following information has been taken from the Herald Sun website, and the broken story credited to Amelia Harris & AAP, November 30, 2011.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/more-news/bodies-wash-up-in-patterson-river-in-carrum/story-fn7x8me2-1226209822735

TWO inexperienced kayakers have drowned in Melbourne's Port Phillip Bay on a fishing expedition. The men, a 36-year-old from Windsor and a 40-year-old from Ardeer, set out from Sandringham Yacht Club in motorised kayaks about 6.30am (AEDT) yesterday to go fishing.

Police said the men were last heard from about 8.30am and were reported missing at 8.30pm. Their bodies were found this morning after an overnight police water patrol and air wing search. The body of one man was found by a member of the public at the mouth of the Patterson River at Carrum just after 6am, Police found and recovered the second body from the bay about 8.30am (AEDT).

Inspector Tim Henson said both men were wearing life jackets when they set out in windy conditions, but were inexperienced with their kayaks. "We believe this might have been the first time the men had used these kayaks and both of them are believed to be inexperienced in using these types of watercraft," Insp Henson told ABC Radio.
"It's an absolute tragedy."

He said the mens' kayaks and equipment had washed up on the Seaford foreshore. Insp Henson said fishing from motorised kayaks was gaining popularity on Port Phillip Bay. He said that with summer approaching, the tragedy was a reminder for people to check the weather before going out on the bay, ensure their vessel is appropriate for the conditions and let others know where they are going and when they are expected back.

The public outpouring of grief on the tragic loss has sparked calls for continuing safety regulation, something which recently various governments had put some time and effort into. Earlier this year Transport Safety Victoria (Maritime) released a publicly available guide to help newcomers and veterans of the sport paddle and return safely. This guide goes into great detail on what minimum safety equipment is required (At all times) on various Victorian bodies of water.

http://www.transportsafety.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0016/45250/TSV-Paddle-Safe-Paddle-Smart-brochure.pdf

My thoughts go out to their friends and families, a sad day indeed.

KAYAK FISHING MAGAZINE ISSUE #43 (ONLINE)

2011-11-26T23:00:00.001+11:00

(This issue features a video named 'Made in America - Hobie Kayaks)

To view the latest edition of KFM, click on the links below:

Magazine - http://www.kayakfishingmagazine.net/home.html

Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kayak-Fishing-Magazine/119502353056

LUCKY CONJOLA, LAKE CRAFT - SAMMY 65 VS NW PENCIL

2011-11-21T22:38:00.003+11:00

A couple of weekends ago I experienced one of the best surface bites, to put it midly the experience was insane. As it was happening I announced to a mate fishing less than five metres away from me that this was easily the best top water session I had ever had. Craig looked at me like 'Really? this happens all the time', that in itself probably blew me away more. Sure I have had someone blinding sessions on Whiting and Bream before but the way this all unfolded was pretty special.

There was an AKFF gathering at Lake Conjola on the NSW South Coast recently and lots of families and mates attended. A good old dust up at a place that I haven't had that much experience with, having only fished it proper once or twice before (I'm thinking once). One thing had recently changed, the system had shut its doors but remained very clear (Eight days prior apparently).

On the dawn of the Saturday on this particular weekend I ventured out, pulling a few small Bream off the surface and trolling up a feed of Flathead. The surface was on but not as frantic as I had hoped, subsurface seemed to be working best. Returning back to camp for lunch it turned out to be a lazy old afternoon, fishing from the bank and catching up on gossip. Craig had arrived mid morning Saturday and still hadn't been out, I spied him setting up and opted to pursue his course.

It wasn't until I launched that I noticed a large front hovering right behind us just itching to burst forth with rain. Lightning flashed in the distance but the thunder indicated it was far enough north of us to avoid any sort of risk. Rain began to fall and almost on cue the barometer must have shot up something ridiculous as the fish simply began to devour anything that moved. Throwing popper styled offerings was just wasting time, these fish wanted dogs walked quickly.

Craig and I drifted the length of the channel separating Berringer and Conjola, no more than 5 metres away from each other. He threw the bank length while I stayed out a little further (Albeit the same depth). It was a fish a cast for almost 2 hours nonstop, Craig with an NW Pencil and myself with an old Sammy 65. I could really belt this lure out long way, lucky for me as if I didn't you could bet Craig would have snapped up anything lurking beneath its intended zone.

Couple of observations, while I don't throw the Sammy much it certainly outclassed the Mazy Pop, PX45 and my NW Pencil. However, Craig's NW certainly caught a better calibre of fat Whiting, the majority of mine being under 30cm. The occasional Bream was caught, solid high 30's fish along with some ridiculous takes from Tailor and Flathead. When the front had almost past the action started to quieten down, fish were still following but turning away at the past minute.

My experience with Whiting at places like Durras was to retrieve as fast as possible, something we hadn't needed to do at Conjola. The faster I wound the more aggressive the fish became, sometimes I didn't even walk it back just flat on wind it back across the flat. Some great fish fell to this change of tactic including a ripper 55cm Flathead and numerous stud Whiting. I lost count of how many fish I hooked over this period but it must of been close to 40, and that's without trying not to exaggerate.

It had been ages since I had experienced a surface bite anything like it, and as mentioned I am having a hard time thinking of a more prolific one... Couldn't even find time for photos.

2012 DAIWA-HOBIE KAYAK SERIES ANNOUNCED

2011-11-17T21:57:00.003+11:00

Hobie Fishing is pleased to announce season number four of the Daiwa Hobie Kayak Bream Series!

For 2012 we have added a few new rounds and the series will visit some new arenas, to test Australia's leading bream kayak experts, in the chase for the Lowrance Kayak Angler of the Year.

The profile of the sport of kayak fishing will be enhanced by teaming up with Australia's leading bream power boat tournaments. This will add to the excitement and bring kayak fishing to the next level.

We have teamed up with the Gamakatsu Teams Series for the North Coast Fishing Bonanza in Ballina (NSW) and three other rounds in Forster (NSW), the Clarence (NSW) and Tweed Rivers (NSW). Squidgie Southern Bream Series will host three rounds, the Georges River (NSW), St Georges Basin (NSW) and Mallacoota (Vic). ABT will host all other rounds of the series including the Forster Fishing Carnival (NSW), Glenelg (SA), Swan River (WA), Marlo (Vic), Swan River (Tas), Mandurah (WA), Bribie Island (Qld), Mallacoota (Vic), Narrabeen Lake (NSW) and the Grand Final at Bemm River (Vic) on the 17/18 of November.

The series will also see the launch of qualifying rounds for the 2nd Hobie Kayak Fishing Worlds to be held in the USA.

"The inaugural Daiwa Hobie World Kayak Fishing Championships set the tone in 2011. Now, 2012 offers kayakers even more opportunity to get involved. There are AFC spots, World Championship slots and plenty of cash and prizes to be earned this season and now is a better time than ever to start competing", Steve Morgan ABT Director.

"If you thought 2011 was impressive then kayak season 2012 will blow your mind. More events, more venues, more options and greater exposure are combining to drive kayak breaming to the forefront of the sports fishing industry. I, like many on the kayaking scene can't wait for the new season to start. It's going to be an exciting year", Simon Goldsmith ABT Tournament Director.

"Thanks to Hobie, placegetters in three of the 2012 Squidgie Southern Bream Series (SSBS) rounds will qualify for Daiwa Hobie Kayak Bream Series, grand final spots. Another incredible innovation is that one round will give anglers the opportunity, to qualify, to compete in the Hobie Kayak Fishing World Championships in the USA. In 2012 kayak anglers will have much more on offer than ever before", said Jim Barrie (SSBS) Director.

"Gamakatsu Teams Series is very excited to be involved in the 2012 Hobie Kayak Bream Series. Weigh-ins will become a better spectacle and the bar for both kayak and power boat anglers will be raised. Our involvement will increase the exposure of kayak fishing. For anglers wanting to get into competitive fishing, but can't find another team member to fish power boats, kayaks present an economical way for individuals to participate in tournaments around the country. Great prizes and places in the Hobie Kayak Bream Series Grand Final are another fantastic drawcard," Michael Starkey Director Frogleys Offshore2012, new venues, new rules and perhaps a new winner!

The 2012 Daiwa Hobie Kayak Bream Series is supported by Daiwa Australia, Berkley/Pure Fishing Australia, Atomic Lures/Frogleys Offshore, Hogs Breath Café, ABT, Lowrance, Squidgies/Shimano Australia.

Calendar uploaded ..... View it here

Rules uploaded ..... Rules View it here

GO PRO PRODUCES HD HERO 2 (NOVEMBER RELEASE)

2011-11-01T21:50:00.001+11:00

Most of the time I am abreast of everything geeky and gadgety, but to be honest I had not heard about the new HD Hero 2 (Read about it @ www.yakass.net). Popular with kayak fisherman worldwide, the new release of the GoPro HD Hero 2 has many buzzing about its possibilities. New camera angles, higher frame rates, better still pictures, hdmi ports, external mic inputs, wifi compatible and faster processing makes this the ultimate kayak geek gadget for 2011.

The HD HERO2 also features a totally new, straightforward language-based user interface to greatly improve the ease of use of the device. The new HD HERO2 camera supports the following video recording modes: 120 fps WVGA, 60 fps 720p, 48 fps 960p, 30 fps 1080p, but unfortunately there is no 24p.

Learn about the GoPro HD Hero2 at http://www.gopro.com/hd-hero2-cameras/

DAIWA-HOBIE GRAND FINAL 2011 DAY TWO RESULTS

2011-10-30T18:29:00.004+11:00

Day two of the Daiwa-Hobie ABT Kayak Series Grand Final wrapped up in style today with Daniel Brown taking out the title. Daniel not only took the win but also secured back to back GF titles, with his win in 2010 and now in 2011. The weigh master mentioned results would be close and at the bump tubs it really was anyone’s game. Conditions on the water mirrored day one with warm glassed out waters with a hint of a shower or two developing. The heavens opened up but saved their grace till the official weigh in and presentation.

I wont go into too much details on the top place getters as it will be well and truly covered on http://www.bream.com.au/ and http://www.hobiefishing.com/. The Hobie World Kayak Fishing Series also wrapped up with Scott Baker taking the individual title and both the man in question and Greg Lewis taking out the team event. It was great to see the international anglers adapt so well to Bream as they put a lot of local and well rounded anglers to shame. Kudos visitors, hope to see you back on our waters again (If not yours, hopefully).

On a personal note my day two consisted of my original prefish plan, letting the field move on and targeted flats and bank lines closer to town. Alas I struggled again, but take comfort in the fact I was not alone. Without judging things too finely, and if my figures are correct, 22 double donuts were recorded in this year’s Grand Final (No names people, its ok). Sorry to say I was one of them, it just wasn’t meant to be. That one trick pony thing came back to haunt me, again and again (I really must learn how to fish racks eh?).

Major props to Hobie, Daiwa, ABT and all affiliate sponsors on another well run event and the effort involved with the whole of this year’s season, the third Hobie Kayak Fishing Series. Steve Fields teased many with mentions of next year’s series starting in January, I’m sure all event details will be announced shortly. On behalf of Kayak Fishing Adventures I would like to thank Hobiecat Australasia and Ugly Fish Eyewear for the ongoing sponsorship as an individual angler, both in tournaments and general support. It’s been a cracker season guys, I look forward to seeing you all again next year.

For full Grand Final results, visit the following link:

http://www.bream.com.au/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=883

For full Hobie World Kayak Fishing results, visit the following link:

http://www.bream.com.au/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=882

DAIWA-HOBIE GRAND FINAL 2011 DAY ONE RESULTS

2011-10-29T16:48:00.004+11:00

Day one of the Daiwa-Hobie ABT Grand Final for 2011 got underway today, with blasts of sunshine and the forecast change. Competitors packed rods, reels and as much tackle as they dare into the factory supplied Pro Anglers amassed on the start line. Anticipation like in all the Hobie events was quite high, with angler’s game plans and nous at the ready. Would the tournament bring in the quality fish that grand final weigh masters are used to receiving or would the weather play a big part and play havoc with results?

Well a bit of both if you ask me, the fish once again were there but switching them on was another story. With the run in tide even later today the racks and flats still held fish, but many didn’t secure their first fish until the top of it (Those that were lucky anyway). Many favourites drew blanks; even one fish today was going to be hard work. Steve Fields spoke to me after the tournament, remarking something along the lines of ‘...I thought Forster had big Bream, but this place has bigger’.

My approach for day one was somewhat different than my prefish, I decided to do what I should have done in many tournaments past. Paddling around 8-9kms I ventured up Limeburners and didn’t even cast a rod until I entered the muddy lake right at the end. Unfortunately I passed some quite fishy water to do so and the fish weren’t there. I say weren’t because I’m referring to Bream...

The only problem with Limeburners is the tide obviously takes a little bit to get up in there and by the time it’s in full swing in the creek it’s already bellowing out in the main system. It wasn’t until I started making my way back into the system that I started catching Bream, albeit squeaky little ones. The legals never came and I passed most of the competitors on the way back and I didn’t see any of them catch a fish, let alone a Bream. However, the closer I got to the start/finish line the more I heard of full bags and a couple of ones and twos.

Major kudos if you were one of those people, I can honestly say I know you fished your heart out. Day two will be a close affair with the top seven anglers cracking a kilo. So, small bags and a couple of kicker fish is all you need folks. Sometimes it happens and sometimes it doesn’t. Just remember why you are here, you earned it and qualified against the best in the business. Everyone has off days; well at least that’s what I keep telling myself!

For full day one results, visit the ABT website at:

http://www.bream.com.au/

DAIWA-HOBIE GRAND FINAL PORT MACQUARIE (PRE FISH)

2011-10-28T16:23:00.004+11:00

Today marked the official prefish event for the Daiwa-Hobie ABT Grand Final 2011. For those that could make, dozens upon dozens of Hobie Pro Angler kayaks hit the water in search of hot water (So to speak). As most of us well and truely know each other no real secrets were kept, entrants often shared what tackle success they discovered on the day with others (Who in turn shared info) but also where they went and why. The diversity of techniques that took fish was right up there with rounds past, and while some caught bags full others found the bite rather timid.

Water temperature was close to 25 degrees and according to locals it was the first sunny sky day they region has had over a week or so (Don’t quote me on that though). The tide swings strong here so moving up the system was rather easy considering, depending on where you wanted to fish. Some bays, creeks and racks were unfishable due mainly to tide hight but those that fished flats openly got a Bream or two. The surface bite was on, then off, then on, but some nailed in down.

My prefish consisted of spooking half a dozen large Flathead (Im talking council shovel heads) and working the edges of Mangroves, high sticking as I went. While this can be a risky affair lures were cast in water less than a foot deep, meaning snags were likely. For some reason or another I pulled a bag limit rather quickly, although nothing of major size. Cycling through lures I looked for successive option and missed a few on the surface. Lots of just undersize Bream hung around the kayak, they were keen but I wasn’t.

The upgrade never came, but all in all my typical published Khamsin approach worked well, in beer bottle browns and dark hues (Unsure of colour names). Flash Minnow TR also worked in super shallow water but once the tide turned and forced us out into the deep I floundered around for very little. The Hastings is a lovely system that would make the ideal family vacation, and due to the options competitors faced also is a great home for this years grand final.

Nothing more to say really, registration for the big show commences at 5pm with Bream talks from Steve Morgan and Kris Hickson after, followed by a pasta feast (Courtesy of Hobie). To any naysayers who bag Hobie for no specific reason (except to jump on the bandwagon) I really hope/wish you could be here. The whole town has been gripped by Grand Final fever and the Hotel and show that Steve Fields, Hobie and ABT have pimped and primped for players is a real sight to be seen.

Bring on day one...

DAIWA-HOBIE ABT GRAND FINAL PORT MACQUARIE 2011

2011-10-26T21:47:00.001+11:00

This is it, the weekend is so close its only an 8 hour drive away (For some anyway, further for others). The culmination of my results including a lot of donuts (Some doubles), couple of mid range finishes and a top 5 or two all come to a head in the Daiwa-Hobie Kayak Series Grand Final this weekend. The venue is the town of Port Macquarie and the event features competitors from the Hobie Worlds - http://www.hobiefishingworlds.com/

I will blog information on all the days proceedings including what lures worked for me(If they indeed do) on prefish and results from day one and two. It's a big field, the biggest I have fished in to date and is sure to be a mega blast. Official prefish is this Friday, followed by day one on Saturday and day two on Sunday. Weather looks a touch on the wet side going off the Hobie Worlds Day 2 prefish and the official forecast, but that won't stop competitors bringing their 'A' game.

Stay tuned people...

SQUIDGY SOUTHERN BREAM SERIES GRAND FINAL 2011

2011-10-26T21:14:00.004+11:00

The Squidgy Southern Bream Series Grand Final 2011 has been run and won, taken out by one of the favourites Andrew Death. Conditions for day on St Georges Basin were perfect weather wise but cracking a pattern as always proved difficult. Bream were active in the shallows but a little flighty, following lures but holding off from any sort of hit. My result one day one was quite lucky as apart from some monster run from what I presume to be a mammoth Bream (Could have been a Snapper?) I struggled with Blades. However, big bags and fish were weighed in by boaters and kayakers with the top yak bag weighing over 2.5kg.

Day two at the Shoalhaven was going to be tricky due to the tide but luckily some water remained over the racks to allow anglers to drag a few away. My prefish spot from last year was my chosen destination and I wrangled out two Bream before the tide took them away. Traipsing a couple of kilometres upstream I found last year's winner Squidder with a full bag, with two hours to go the surface had come alive (Been alive in some areas the whole morning). No matter what I threw or where I went with the tide close to dead low I just couldn't get my third fish in the well...

On the way back to the finish I bumped into Craig Coughlan, who had also managed a full bag. Having to see a man about a dog I weighed in as early as possible and dashed off, hoping some mates had figured well in the final results. Craig's bag on day two totally eclipsed his previous effort and im sure he feels like he reclaimed some self dignity (Too hard on yourself mate, well done). Jason finished in fourth place, and considering how modest he is I was super stoked for him, knowing full well that he fished hard to get that result (Congratulations again man).

My result you ask, well I featured just outside the top 10 (11th position). I know people dislike the Shoalhaven (Probably due to the earlier winter rounds) but its growing on me, just have to concentrate on grabbing that third fish by pedalling a little faster next time. Congratulations to the Basin Lure & Fly team on another super series and of course to all the entrants (Both placed and not).

Positions from 1st (Top) onwards:

Andrew Death 3.195
Jonathon Chen 3.085
Jason Lambert 2.62
Jason Price 2.05
Luke Kay 1.77
Stewart Dunn 1.6
Peter Woods 1.39
Bill Woods 1.37
Carl Dubios 1.35
Craig Coughlan 1.34
Derek Steele 1.26
Darryl Head 0.91
Geoff Alford 0.8
Jason Reid 0.6
Wayne Robinson 0.6
Shane Hollands 0.57
Jason Childs 0.36
Jason Peters 0
Robert Chambers 0
David Hedge 0
Brian Rutledge 0

LAST CARP BASH FOR THE YEAR - ITS WARMING UP

2011-10-18T21:41:00.006+11:00

Another cold front past through, last for awhile hopefully...

To escape the chill Squidder and I decided to educate ourselves further on Carping, this time at a scholastic institute known for abundance. On arrival plenty were visible and active and as the sun came out in-between overcast conditions they slowly shut down. Interesting to note the eminence of a dead specimens littering the bank (Sure there pests, but why leave them like that?).

Unweighted scrub worms, Powerbait, corn on Jindy rigs and hair corn deployed we didn't have to wait long, in fact my first rod went off before I even got the bells on. Something about these brutes that many find irresistible, well one thing's for sure they pull hard. This one had me all over the shop for a couple of minutes before Jason slid the net under it and I posed for a stinky photo.

Jason's fish came much slower around 2 hours later. During though one fish was dropped and many were still sighted. Taken on a scrub worm it was an interesting battle to watch, in and out of the reeds and sticks. Couple of turtles about and water dragons (Hub lizards), quite a nice place to fish and apart from the dead Carp on the bank as picturesque as a semi landscaped environment can get.

That will probably be the last Carp session for a few months, capital spring is here!

POLL RESULTS (RECENT) - FISH FROM A SIK OR A SOT?

2011-10-12T22:08:00.002+11:00

The latest poll asked readers if they fished from a SIK (Sit inside kayak) or a SOT (Sit on top). The option was available to select both but not suprisingly 100% of readers answered SOT. WIth the deck space available, the easy on and off and the comfort factor SOT kayaks have really dominated the market in Australia (And in turn the world) since their advent.

Many of us started out on a little SIK and I bet my bottom dollar that most of you still have that kayak tucked away somewhere behind your shed. I also would like to hazard a guess that most readers probably upgraded to fish from a Hobie. There will always be a part of me that yearns for a SIK, but to be honest I find them far too tippy for my liking and would probably end up burying it in the garage somewhere.

Archived result:

DO YOU FISH FROM A SIK OR A SOT KAYAK?

Sit in kayak: 0%
Sit on top kayak: 100%
Both: 0%

PADDLE SAFE / PADDLE SMART - ONLINE CAMPAIGN

2011-10-12T21:52:00.002+11:00

Paddle Safe / Paddle Smart is a website dedicated to cultivating the safest and smartest paddling tips and advice available online. This website caters for all paddle sports and to all levels of ability. It is soon to feature additional advice on fishing from kayaks from noteworthy contributors throughout Australia (And beyond).

The website features tips and techniques in being safe & smart whilst on the water, how to checkout your kayak before launching, a gallery of safety items you could employ, transportation, storage and maintanence features and a lot more. The message is a simple one, and as such they are always looking for advice and pointers on paddling a kayak.

To check out the cause, visit the links below:

http://www.paddlesmart.org/

http://www.facebook.com/PaddleSmart

DAIWA-HOBIE WORLD YAK FISHING TOURNAMENT

2011-10-07T20:19:00.011+11:00

Hobie Cat Australasia in conjunction with Daiwa Australia, announce that eighteen competitors from five nations, Singapore, Thailand, South Korea, USA and Australia, will compete in the inaugural Hobie world kayak fishing championships. The tournament will be held in Australia, on the New South Wales mid north coast, starting on October 27 at Camden Haven on the Camden Haven River, moving to the Hastings River at Port Macquarie on October 29 and 30.

The event is the concept of Steve Fields, General Manager of Hobie Cat Australasia. Steve is a former sailing world and national champion in multiple Hobie Cat Catamaran classes.

Steve Fields, stated, “Hobie Cat has been hosting Hobie sailing world championships since the first Hobie 16 titles held in Hawaii in 1976. They are fantastically competitive and ruthless events on the water but they are great social occasions as well”.

“People from all over the world with similar interests not only compete but share expertise, knowledge and skills. In the end, there is one World Champion, but everyone goes home feeling better about themselves, with new friends, new skills and having had a cultural experience in a part of the world they, otherwise, may never have visited.”

“Hobie Cat has grown and diversified into new areas since those early days. Our venture into kayaks has built a huge, worldwide Hobie kayak fishing fraternity. I wanted to bring these people together somehow and came up with the Hobie Kayak Fishing World Championships. I put the concept to Daiwa Australia and they loved the idea so much they jumped straight aboard, as the major sponsor of the first such event ever to be held.”

Day one of the International competition will be a standalone event. However, on the starting signal, at 7am on the weekend of October 29 – 30, the spectacular sight of 67 pedal powered Hobie MirageDrive® Pro Angler kayaks will leave the beach. The world championship competitors will be joined on the water by grand finalists from the 13 rounds, held throughout Australia, of the Daiwa Hobie ABT Kayak Fishing Series.

Live weigh-ins of the catches will take place on the waterfront grassed area at the Water’s Edge Boutique Hotel, Buller Street Port Macquarie, from 2pm on each of the three days of the world championship competition.

For more information or photos please call Bob Findlay Office: +61 2 4441 8400 Mobile: 0412 127 454 bob@hobiecat.com.au or keep up to date at www.hobiefishing.com.au and the event site at www.hobiefishingworlds.com

HOW TO INSTALL A FISHFINDER ON YOUR KAYAK

2011-10-06T19:38:00.003+11:00

Fishing World Magazine with the assistance of Hobie and a shapely Greg Lewis (Haircut, shave and posture lessons?) have teamed up to produce a segment on Fishing World's 'Fisho TV', showing seasoned yak hackers and beginners to the sport how to install a fishfinder on a kayak. While at first the video may seem simplfied in instructional content, the main reason is because it's really that easy.

Having performed this modification plenty of times on various kayaks I still picked up some great tips, like rolling the transducer into the sealant rather than pushing. I recently pulled removed my last install due to moving the fishfinder due to a kayak upgrade and was going to document reinstallation again via video for readers. No point me recovering solid ground, this video features an identical approach filmed straight from the factory floor by an alluring factory technician.

Enough of my babble, view the video by clicking here.

ALPINE IMPOUNDMENT TROUTIN' TECHNIQUES

2011-10-03T20:05:00.004+11:00

Introduction:

A visit to the NSW Alpine lakes of Jindabyne and Eucumbene is a must for any Trout loving kayak fishing enthusiast. As an avid fishing visitor to the area over the past couple of years I have initiated some great success trolling the margins with assorted lures, line, leader and rod actions. Gaining some invaluable knowledge from top boating Trout fishermen has helped define the parallel, all signs encouraging the effort from my little polyethylene kayak.

While many of us have tackled these waterways mentioned above using traditional fishing methods I would like to help encourage others to give it a serious go and obtain results when kayak fishing impoundments. Whether you are looking for your bag limit or just great sport, the population of Rainbow, Brown, Brook Trout along with prized Atlantic Salmon more often than not put on a show worthy of any anglers bread and butter skills.

Big water lakes like Jindabyne fluctuate water levels year round. Depending on prevailing irrigation and hydroelectricity generation needs, basin depth can fall in excess of 2m a week until it’s topped up by the melting Snow exiting the Winter solstice. The hottest months tend to force the inhabited species into deeper water, venturing out very briefly during first and failing light periods. However, when daylight savings progresses and overcast cold conditions bring overhung cloud cover the Trout become more confident, almost thriving in blizzard like conditions whilst searching for an evolving food source.

Pre-Preparation:

Please make no mistake, this is as close to extreme kayak fishing as one can get. Less than a stones throw away lies Australia’s highest peak, Mt Kosciusko. The landscape reflects the areas channelling winter flow, right down into its immediate valleys. Variations include very crisp mornings along with torrential snow falls, whiteout like conditions and a serving of severe wind blown waves. There are certain tricks to overcoming weather obstacles like these; adopting Boy Scout style mentality by prepping for the worst is in your best interest. Prevailing conditions could and should negate any attempt whatsoever to purchase any presence on the water, learning what is required beforehand is a sure fire way to limit exposure in any bleak conditions.

Staying safe within harms reach brings a strange calming effect, especially when the weather is at its worst. A normal pre excursion check list for the area starts with a trip to any nationally bodied weather forecast website. Not only will these show actual weather forecasts for the day in question (Or days if you like) they will also detail the external conditions required to make an auspicious decision. Wind speed, wind direction, rainfall, min / max temperature, humidity and even barometer readings all relate to how you view your understanding of these regions. All of these factors broadcast a plan of attack, particularly defining shelter certain areas can provide.

Warmth is definitely the most essential ingredient, alongside dryness, but don’t discount a degree of lightness too. Survival is of the essence and water temperatures of 5 degrees are best avoided at all costs. Any prolonged immersed exposure can quickly cause Hypothermia, which beyond the ‘many’ minute mark can cause your body to shutdown and increase the chance of serious brain injury. Mother Nature is a bitch with a serious bite.

Angling Approach:

The following information based within this article is just a helpful applicable guideline, not hard and fast rules that one must strongly adhere to. Be it paddling / pedalling to an unreachable bank for shore based baiting purposes or finding shallow coves for polaroiding with fly gear, there are many ways to fish for Trout and all can be applied from a yak to some degree. The beauty of fishing from your kayak is the ability to validate corresponding techniques borrowed from traditional boating backgrounds.

Fishing from a bank with worms and artificial offerings is a popular pastime for most; I still always pack the Powerbait jars just in case my preferred technique shuts down early due to light levels. The ability to paddle / pedal over to a remote, sheltered shore and fish away while you rest is augmented with the maximum amount of gear being able to be ferried across on decks and stored in kayak hulls. You can be as minimalistic as you want or you can take your vessel beyond its hydro boundaries by including pleasurable foods and camping gear, the choice of overcomplicating things is truly yours (Jason ‘Squidder’ Price brings everything but the kitchen sink!).

Rather than delve into further specifics of what can be achieved off your kayak I would like to discuss the science behind one of the most popular methods of taking Trout on your yak, the art of trolling. At first glance it is as simple as throwing out a lure behind you and moving off at a rate of knots, this theory soon wanes away with lack of accomplishment and understanding of its core principals. Freshwater trolling shares ideals from its salty brethren but it’s the molecular makeup of the target species; it’s surrounding worldly attributes and your decisions that will contribute to a triumphant end game the most.

Fighting Trout:

Unlike other sporting fish which can mainly be lost at the critical time next to the kayak, the most common way to lose a Trout is when they take to the air. More often than not when a Trout’s impact of taking a lure is enough to secure initial hook set, once airborne, the fish is easily lost (Due to a number of factors). When a Trout leaps, soft mouths, slack line, head shakes and shallow water presentations can ruin an otherwise great days fishing, especially when it occurs multiple times in a row. A single hook upgrade (Rather than a treble hook) dangling off the end of your lure is a popular Trout’in modification, and may improve your catch rate, but the fighting technique you can learn to employ from the kayaks end can help dictate any fighting direction and give you the upper hand.

Constant line pressure is a must and while in a low seated position can be achieved by positioning the rod horizontally and at right angles to line direction. Immediately upon retrieval of slack line my rod tip enters the water until the very last moments of a fight, a high sticking approach will encourage vertical leaps. Light drag settings will allow the fish to calm and help avoid ripping lips, ultra light gear is recommended and requires finesse techniques to avoid the dreaded pump and wind principals so effective on certain saltwater pelagic species.

Trout when hooked trolling or retrieving plastics close to shore will often search for the nearest snag to gain freedom (Brown Trout in particular), the same can also be said for bait fishing. They are a wandering species and while they may constantly patrol differing beats any information gathered on their daily trips can and will be used against you. Trout treat the lakes underwater features like one gigantic topographical highway, using off ramps to settle in to an area for any prolonged period of time (Insect hatches, weed beds, snags, thermoclines etc) and secure safe haven.

Trolling Techniques:

Trolling lures from your kayak is a deft way of retaining stealth, adopting a tried and true method of fishing for Trout. Initially a problem occurred early in my many jaunts that needed some elucidation, the abrupt loss of kayak momentum when a Trout strikes. The minute time it took to remove the rod from its preferred horizontal mount and turn the kayak to face the fish resulted in differing pressure loads during and a thrown hook. Constant pressure is required, very similar to the prerequisite of spinning from a bank; you are actively working the rod in its holder (Just like your hand) and thus allowing you to complete appropriate load.

I posed this question and many others to some skilled associates of mine, particularly John D from the FangACT network group. Trolling from a heavier, powered boat seemed to allow a more progressive, weighty halt which helped generate a greater hook set. The discussions generated from the comments upon hook up compared to a larger boat were worth acknowledging further. Neither John nor I had given the topic much thought beforehand, he did mention he had experienced dropping more fish trolling into the wind than he had trolling with it but this was put down to his boats negative blown drift towards the fish, causing problematic retrieve rates and the opportunity for slackness in line.

The following suggestions from John work well and are positive alternatives to what is perceived as the Troutin’ norm. The first was departing from the use of braid and exploring the use of monofilament line, fluorocarbon serves no affirmative attributes here. His way of thinking comes around with the mono being more forgiving from a line stretch perspective as well as abrasive resistance on drowned timber. While braid is almost deemed the norm in most kayak angling situations it is almost worth foreboding here, especially when fast and medium taper rods are used.

Being of stubborn fare I still tend to focus on braided lines when trolling, although I have had to compensate all my other fishing attributes to iron out any arising problems. Very slow actioned rods permit the angler to use lighter line when trolling due to the rod helping cushion the load. Keeping your reels drag setting as light as possible helps stay in contact with the Trouts initial hit before moving on to apply pressure with the rod. Trout are a flighty species that tend to spook fairly easily and may drive the hook deeper on their initial run (While the lines at its tightest) rather than trying to firm your hook set during any ensuing battle.

Lure Selection:

Due to the many differing colours and patterns available, plus the anguished joys stemmed down from incorrect / unproductive choice I thoroughly recommend natural baitfish colourations and presentations. There are plenty of choices and topics abound on reasons why one colour works and some don’t, it’s a tricky prerogative which I choose to let the more initiated attempt to explain beyond my own personal experiences. I have had most luck on the Rainbow / Perch/ Brown Trout patterns (Min Min / Micro Min / Rebel jointed), fluorescent bright Pinks (Tasmanian Devil, Custom Crafted Fish Stick), silver and gold (Rapala J7 jointed) and even black (Team Daiwa Pro Vibe). Red or green Celta’s and certain fly’s can be trolled behind existing lures or individually using a technique called ‘Harling’.

Being from more of a Native background where slow and close rules the roost; the ideal length of line out and speed of a trolled Cobra was difficult to master. The more line out the less manoeuvrability in tight and close quarters (30 yards will net you more fish than at 15). A good friend of mine, Craig Coughlan, has had some excellent success with dual depth Tasmanian Devils from his Hobie Revolution. Longer line out and maintaining speed above 3.6kmph with the occasional burst from his Mirage drive has produced great fish on the troll. Jointed lures from the likes of Rapala / Rebel work very well before first light and on overcast days, allow for an elongated drop back from the kayak due to their shallow diving, snaky nature.

It’s worth bearing in mind that not all lures will handle this speed economically. My kayak of choice, a Hobie Quest, lacks a Mirage Drive so I prefer to troll presentations designed to sit slightly below this speedy realm. Paddling a little slower whilst using a GPS to monitor speed I can hold 3kmph for hours on end, even with a few obtuse pulses due to erratic paddling strokes whilst turning (Avoiding snags, following contours of bank etc). Lure choices tend to make or break your day, Rebel Crickhoppers, Flatfish / Kwikfish, 7gm Tasmanian Devils, small Stumpjumpers, 5cm Attack minnows, Halco Scorpions and various minnow profiles (Think Predatek Min Min / Micro Mins, Ecogear Sx48’s) fit the bill perfectly with their strong pulse.

Improving standard hook systems is a priority often ignored, switching to a size 2 Gamakatsu in line eye ‘Single Lure Hook’ pattern on minnows allows the hook to sit true and straight and swings nicely off a number one split ring. All of this effort can be lost in translation if careful consideration to knot alternatives is overlooked. The well known Uni knot tends to dumb down the line action of hardbodied lures, but merely fails to affect Cobra styled lures. Incorporating the use of egg snaps or the Rapala loop knot will simply allow the lure chosen to sway proud of any confine.

Achieving Depth:

When the daily sun is at its peak most Trout move from weed soaked edges and bays to the safety of deeper water, presumably shadowing food sources along the way. Achieving lure depth has spawned multiple ways of presentation from a typical larger boat, most notably downrigging and the use of lead core line. While downrigging and lead core can even be deployed together with great success from a yak it’s often just outside of achievable vision and both can be extremely hazardous with both tackle loss and hull displacement, especially compared to other productive alternatives. Andrew Heath from FangACT shaped some guidance below relating to the acquisition of depth.

Commonly known as trolling sinkers, these winged weights will improve lure depth by a couple of metres (Depending on size deployed). They are extremely easy to use from a kayak and have a keel and twin swivels to avoid line twist. Some loss of rod tip pulse is determined by its tied length away from lure and lure selection itself (Works best with Cobra winged lures). If there was any downfall to this trolling weight it would be the use of terminal knots to both mainline and lure, unless snap to snap connections were made and system leaders pre tied.

Another more impressive, less obstructive approach is to use a line clip with some drop sinkers. These are similar to the line clips available for boats that use a downrigger or side planner board, except that they are designed to not allow the line to slip free like a release clip. Simply feed your line out behind you approximately one third of the way, grab the line clip with said weight attached, clip it onto the line and then proceed to let the remainder of your line out. Depth achieved depends on sinker weight and ‘drop back’ (i.e. distance behind the kayak) but self education is best learnt on the water beyond the basic. This is a great way to change your trolling approach from flatline to beyond, without actually having to alternate any of your rigs (Be it kayak, rod, reel or more).

Conclusion:

These regions of Jindabyne and Eucumbene are famous for fishing. Trout tourism is a big, multi million dollar businesses that was recently under threat by our appointed government. In the possession of a current NSW Fishing Licence, it’s your god given right to venture forth and explore the main bodies, only a few sections require the purchase of a NSW National Parks Pass when visiting (And that’s just when venturing by car). Trout are abundant critters that self sustain using rivers and creeks as spawning grounds, then return to the Lakes to condition themselves into XOS sized specimens. While the rivers and streams of NSW have closed seasons, the accompanying impoundments do not.

To many of our uninitiated fraternity, fishing for Trout requires bitterly cold weather accompanied by disappointing results. The simple fact of the matter is this is as far from the truth as one can get. Warmer seasons dictate appropriate angling phases that are only a little harder to foretell than the cooler months. Kayak fishing for Trout in winter becomes a rewarding, predictable game that draws its rules from what Mother Nature and past, proven facts provide. Everything old is new again, what has been working at Jindabyne / Eucumbene for century’s may or may not work at places like Pejar Dam in the future, but subtle variations and umpteen visits will .

Practice makes perfect people, tomorrow is just another day to get it right!

DAIWA-HOBIE ABT RND 6 HOPKINS RIVER 2/10/11

2011-09-29T11:02:00.004+10:00

The last round of the Daiwa-Hobie ABT tournament series is being held this weekend with a rescheduled event at the Hopkins River, Victoria. Earlier this year the event was cancelled due to major flooding in the area but luckily for competitors it was pushed back on the calendar. The area is known for some great breaming (Just like most of Victoria is) and the weeks leading up to the event have seen some great fish landed.

The Hopkins event is a one day tournament run on the Sunday the 2nd of October. Being the last event before the culmination of the series there are still plenty of GF spots on offer, with many anglers already qualifying this could be, and is your, last chance at winning a ticket to the big show. The Grand Final is looming large and is sure to be an event not to be missed, be it angler or bystander.

October 29-30th Hobie GF (Port Macquarie) 2 Day Event

For more information, please click here.

http://bream.com.au/abt/2010/Hobierules1011.pdf

POLL RESULTS (RECENT) - ALWAYS WEAR A PFD?

2011-09-26T21:49:00.002+10:00

After a short delay, coinciding with the release of a water wise article the results of the most recent poll are in. The poll asked if readers if they always wore a lifejacket/PFD, it focused on outcomes such as always, never, occasionally and when required (By law). Its great everyone shared information on the topic of wearing PFD's, especially the 0% of voters who 'No, never' wear them.

It was refreshing to note that while poll numbers were a little down the majority 72%always wore a lifejacket when kayak fishing. From this we can gather that it simply is an integral part of the everyday kayak fishing kit. The remainder of the percentages included 9% voting for donning occasionally while 18% mentioned they only wore one when required to by law.

Archived result:

DO YOU ALWAYS WEAR A LIFEJACKET/PFD?

Yes, always: 72%
No, never: 0%
Occasionally: 9%
When required: 18%

THE CONFIDENCE WITHIN COLOURS (POWERBAIT)

2011-09-16T22:18:00.007+10:00

Over the last couple of years we have been experimenting with Powerbait and appropriate colour selection conducive to a maximum yield from Lake Jindabyne. Were always fishing for a feed, be it yak or land based. Achieving the Grand slam (One of each species available) or bagging out individually or as a group, the goal has always been to return home with a salmonoid bounty. Being as prolific as they are you would think this to be an easy feat, and some days it is.

Certain times of the year require some attitude adjustment when it comes to relying on those confidence colours you have developed overtime. The same can be said for bait selection, be it scrub worms, bardi grubs or other natural baits. Even current reports spelling out what was used and when can be off the mark on the day you decide to attend. Weather, moon phase, barometer all with have some effect on your outcome.

If you struggle to land Trout on a regular basis from a bank, rather than dismiss the trip as a 'Bad day' try focusing on the one area you have the most control of, the choice of colour selection. If you chat to the old guard or any seasoned Trout angler about lure colours a number of theories and discussions crop up, especially when you add natural or flashy pattern choices into the mix. Similarly gaining confidence with Powerbait colour selection is all about taking notice on what works and when.

There have even been complex gadgets created to help anglers learn what colour offerings to throw, take the Colour-C-Lector® for instance. This handheld device shows which colours fish see best at any depth and degree of water clarity, allowing you to choose the correct colour with confidence, regardless of species. The creators spent more than nine years establishing a range of 26 colours that fish could distinguish best under different degrees of water clarity and varying levels of light penetration.

Now the thing about fishing with Powerbait is while it sounds complicated it's the techniques simple virtues that makes it so deadly. No colour selectors, no hard and fast rules and the correct presentation provides an easy learning curve. If you really want to master the art you can move beyond the chuck and chance approach quite quickly by cycling colours. A great way to experiment is fish with a friend or two with your quota of rods out and distribute a broad range of offerings.

The Gulp range of artificial bait is definitely softer than Powerbait, particularly the 'Chunky Cheese' variant. It seems to omit a stronger smell underwater (And above, yuck) than traditional Powerbait and may at first seem simply too pliable to stay on your hook. The Gulp products also have additional additives like extra glitter particles and possibly attracting enzymes, giving you even more of a reason to become acquainted.

In summarising, back in the day many reports mention the old sherbet or chartreuse nuggets, and for a very good reason. While not strictly readably available these days they are two great colours to fashion additional purchases from, with popular variants Orange Pulp (Gulp), Orange Twist (Powerbait), Lime Twist (Powerbait) and Chunky Chart (Gulp) some of the most common available.

While you could just grab a jar or two and head off for the day the small amount required per presentation to the fish makes it feasible to continually stock up on alternatives. The choices may seem confusing at first but a great way to start is to buy a Plano box suitable for carrying multiple jars and start building up a collection of differing colours. While the ranges available in Australia may have expanded my 8 year old A-Mart trout nuggets have still been known to catch fish.

As a general rule of thumb, green in the weed, brown on the bed.

THE PERILS OF A ONE TRICK PONY (CHAPTER 2)

2011-09-05T10:13:00.004+10:00

I put the call out for additional readers prose on the subject and one of our readers and AKFF member Ado supplied another very interesting tale on what it's like to rediscover your fishing roots and suffer at the hands of some kind of progressive fishing monster .

When I was young I was a fisherman. I grew up on Cockatoo Island, a dockyard in the middle of Sydney Harbour. What choices did I have but to be a delinquent or a fisherman. While I became both in my ample spare time, I could only hold my head proud to the latter title. I must have been a fisherman. All the adults said so.

I knew how to catch a clutch of Leatherjackets. They were in ample supply in summer, dropping handlines from the south-west corner of Parramatta Wharf, using long shank number 10 hooks and the tiniest morsel of perfectly presented pealed prawn. Handlines (preferably the old-world cork variety) were best due the extreme subtlety of the leatherjackets sucky bight. I could catch them by the freezer full, and made significant pocket money selling them to all the adults that weren’t fishermen like me.

If I got bored of catching Leatherjackets, then I could spear them. I used a light-weight, handmade spear with welding rods as prongs and aerial aluminium as the body. Adding a 5m length of insulated electrical wire with a slip knot around the right wrist and I was set – straight outa ‘Lord of The Flies’. Mid tide was best. Too low and the wash from all the suburban non-fisherman that plagued the harbour on the necessarily sunny days would stir up mud and spoil the vis. Too high and the Leatherjackets would be foraging too deep on their pylons. I could tell a Leatherjacket from the weed they mimicked, the parallax error and deflection of the spear as it pierced the water surface. I was the hunter. Let others gather.

The place to catch Bream was the southern slipways. A runout tide would hold an unweighted live prawn over the structure. Multiple plastic reels could be set, the artificial lights just sufficient to see a sudden loss of slack in one or more set lines. Luderick were available on a run in tide, drifting string weed past the barrier pylons south of Parramatta Wharf. Flathead could be found feeding below the chomping Tailor under the lights of the Camber Wharf, laying in wait for strips of Tailor caught specifically for the purpose on a trusty wonder wobbler. Winter held the promise of marauding Trevally, available only on the run-out tide at the eastern end of Parramatta Wharf. The best moment was just after the hour when the wash from the last of the ferries would stir up action from the slumbering depths. I was a fisherman alright. My many ponies were well trained indeed.

By the time I’d reached university my interests shifted elsewhere. I was slowly coerced into adventure sports and the adrenaline they distilled. Caving, canyoning, skiing, white water kayaking and (above all) rockclimbing consumed my weekends with bight sized adventure snacks. While I occasionally went ‘adventure fishing’ in wilderness trout streams or from isolated rock platforms, I was no longer a fisherman but an adventure junkie, swapping line for ropes and hunting nothing but life points.

It wasn’t until my mid thirties that I rediscovered fishing. I can remember the moment of clarity. I was fishing off an isolated rock platform on Broughton Island. Just getting there was a logistical challenge of charters, packing and portage. It was an adventure, even without the fishing. My dusty thirteen foot beach rod and rusty Diawa reel were withdrawn from a premature retirement and thrust into use. Hanging off them was 15lb monofilament, a gang of 4/0 hooks, a pilchard and a bobby cork – my rock-fishing pony at play. What I thought was a holiday from my usual holidays was soon shattered. My pony and I were in battle with a 3kg Spangled Emperor that had more than one trick up its sleave. After running back and forth around the rocky shores, reel screaming, line singing and rod bowing, the being with a brainstem and more than one trick won.

This was not remarkable in itself. I could live with being unworthy. But doubling up in pain afterwards? That was unexpected. I was crippled by an adrenaline rush more akin to a near death experience than a holiday at the beach. It was a revelation. Fishing was no different to any of my other loves. It was an adrenaline sport after all. But it was an adrenaline sport without the dangers that I’d mistakenly believed were a necessary accompaniment. I was hooked (so to speak), reliving my childhood in a man’s world of rocks and cleats and white-water sheets and eventually … kayaks.

So what has any of this got to do with ponies and their lack of tricks?

I did a whole lot of unlearning. I was all at sea at sea. Boats were for beer swilling barbie masters. Soft plastics were things that ate away tackle boxes. Bibbed lures were for trout, and only when Celtas failed. Braid was something that my daughter did to her hair. Trolling was what the three Billy Goats Gruff did on their way to pastures green. I had a myriad of well trained ponies, but each had only one trick. How could I catch a bream without a live prawn, a slipway or a run-out tide? My ponies were as useful as old dogs.

I realised I wasn’t a fisherman at all. In fact I was a long long way from being a fisherman. None of my techniques could be deployed while bobbing around on a kayak. I had to start over. At least I had kayaking to keep me entertained while I did so. Being within 5m of a bombora had me puckering enough without fish, at least for a while. But a while is never long enough. Soon bouncing around on ocean swells was commonplace. Adrenaline and ‘commonplace’ are not companions.

But success, at least the taste of success, was not long coming. I began to relive my childhood days, replacing Leatherjackets with Redfin. My trick was a red and black Micro-Min, trolled adjacent to weed beds. In the salt I found a Gulp sand worm drifted across the mud in 3m of water could stir up a Flathead in the lakes or myriad of Snapper mimicking Wrasse in the ocean. These few techniques became my new poison. They inspired and inhibited in equal doses. I knew there was more to kayak fishing that three lures and two techniques, but I could not bring myself to persevere with them. Am I just replacing one set of ponies with another? Have I learned nothing in the intervening 30 years?

The answer is obvious. To me the lure of fishing is not in the achievement. Achievement means nothing but a warm inner glow. I never achieved anything in climbing. All I ever did was experience. The experience of fishing is all about expectation. It’s the expectation, the tension, the suspense that feeds my fishing addiction. Fishing without expectation is … well … relaxation. Where’s the fun in that? I don’t want to relax, I want to live. I want to live with adrenaline in my veins and a heart thumping in my chest. There is more expectation in a nibble from a Wrasse than an hour spent tossing a 5 inch jerk shad at someone else’s Snapper. A new trout stream remains barren until I see my first rise. Luderick are abundant only after I see your first down. A new technique, no matter how well researched, recommended and reconstructed is simply not fishing unless and until it catches me a fish.

Expectation is everything to me. Expectation is the experience. But experience is also a pre-requisite to expectation.

My first Snapper will be Catch 23.

YAK FISHER MAGAZINE #55 (SPRING EDITION)

2011-09-05T08:38:00.004+10:00

Issue #53 winter edition of Sport Fishing Australia (Incorporating YAK Fisher) is out in stores now, just in time for the onset of seasonal change. The Sport Fishing Australia section features many toparticles from seasoned sport fishing journalists such as Steve Starling, Shane Mensforth, Al McGlashan, Scott Gray and Nigel Webster, Lee Rayner, Neil Schultz just to name a few.

YAK Fisher Kayaking Magazine has Yak news plus articles on yak fishing St. Helens Tasmania, Blades, DIY live bait tank, Bassin' QLD, Exploring Dingo Beach QLD, The Power of observation, Water Wise kayaking safety tips part 1 (By yours truely) and much, much more (Including yak hints & tips by KFA member Paddy Curran).

Available at all good newsagents or by subscription,

http://www.afn.com.au/cms/details.asp?NewsID=114

POLL RESULTS (RECENT) - YEARS YAK FISHING

2011-08-29T22:55:00.000+10:00

Well the results are in, thanks to the individuals who voted. The purpose of polls on KFA is to provide feedback on readers, allow readers to scope what others may have been doing/using and to provide interaction. The choices may be limited (Depending on the question) but in most cases they, and the answers, will be genuine enough to gauge an overall feel/result on the subject.

What is really interesting to note is the newcomer and seasoned results. Over 30% of visitors who voted have been fishing from their kayak for over a year and under three. What would have been even more interesting is if the poll reflected choices of 0 - 1 years and perhaps one year increments. The same could be said for all over categories including a 'missing' 10 years + category.

No matter the result its clear each and every one of you enjoy kayak fishing as much now as you did when you first started. The newcomers of the sport, I remember exactly what you are feeling and words can't really capture that (Except perhaps 'enjoyment' or 'exhilaration'). It's a wonderful hybrid sporting activity and thoroughly enjoyable when participated with close friends and family.

To the seasoned yak anglers, who I am sure enjoys sharing his experiences as much as we do, I can see why you stuck around. Physical conditioning aside the fishing can be so much better than the days of old, trudging a bank or negotiating a slippery boat ramp during your waters 'peak season'. Most people I speak to mention they have caught more fish in the last 10 years than the last 20.

Archived Result:

POLL - HOW MANY YEARS HAVE YOU BEEN YAK FISHING FOR?

1 - 3 Years: 35%
3 - 5 Years: 23%
5 - 7 Years: 11%
7 - 10 Years: 29%

NSW - LAKE JINDABYNE (KALKITE) 28/8/11

2011-08-29T22:11:00.000+10:00

Jason's Brown on a soft plastic, dont know how he does it...

Was indeed great to vacate the house and conditions were superb (for humans anyway). If I was to reflect on the day we arrived about an hour late, so missed out on succesfull jointed lure flatlining. Switched to tassies/cobras and had a solid hit straight away on brown bomber, cycled colours to yellow winged brown rebel indigenous lofty (Yellow Winged Corroboree - Thanks Geoff) and purple clown and rigged up heathy hooks (oppossed).

Snuck into a rocky bay and trolled over a near surface sip and sure enough, bend and big run. Great fish earning it's great freedom, forgot I had tightened drag to retrieve lure earlier (video footage will not be released!). Needless to say apart from a hit on the clown that was it, fish rose till roughly 11am then stayed deep till around 2pm.

Couldn't believe squidder was on a grand slam roll (Atlantic, Brown & Brook - Just needed Rainbow), so i stole his profitable brown bank. Jase had cleaned the fish here earlier and as karma would have it the seagulls flocked in and wouldn't leave the shallows. Climbing a boulder for a good look around I found I was fishing a relative underwater forest, meaning I was bound to fail (hooking up would have cost me dearly).

I could see the ramp in the distance and hear bells every 20 minutes so made the pedal over to our usual possie. Bumped into a fellow kayaker Alan (from CAA), using a sinking fly line and wooly buggers (couple of hits). Set up shop and started off well with a school of bows moving in, hooking one and seeing it's mate cutting a rug as the fish came in. Next fish took line like a, erm, line thief and launched itself skywards numerous times. Ended up a great fish, top 5 rainbows of my jindabyne experiences (went 56cm on the glad wrap). Soon as I rebaited other rod shook violently, no weight unfortunately.

Couple of things I did different this trip, trolled with fluoro straight through (famell and vanish) and forgot the GPS. The line returned a couple of seriously snagged lures and worked well with the tassies but didn't rate it with the minnows, jointeds and crawdads (braid provides better feel, lacks abrasion resistance though).

GPS really gives me the confidence to troll effectively at speeds conducive to lure action, rod tip action and fluoro didn't cut the mustad.when I troll I'm interested in covering ground, not covering landmarks counting trees to gauge walking speeds. To those that don't know, the difference between 3kmph and 5kmph is pretty critical, especially when flatlining away from the bank (in my experience anyway).

Top stuff Jase, sorry the truly remarkable feat of the jindy grand slam on plastics didn't occur. Man, all four fish on one of the hardest techniques to master on trout would have been truely regal. New issue of yak fisher is out and I couldn't help but think while I like McGoverns articles on trout on plastic (in freshwater fishing/SFA) I think you could do a better one from the kayak. You definately have a skill mastered that needs to be shared, I know your far to humble to admit it but you do... Man.

KAYAK FISHING MAGAZINE ISSUE #41 (ONLINE)

2011-08-24T20:08:00.002+10:00

(This issue has an informative article on phone apps for yak fishing)

To view the latest edition of KFM, click on the links below:

Magazine - http://www.kayakfishingmagazine.net/home.html

Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kayak-Fishing-Magazine/119502353056

SQUIDGY SOUTHERN BREAM SERIES - ROUND 8

2011-08-24T19:37:00.004+10:00

The last round of the SSBS 2011 events was held last weekend in Mallacoota, Victoria. From all reports the fishing was once again tough but those that caught fish did so with impressive results. Matt Petrie from Victoria amassed a 3kg + bag on day two to jump a few rungs and find himself on top of the podium (Great result Matty). Bay and Basins Sports fishing guide Darryl Head also broke the three kilo mark on day two, climbing from fourth to second place. The ever consistent Dave Hedge took out third and Brian Rutledge rounded out the top four.

Conditions were supposed to be appalling but it sounds like the entrants had a small reprieve. The end result marks the final qualification points possible for the SSBS Grand Final in late October. Somehow Jason and I managed to scrape the bottom of the barrell, great news considering Squidder is the defending title holder from 2010. The Year to date points have been updated and are available from the following link:

http://www.ssbs.basinlureandfly.org.au/points/ytd-points-2011/

KFA team member Craig Coughlan reviews the tournament in detail here.

THE PERILS OF A ONE TRICK PONY (CHAPTER ONE)

2011-08-23T22:53:00.008+10:00

Given my recent state of competitive disappointments I thought it best to reflect on tournament yak angling and discuss ways to avoid the dreaded donut. Before I begin though let me state this isn't a pat on the back, or a shoulder to cry on, more a way of sharing my experiences, the ups and downs of the rollercoaster ride called my tournament career. Straight off the bat I still consider myself a tournament newbie, while I would love to progress into a non boater role on the near horizon lack of time, success, glory and god damn responsibility all get in the way.

It's not a goal of mine, but as I love gathering as much fishing experience as possible I would love to give it a shot one day. Who knows, if I did well I might become hooked, buy a tournament boat and become a fully fledged addict. Then again, who am I kidding here. I'm in my mid 30's, 1 year old daughter, 10 year+ de facto relationship (With the girl of my dreams I might add) and my employment title credential is currently listed as 'Daddy Day Care'. Mister DIY coming up in the suburbs, living life to the fullest, mountain of debt, all whilst staying a true brother of the angle.

Freedom, escapism, kayak fishing, fishing, kayak fishing, freedom, the mindless wander. A couple of words/phrases instantly spring to mind, more my wants and needs to survive this rat race as an individual. The love for fishing never wains, it truely rewards (And not just in the fishy sense). Time clutches all though and I find myself missing out on those little trips, the ones were the big one didn't get away (It was caught by your mate). Sometimes even packing a car for a simple trip seems to have lost its lustre, but surprisingly not when the kayak fishing tournament calendars roll around.

Human beings are naturally competitive, competition not only drives us every day to do better than those we consider to be our equals, it also allows us to strive to be the same as, and then better than, those we see as superior to us. You see, notice that at no time did I mention 'I'm better than you' or 'I'm the best', that's not what drives me to participate (Not at all). I like making up numbers, I like being one of the gang, those social aspects that encourage friendship. Most of all though I like to perform under pressure, to better past achievements and strive for a personal accolade.

This is a way of saying you like to win you might say. Everyone likes to win but in my case, well you couldn't be further from the truth. This isn't about defeating 50 armed plastic seated bastards on some blood lake, hell this is all about man vs man, mano e mano and all that crap (Me vs Me). In many ways I'm my own worst enemy, far too hard on myself when failure looms, far too quick to sneak in a fist pump when the cards are stacked against me. Sometimes, oh sometimes I perform better than expected. 'Practice makes perfect' I keep telling myself, but in reality google would translate that as 'How can I allocate time to perfect those skill sets required to win tournaments?'.

It's no secret the best fishermen I know fish often, in fact some of them get out 5 days a week. Coincidently, most of these guys fish Bream tournaments and clean up the prize pools. They live on the water, breathe on the water, live off the what lays beneath the water, heck there practically amphibians of some sort of genus. About 6 years ago Bream was a fish I caught trolling for Flathead (By-catch, so to speak), easy to come by and horrible on the plate. When the poppers on Whiting/Bream phenomenon exploded most of my mates had already mastered it and I was patting my head, rubbing my tummy trying to catch up. Through their tutelage I finally got it, it was the first decent technique I could apply from the kayak to catch fish in shallow water.

As I started to amass the years fishing from a kayak I became confident when fishing socially, learning to deploy a certain technique in the right place at the right time. Unfortunately the same couldn't be said about my Bream tournament results. My local haunts differed greatly to, as an example, the Queensland canals we visited and I really struggled to read my surroundings (On a regular basis). Frantically searching for a systems fishable top waters I would hope for an edge bite, overlooking sinking options. For some reason I found the whole jig head, plastic choice too rushed in tournament scenarios and never gained confidence using that approach. After being monstered by Mangrove Jack after Mangrove Jack cranking mid waters I became hesitant to prospect with a hardbody, instead looking for super shallow sandbanks to walk the dog.

I had become a 'One trick Pony', and even that didn't work on unknown waters (How I longed for the South Coast of NSW). Then came the deep water technique I so needed to learn, the art of blading for Bream. My good mate and KFA member Craig happily provided the right tools for the job, explained his technique, the bite and why it worked at this particular location and then suddenly bang, I'm on to a good fish. That particular day resulted in my first tournament top 10 (Seventh place), given I was new to the technique and the quality of the field I was a little blown away. The best feeling though was realising both Craig and Jason had made the top 5. Craig using his shared blading approach and Jason flourishing on the surface.

A couple of months later at the same location, during a different competition, using the same blading technique I took out first place. But, it's a big but too... Fast forward to present day, same venue, cooler water, two day tournament event, same technique and the dreaded double donut occurred. I'm not new to them (Donuts that is) and I got completely sick of them, blaming myself (As one does) for not learning those important past lessons. To avoid more calorie laden sugary goodness (Or evil soul cursing performance, both are bad for you) I stumbled purely by accident on a technique that got me out of the donut van on more than a number of occasions.

Combining super shallow water, a patented edge bite (Tide dependant) and shallow running suspending hard body's, the art of shallow jerk baiting got me out of the donut van on more than a number of occasions. Pulsing the lure ever so slightly, rod held high, slow rolling back with a super aggressive rod shake would bring the Bream on. Make no mistake, if they were/are around they will eat it. The spasm like action of the suspending lure (In most cases a silent Zip Baits 'Khamsin') basically resembles a baitfish that has had way to much caffiene. The vibration (Sans rattle) and technique keeps the bib down slightly while the pulse of the rod tip offers a 'Now or never' result.

Armed with what at the time seemed like the mother of all techniques, off I would trot, returning venue, different tide, same area, epic fail. Different arena, same lure, same technique, favorable tide, top 5 finish. Sometimes all techniques fail, sometimes some waterways are deficient in the features that one needs to excel in. Blame your tools, trade or focus all you want, it won't make up for a lack of experience on the waterway in question. Australia's top tournament anglers spend more time preparing for a pre fish than the actual tournament day. Prefishing an area before a tournament helps immensely, even if you can't get up/down to the waterway in question and just throw various lures around randomly on a local.

Be it Black or Yellow, donut or podium, Bream fishing can be the arsiest of sports. I guess that's one of the reasons why they implemented tournaments for this species in the first place. Think about it, what's the one fish you can catch when you don't want or even need to that's hardy as all hell, pulls like a demon but yet supremely elusive when a catch is warranted... Sure as hell not a Flathead.

Love, one jaded Bream fisherman.

PS - Just in case your wondering what the image contains, mainly epic fail meters, a pony, some lures, angry colours with splashes of vivid dissapointment. Shit, I am truely a blogger now, who would have thought?

CAA - LEARN TO FLYCAST EVENTS 2011 (FREE*)

2011-08-22T20:29:00.003+10:00

Canberra Angler Association once again holds its annual free fly casting lessons/advice on the lawns of Old Parliment House in Canberra.
The tution encourages amatuers to prolififc casters to attend and hone their skills. If you have existing casting skills your more than welcome to assist the new players.

Location: The lawns of Old Parliment House
(Corner of King Edward Terrace and Parkes Place West (just across the road from Questacon)
Session Time: 10:00 am - 12:00 Noon

Session Dates: 11th, 18th and 25th* of September
*(Please note the third weekend may move to an optional day on water (this may be trout stocked water near Lake Eucumbene, if so the property owner will charge individuals) – more details available.

Remember, if you have a flyrod/line bring it along. CAA will provide loan outfits for those that dont. Also, please remember to bring and wear sunglasses and bring and wear a hat.

RAFFLE FOR FLIES AND SURPRISE MAJOR PRIZE

MEMBERSHIP (FOR THOSE INTERESTED) AT MODERATE RATES

CONTACT: secretary@canberra-anglers.asn.au

www.canberra-anglers.asn.au/

DAIWA-HOBIE ABT RND 14 ST.G.BASIN 13-14/8/11

2011-08-08T15:45:00.005+10:00

Round 14 of the Daiwa-Hobie ABT is on this weekend at St. Georges Basin, NSW. The event is the 2 day state title event for NSW and features 5 qualifying spots for the Grand Final. Winter at the Basin should prove quite competitive with the deeper water sure to hold good size fish, hopefully in good sized numbers. Past events here have shown its 'Go deep or go home' with some bruiser specimens gracing the weigh master. A typical bag here is just sub 2.0kg with 4kg bags easily possible. Pack the blades, wobble like crazy and come compete in the last NSW event before the GF.

September 17-18th R15- Westlakes 3 GF spots 2 Day Event

October 2nd R6- Hopkins(Rescheduled) 3 GF spots 1 Day Event - Sunday

October 29-30th Hobie GF (Port Macquarie) 2 Day Event

For more information, please click here.

http://bream.com.au/abt/2010/Hobierules1011.pdf

NSW S.COAST - YAK FISHING LAKES & ESTUARIES

2011-07-30T23:00:00.005+10:00

Introduction:

The NSW South Coast is home to some of Australia’s most notable fisheries such as the Tuross, Moruya and Clyde river systems. Since the implementation of the Bateman’s Marine Park came into effect, several of the traditional, well worn fishing destinations are now strictly ‘off limits’. However for the more adventurous among us, numerous creek and lake offshoots branch away from these bothered waterways. Offering superb, stealthy Kayak angling opportunities while distancing themselves from the local populace, these tributaries are just begging to be explored!

From picturesque Durras in the north, down to the distant Wallaga Lake in the far south, scores of unique settings lie along and in-between. Many of these are major tourism drawcards and obtain a heavy angler presence year round, and for good reason too. Being less visited, the other river entities tend to run through and along various National Parks and shires, literally declaring themselves lonely recreational fishing sanctuaries. Some are still commercially fished, some are rarely beleaguered but most will agree the Marine Parks up and down the east coast of NSW are forcing the intrepid Yak Fisher folk to venture outside the box and start fishing the cardboard.

Species:

Discovering these unique waterways is only half the fun, fishing them from the concealment of a polyethylene craft is extremely rewarding. Admittedly, these areas can be a little hit and miss when water temperatures are at there coldest in winter. Come spring and the warmer months of summer, the heat creates a haven for breeding and feeding with Bream, Whiting and Flathead moving in to complete their lifecycle. Saltwater environments with brackish, fresh tidal reaches house Estuary Perch and Australian Bass, both subjected to closed spawning seasons (June 1st – August 31st). Exclusive habitat for these fish often overlap with Bass found higher in the system.

It’s a vicious circle of life in our Southern locales, a fish eat fish world where there are many ways of imitating a link in the food chain. Top dogs like Jewfish, Tailor and Dusky Flathead patrol the estuary beat, menacing bait fish along the weed beds and flats. Poddy Mullet are the bill of fare, silver service catering the everyday dietary needs of these estuarine genuses. New moon Prawns and Shrimp flick about under surgical attack from what chrome lies beneath, old mate Bream and poor mans Bonefish (Whiting). Fooling these gilled warriors is simple enough, try emulating the estuarine life itself.

Location:

Some areas have a tendency to hold denser populations of species than others; a good example of this is the renowned Bream of Lake Tabourie. A trivial drawn out waterway located a few kilometres just outside of Ulladulla, The inlet features many draining Creeks which tend to concentrate conventional food flows before emptying into deeper water. Bream love the channelling effect and often use the watercourse vicinity to gather energy before spawn schooling at the mouths entrance. While the Tabourie Bream seem to be predictable they still tend to wander throughout the elongated system.

Typical estuaries shape intricate organisms of shallow interconnecting channels and lakes, with Eurobodalla’s Tuross among one of the more expansive collections. With a varying depth of one to four metres, it truly is the iconic visual Kayak fishing location. From the habitual clear water surroundings of the lakes oyster leases to the rivers tidal reaches towards Coomerang, the waters arrangement basically screams surface lures. Since being deemed a recreational fishing haven in 2001, Kayak anglers heading to Tuross can expect to encounter greater numbers of both species of Bream, Dusky Flathead, Sand Whiting, Jew/Mulloway, Estuary Perch and Australian Bass.

Another near pristine estuary with exceptional water quality is Durras Lake, bordering the beautiful Murramarang National Park. From shallow channels to deeper basins, Durras is regarded by many as a multi-dimensional, branching lake. Salinity levels are higher than the average due to a small reef located just offshore, unfortunately preventing the lakes entrance from opening all year round. Commercial fishing has ceased in Durras Lake, some recreational fishing is also curtailed in certain sections. While all estuary fish species are present, Prawning is also very popular with tourists and locals during those warm summer nights (Before/after the new moon periods).

Techniques/Tackle:

Depending on your location, techniques and tackle can be adjusted for whatever the intended target species so keep a keen eye out for structure, snags, weed lined fringes and sandy lies. Anything and everything could become interested, especially once you start reaching the upper brackish reaches. Whether you choose to paddle a SIK (Sit in Kayak) or pedal a Hobie, the ability to glide into constructive positions will be ruined if you don’t pay attention to your surroundings and particularly depth. The benefits of Kayak fishing will slowly come in to play; silence is the skeleton key and will more often than not put you onto above average fish, all whilst remaining seemingly unobserved.

Normally fish have a fleeting sight benefit; given the average height one must sit or stand to breach over a conventional boats gunwale. Your core advantage is always finding yourself well and truly in the mix, sitting almost eye level and on par with your intentions (Donning special ninja abilities). Just how visible you and your Kayak will be when paddling the shallows is a highly debatable subject. While companies and manufacturers offer a wide range of finished colours for kayaks, including the dubious camouflage patterning, fish are only sensitive to certain colours of the visible spectrum (Depending on species). More often than not, it’s the shadow cast by the kayaks hull that will be enough to shut down an otherwise productive section.

Presenting bait/lures from a seated position in a Kayak has its pros and cons. In most cases, the seated position close to the waterline impedes peripheral vision. For some the game of blind, smelly bait is far too random, but worth playing all the same. Embracing current technology like GPS ( Global positioning system ) and electronic fish finding ability help bend the rules. Allowing for an accurate slow drift in your kayak is one way of changing your baits appeal. Changing your bait/lures appearance, with clever use of tackle selection, can prove to be the major difference on a slow days fishing.

Basically, fishing is species dependant and locality specific, certain approaches work best while others don’t work at all. As an example, using a running sinker all the way to the hook over reef or rocky structure will result in more lost rigs than lost fish. However, this rig is quite ideal for estuary work on sandy bottom dwellers like Flathead and Sole when in a Kayak. Employing a running sinker one metre above a light gauge bait hook ( A rubber stopper or small swivel will stem the lead flow ) will create a somewhat different donation that will appeal to our mid water species like Bream and Trevally.

Conclusion:

Tournament Bream anglers nation wide abscond fish from high powered casting platforms, throwing everything Japanese but a bottle of sake. You can take many of these same, cutting edge lures and begin applying them from a Kayak in a successful manner that is completely foreign in tourney circuits, without a retrieved lure in sight. I once caught the ire of a well known Merimbula Bream identity when asked why the hell was I trolling an Ecogear SX 40? (A known cast and retrieve minnow). I deftly explained “Because it works, what works from Yak defies all powerboat relevance!”

The Southern NSW lakes, estuaries and rivers provide an ideal playground for many Kayak anglers in search of the more popular fish species available on the South Coast. Many areas were deemed ‘unproductive’ by the greater fishing community long ago, leaving a few destinations relatively untouched. Thoughts like this were once generated by observing species like Mullet and Whiting only, roam the weedy flats. With drop offs few and far between, shallow lakes with closed margins present too many obstacles for the local tin brigade (Spooking huge Flathead as they prop bash to the safety of the ramp). Always be the polite Yak Fisher, just smile and wave goodbye!

NSW - BRAVING THE COLD OF WINTER 16/7/11

2011-07-17T22:46:00.007+10:00

It is often hard to drag yourself out of bed before the dawn to go fishing in winter - but in many locations the winter action can be better than in the warmer months, and you will often have the place to yourself. And the reward of a fish you've battled the elements for is priceless.

I headed to a favorite winter spot recently to target snapper offshore. Seabreeze told me to expect about 2 metres of swell and a light breeze. It was spot on. The swell however was a bit unusual in the way it was forming curling waves close to shore, and the normally safe passage out to deeper water was a bit iffy. I managed to get out without incident, and fished for over an hour without a sniff from anything except an unlucky but welcome squid who was hooked on a plastic right on the tip of the candle. I cleaned him immediately, stowed the hood in the cooler and saved the tentacles – I haven’t used bait offshore for ages, but when times are tough it can make the difference.

A call to a friend in the know gave me hope for the coming tide change, and I’d barely stowed the phone in the dry bag when the rod I’d rigged with a squid tentacle on a jighead showed signs of life, and in came a small but legal snapper. Things were looking up when I dropped what felt like a better snapper the next cast. A local kayak fisherman John, who I’d seen launch a little after, paddled over and we exchanged theories on snapper this season – it has been a bit of strange one and the normally reliable plastics have not been producing with the same regularity as normal.

I repositioned myself about where I thought I'd picked up the last fish, threw out a plastic and set about rigging another squid tentacle on the other rod. I don’t think the plastic even hit the bottom, the reel started screaming and it felt like a monster. After 3 or 4 minutes I knew it must be getting close, but the colour I was seeing down below didn’t look quite right……Sure enough it was a fighting blue morwong. They would pull a snapper backwards in a tug of war. He went 48cm and was stowed in the cooler bag.

Over the next hour or so I managed a couple more barely legal snapper, and one good one on a 5” jerk shad which went 50cm on the nose. The journey back in through the ‘safe’ channel was seriously dodgy and I almost came unstuck a few times as the swells picked up the back of the yak and slewed it sideways almost onto the rocks. This was quite amusing to some of the young grommets standing nearby. To say it was a relief to stand on dry land is an understatement.

ICAST 2011 - BEST OF SHOW (REVOLUTION 11)

2011-07-15T21:54:00.012+10:00

Oceanside, California – July 13, 2011 – Hobie Cat’s popular Mirage Revolution 13 and Quest 13 now have little brothers, the Mirage Revolution 11 and Quest 11. With the same angler-friendly design, these shorter, lighter models cut through the water like knives through butter. They will be sure favorites for small to mid-size anglers looking to stalk fish with compact, lightweight and maneuverable fishing kayaks.

The Mirage Revolution 11 is powered by Hobie’s patented MirageDrive® pedal system while the Quest 11 accommodates those who prefer to paddle. Fitting a niche that has long gone unanswered, they are first of their kind integrating the feel of longer touring kayaks with shorter more maneuverable river kayaks. They are proudly made in the U.S.A.

Both boats are fast and nimble, track straight and have a sharp turning radius. The cockpit areas include a large front hatch for storing plenty of gear as well as a center eight-inch round hatch. Two molded-in rod holders make trolling easy. Hobie’s Livewell can be added into the trunk areas and can accommodate additional rod storage and live bait fishing. These kayaks will be favorites among anglers looking to fish shallow, fast moving water. But it does not stop there…they are equally as proficient in calm water and ocean waves. There is no learning curve on either boat. They do not use gas and they go places that powerboats cannot like rocky shallows, up narrow creek channels and over prop-snagging vegetation.

A series of fishing-friendly accessories makes it possible for anglers to customize and fit their own preferences. Hobie’s Livewell has a high-flow, self-priming Attwood pump, a six volt sealed gel cell battery, adjustable drain and the capability of holding up to eight gallons of water. A Plug-In Hobie Trax “2” Cart with pneumatic wheels provides for easy rolling of heavy loads over rough terrain or soft sand. Turbo Fins can increase boat speed by over ten percent. New from Hobie….the first ever Horizontal Rod Holder Kit that lets anglers in any kayak, Hobie or otherwise, store rods along either or both sides of their vessel. These are only a sampling of what is available.

Both kayaks are offered in a variety of color choices including Caribbean Blue, Red Hibiscus, Golden Papaya, Ivory Dune, and Olive. They are constructed of seamless rotomolded polyethylene hulls and are designed with open-deck construction. Two-piece paddles with fiberglass shaft and deluxe, padded back-support seatbacks are included with both models. They are easily transportable in the back of a pickup truck or on a roof rack. And, of course, both boats meet the National Marine Manufacturers Association certification requirements for flotation.

HOBIE MIRAGE REVOLUTION 11 The defining feature on the Mirage Revolution 11 is Hobie’s patented MirageDrive. The self-centering padded pedals are connected to two underwater flippers, much like penguin wings; and are locked and unlocked from the kayak with the Click and Go system. Steering is controlled via oversized fingertip steering handle on the left side, making it easy to cast, hook, and land fish while maneuvering to that secret spot.
Length: 11’ 6”
Width: 29”
Hull Weight: 47 lbs.
MirageDrive Weight: 6.6 lbs.
Capacity: 300 lbs.
Additional Standard Features: Oversized forward hatch. Two eight-inch Twist and Seal hatches. Two mesh-covered stowage pockets. On-deck receptacle with cap for optional accessories post or sail mast, dive flag, or nav-anchor light. Deluxe padded seatback with lumbar support. Two molded-in mid-boat carrying grips. Gear bucket. MSRP: USD $1749

HOBIE QUEST 11
Length: 11.1’
Width: 29”
Hull Weight: 47 lbs.
Capacity: 300 lbs.
Additional Standard Features: “Easy Open” hinged hatch with access to large forward storage area. One eight-inch Twist and Seal hatch conveniently located in front of the seat. Aft room for second eight-inch optional hatch for additional storage. Adjustable foot braces for paddling leverage. Two mesh-covered stowage pockets. Two molded-in mid-boat carrying grips. Gear bucket. MSRP: USD $949

KAYAK FISHING MAGAZINE ISSUE #40 (ONLINE)

2011-07-13T19:54:00.004+10:00

(This issue has a great article on survival, 'Seven Hours Until Dark')

To view the latest edition of KFM, click on the links below:

Magazine - http://www.kayakfishingmagazine.net/home.html

Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kayak-Fishing-Magazine/119502353056

WHICH KAYAK FOR ME? - THE AGE OLD QUESTION

2011-07-04T23:23:00.005+10:00

As our hybrid sport progresses beyond the initial grasp of the subject so does the choice when picking a kayak to fish from. In the early infancies the kayak models adaptable to fishing were few and far between, these days however it can seem a little daunting for the uneducated. Therefore KFA have a few pointers we would like to educate readers on, it just makes plain sense to help clarify things further.

You may be an active individual that regularly pushes your body’s boundaries, or you may be someone looking to regain some fitness and recuperate old wounds. Whatever the reason, Kayak Fishing does not and will not discriminate against you. With 52 weekends a year it’s an activity that even the most dedicated fulltime workers can enjoy. Within the space of a few months not only will you notice some categorical health benefits but your rank of pure amateur status and knowledge on the subject will platform you with your peers… After all, this mighty amalgam sport is still growing.

Where you plan to fish (Key is percentage):

Being realistic with where you plan to fish most of the time will help your final decision be a wise one. Before approaching the thought of purchasing keep in mind what brought you the idea in the first place. Did you spy someone flicking the flats of your local estuary or departing next to the boat ramp at your favourite haunt? Is this where you want to fish or do you have much grander, offshore style plans in mind?

If you’re sticking to small creeks & flat water a smaller plastic kayak like a Perception ‘Minnow’ / Australis ‘Bass’ around the 3 metre mark might be the best choice. Its shorter length will allow you to turn easily in tight corners, like amongst mangroves. A smaller kayak will also weigh less, allowing you to portage (Carry) the kayak cross county to get to rarely fished destinations.

For example, if you have a creek that is broken in to pools or with trees across it the kayak can easily be lifted out and ported around the obstruction. The advantage of a plastic kayak in these situations is it will take the bumps and scratches without you giving a second thought; this is no place for a South African Fishing Ski!

That’s not to say the fibreglass Skis don’t have there recompense too, much of Australia’s surrounding coastline is subject to swell (With little or no shelter). While access to the sandy beach is easy enough for any kayak, surf launching comes into its own a Ski. The ability to stow long rods, fish finders and miscellaneous gear below deck before judging distance between sets puts you in a league of your own.

The wave hopping performance is only really comparable to the Rescue board features of our strongest beach icon, the famous Surf Lifesavers. Punching over waves rather than through, surfing waves in on return rather than avoiding them and skeg style tracking are just a few benefits that typify South African / Australian coastal conditions.

Key benefits of the right choice (Examples over wrong):

There are two types of Kayaks that are commonly used to fish from, the S.O.T (Sit on top) and the S.I.K (Sit in Kayak). Either are available in both Polyethylene (Plastic) or Fibreglass (Kevlar/Carbon too), all offering ample opportunities to get you fishing and on the water. Once again, depending on what body of H20 you wish to fish there are models, makes and finishes to suit almost everyone (Observe your waterways).

S.O.T Polyethylene Kayaks allow for exaggerated freedom of movement on the deck, providing the ability to move around and mount or dismount simply. Being of a draining deck design, any water taken onboard simply self bails through gravity fed scupper holes that exit below the waterline (A must for S.O.T models). They are often heavier and wider than a S.I.K, making use of storage features like tank wells above deck rather than below. The only real downside to a S.O.T is the users exposure to the elements, be it sun, rain or wind your uncovered lower body is often left to the weathers mercy.

S.I.K Polyethylene Kayaks provide shelter below deck, removing the sun off your legs and providing a cockpit rim to install watertight skirts. Sitting slightly below the waterline this style of Kayak fits in the more recreational category. The bigger, more open cockpits whilst providing ample storage room prohibit sideways movement below deck. A S.I.K designed for fishing will be slightly wider than a traditional Sea Kayak, adding stability at slower speeds while incorporating many of its design features (Screw lid storage, Bulkheads).

The only real downside to a S.I.K is its ability to recover from capsizes, water tight bulkheads will provide vessel flotation but a lack of scupper holes will mean your Kayak is much harder to recover from a swamped position (A manual bilge pump is a must).

Certain hull shapes, materials, seated positions and ultimately differing models all have a place in the scheme of things. Smaller sit in kayaks (SIK) suited to skinny water (Tidal creeks, freshwater rivers) have certain abilities that shine in areas that a large sit on top (SOT) fibreglass fishing ski (Purpose built for offshore angling) would struggle. It’s a vice versa scenario, the fibreglass ski excels in surf launches and totally eclipses anything the ‘Minnow’ style has to offer in the same situation (Be that safety, fishing ability or your inherent nous whilst using).

Usability / Portability (Roof racks, trailer options, storage):

One of the first and flawed mistakes many make when purchasing a kayak is including ‘Loved ones’ initial interest as a binding marriage. While I am sure there are plenty of exceptions to the rule (Including one made by yours truly) you can often find yourself without a full time dedicated fishing partner. Some tandem kayaks are made to be fished one up adequately but many have there drawbacks when venturing out solo. It’s worth noting tandem kayaks often weigh in excess of 30 kilograms and are elongated and difficult to transport and handle alone.

It’s at this stage that portability and hull weight issue really comes to the forefront of your decision, was it the right one? Most kayaks are transported on roof racks (either permanent or removable soft racks) or on purpose built trailers. Loading your chosen craft onto your cars roof is cumbersome at the best of times; if you can’t lift it up there comfortably it may start to gather dust in your garage (Unless you go the more expensive trailer option). Take into consideration your health, strength, ability when studying a kayaks advertised weight (Can you lift it alone easily?) and guess an average additional tackle load.

Another important consideration is kayak storage off the water. Depending on your states climate you may have the option of storing safely undercover (Avoiding harmful U.V rays), or be limited to a housed solution inside your garage (Avoiding climate altogether). Both choices have advantages, most Kayak manufacturers recommend storing your yak on its side (Usually the strongest point), standing on its stern vertically (Not an option for most) or on its deck facing down (Hull side up).

There are ways to cradle your kayak hull down; pulley sling systems that stow your kayak to your garage roof using cleats are quite popular (Allowing lowering onto your transport of choice and freeing valuable floor space). Brands like ‘Aquaracks’ offer side mountable padded choices on solid walls but rest assured, some of the best Kayak racks around are D.I.Y styled jobs tailored to ANY available space.

Kayaks attributes (Weight class, hull shape etc):

Don’t fully discount weight as being something best avoided though, some of the heavier kayaks on the market are also some of the most buoyant and feature packed. Most kayaks suited for fishing sit in a bare hull weight class range that varies from approximately 18kgs (Perception ‘Minnow’) to a whopping 39.9kgs (Hobie ‘Pro Angler’). User weight capacity is often reflected with the above; while the ‘Pro Angler’ may sound heavy initially, bear in mind it has massive payload of 272kg (More than enough to load to the hilt) compared to the 150kgs of the ‘Minnow’ and has built in features to help you get it on and off its travelling platform.

Your kayaks shape should help determine what limits you will have while using it. Some are long and sleek while others have platform ability, the former helping cut through choppier, wind swept waters quickly with the latter promoting a more deliberate and steady advance. Your tracking facility (Ability to move in a straight line) is based on active keel and various channelled shaping’s under your kayak (Unless a rudder is fitted).

Most ‘Minnow’ style kayaks lack an ample keel but in the standard quieter water where they excel it’s not as much of a need as larger kayaks in open water require. Some larger kayaks track very well but could do with a rudder when a change in the weather hits. Rudders improve situations that can sometimes be vexing, that’s not to say each to their own though, you may just end up getting a little frustrated and rue your preliminary choice. Luckily this matters least as most manufacturers offer them as an optional extra (If not built in a package), allowing your last frown to quickly turn upside down next trip.

One thing I have learnt over the years is when something does go awry Kayak Fishing, things can snowball quite quickly. A tangled lure, a change in swell, a drift under some low lying branches or some lost gear overboard. Add to this a feisty hooked fish and sudden wind gusts and trouble can start brewing. Luckily these are choice ridden situations that can be avoided with familiarity and repetitive exposure to similar situations; often the only worst case scenario you will encounter is that you fall in the water and get wet. What happens next depends on preparation, location, elements and above all any physical and mental strength remaining to complete a safe journey back to the departure point.

Advanced options (Mirage drive / Electric motor / D.I.Y):

Once understanding of the basic principals is achieved, your choices are then expanded ten fold. Welcome to the world of cutting edge technology were relaxation, manoeuvrability and specification come into play. While most kayaks are made to be propelled with upper body movement and a paddle stroke, companies like Hobie, Viking, Stealth Drive and Torqeedo offer compelling alternatives to the more traditional technique of paddling whilst fishing.

Much has been written about the Hobie Mirage Drive phenomenon, pedalling with your feet essentially provides a ‘Hands free fishing’ experience. The Mirage Drive is akin to the motion of a Penguin propelling forward, it offers a leg work out over shoulder (Handy if upper body injuries persist) and is extremely user friendly. Hobiecat has recently announced a partnership with Neah Power Systems Inc to develop green friendly fuel cells for use in the Hobiecat boat range, complementing their water world.

Only time will tell if this technology is applied into their expanding kayak array of hulls and accessories, an exciting prospect nether the less.

While most brands top models come pre kitted with fishing packages (Optional extra or not) they are not immune from the occasional modification. The D.I.Y option of Kayak Fishing is what gets many of us on the water in the first place. ‘Pimping your Kayak’ is an art form that deserves a whole article written on the subject, suffice to say no goal or idea is stupid until proven fruitless. Some great examples departing the often expensive OEM fields are the D.I.Y sounder mounts (Using pre existing points), Rocket Launcher PVC monstrosities (Using pre existing rear rod holders) and homemade sailing kits (Opening another growing dimension).

Taking the plunge (Get on the water):

Its worth approaching your local kayak dealers with an enquiry about a test paddle decision, many have demonstration days with an option to try many different kayaks. Depending on your areas demographic and available waterways this shouldn’t be an issue, especially when all dealers want to see a successful, correct purchase. Certain dealers offer services to purchase and install additional items of choice for a small fee (Eg: Rod holders) and generally offer free, experienced advice worth taking onboard.

Also, try meeting up with an organised group of individuals (Like AKFF members) in your local or surrounding area and suss out differing models and brands, whilst participating be sure to listen and ask for firsthand user feedback. While science and marketing can help push your foot through the door, I find information gathered straight ‘From the horse's mouth’ equally important, predominantly when coupled in good numbers. Versatility is important, but again try being realistic about what you're going to do from a kayak. If you're doing 30 estuary trips a year and only a small number of offshore sorties, buy something more estuary suitable.

In conclusion there's really no such thing as a bad fishing kayak; the fish species themselves don't really care whether you're in a $4000 beast or a $200 garage sale clunker. Past and present ancient civilizations like the arctic Inuit in their seal-skin kayaks and the Aborigines in their bark canoes have proven that budget isn’t important (Beyond reasonable doubt). A kayak suitable for fishing is all about your comfort on the water in your chosen craft, get the one that feels right on the water and the fish will look after themselves (And in turn, you in the long run).

GETTING TO KNOW YOUR KAYAK - A STATE OF MIND

2011-06-29T10:13:00.008+10:00

In previous posts on KFA I have covered and touched base on topics such as ‘Which kayak for me’, basically a self topical analysis of the dos and don’ts associated with making your initial purchase foray into the sport of kayak fishing. While the article mentioned above discussed topics based on the right and wrong kayak choice it left room to move beyond the basics. Ideas like getting involved and knowing your limits.

I decided it was worth getting together and converse on a ‘Where things Benefit’ piece, basically an article on getting to know and use your own kayak confidently and safely before moving beyond your chosen crafts realm. In other words, offering tips on enhancing your kayak fishing experience and developing sense for what is required in certain situations (Be that safety, comfort, storage). Understanding mainstay elements and perceiving benefits of each will match your learned experience and ultimately keep you on the water longer.

Competence, seeking confidence:

I remember the feeling the first time I was invited offshore, it was something between intrepid dread and trepidation of the unknown. For months I had pondered the thought of venturing offshore but was unsure of exactly what was required skill wise. Occasionally I had seen sea kayakers venturing out into the briny blue but almost all paddled in large groups with trained tour operators. It only took a second glance at my invitees/mates to realise they couldn’t quench my thirst with official qualification, sure they were seasoned offshore veterans but their credentials were based on personal experience only and confidence translated feebly. I needed to associate the advice like everyday verve, tell me to do something and I seem to forget but ultimately show me once properly and I have learned enough it seems for life.

I soon found out ways to escape any building apprehension, by simply reassuring oneself by asking questions which fuelled any need to know. Thinking back I asked some pretty impractical questions on the art of kayak fishing offshore but at the time there were no right or wrong questions, just some that hadn’t been asked of them before (or in a long time). I had a preconceived idea on what were the necessities, many of which when discussed with my peers were viewed with total distain. While some of the questioned subject matter could be put into practice the pros were definitely outweighed by the cons of exemplarily situations conjured up.

One of the first things discussed to save piece of mind was when toying with the idea of venturing offshore was how to secure yourself to your kayak safely. Ideas like tethering physically to your kayak quickly went out the window early on in many conversations with countless individuals (With differing levels of experience offshore); the discussed conclusions were unanimous but I was still naïve and vocally stubborn. I believed the idea and technique had some kind of merit, after all surfers attach themselves to their boards, sailors to yachts and small boaters to engine kill switch lanyards.

Surely tethering everything to the yak in sight would both save any wayward donations to Davey Jones but also bring some kind of safety reassurance. Through persuasion it finally occurred to me that it’s a contentious practice that should be used sparingly. Imagine this, four rigged rods all leashed to your deck, paddle leashed to your deck, fish grips / pliers / knife leashed and multiple other accessories, anchor out and leashed and the clincher, fishing lines in the water.

While under drift you fail to notice an increase in swell and turn side on with a drogue in the water, unfortunately tipping you and your belongings out into deep water. Well at least the gears tethered so loss is minimal, but wait why is my arm caught? Similar situations occur when exiting and entering decent surf zones and river mouths, even a secured paddle leash can be a deadly weapon in Neptune’s hands.

Now look at a freshwater scenario, your $900 rod and reel combo that can’t tolerate saltwater finally gets an outing on a freezing cold trip to an alpine lake. The water is more than 50m deep in parts and you feel the need to secure your belongings as the waters temperature isn’t inviting enough. With two rods and your paddle secured you feel tenable enough to troll two lines out at the same time but both get snagged up within minutes. While trying to retrieve your valuable lure you knock your expensive combo into the drink and watch the tether tangle around a submerged tree. The rod starts flexing, in a mild panic to save the rod you lean out a little too far and take a spill from the kayak; you are now engulfed in your own prescribed safety devices.

Where, when and why things benefit:

Don’t wince, these things can and do happen to the best of us (At the worst of times). When something goes wrong fishing from a yak it’s usually viewed by the user in a kind of cinematic slow motion with no control, no rewind and no fast forward. Most of the problems with the above examples are they could have easily been avoided with a little foresight. Cluttering your kayaks deck space with arm infectious debris can turn a great days fishing into a troublesome one. On the other hand it’s not a crime; in the beginning everyone is guilty of carrying far too much stuff onboard for even the quickest of trips. The goal here is learning what minor changes wont affect you majorly and refining what you take, stick with the basics first and filter what you take as confidence envelops your ability.

When trying something new from your kayak you may feel pioneering, truth is many before you have paddled these seemingly deep channels and have also drawn experience from others. A simple internet search on kayak fishing safety brings up numerous sites full of sage advice; you will be pleasantly surprised what you may find. Many web pages dedicated to the art will focus on topics such as learning re-entry on your kayak, finding your kayaks secondary stability and benefits of and harmonising with your kayak. The latter could be described as knowing what to bring and what to use when.

Don’t get me wrong, kayak fishing is not all doom and gloom and is actually a relatively safe hybrid sport worthy of any attempt. However, training people’s acceptance on what basic knowledge requirements and state of mind are needed before trying something completely new is another thing all together, you should never learn to sink before you swim. Here is where feeling comfortable with your surroundings helps the most, there are some worthy additional purchases that can benefit many situations and many steps one can take to ensure additional confidence. I must admit I now find many upshots to taking each and every predicament seriously.

Preparation is important when it comes to any water sport, as the last thing you want to discover is you have forgotten something while you’re out on the water. For this reason alone it’s worth double checking all your possessions and even developing a checklist before setting out on your kayak. This way you can be certain to enjoy your time and concentrate more on the fishing aspect. Here I will touch on the utmost basics required to take your first steps towards acclimatising to new surroundings and scenarios

Fitness Focus (Both Physical and Mental):

Seems like it was only yesterday, but metaphorically speaking yesterday was the day I decided to focus on a personal and mental fitness regime that would allow myself to enjoy Kayak Fishing on a whole new level. When I started fishing from a kayak four years plus ago I was a lively, weakened adult trying to create an ideal outdoor lifestyle to enhance my fitness and ideal body shape. From the get go I was easily sidetracked, swaying towards the technical aspect of fishing and thus leaving the reason for getting involved in the first place behind (Improved fitness).

The initial sight of a Mirage Drive in action showed physical exertion was possible with leg muscle rendering and cardio vascular conditioning. The double take was the hands free fishing side of function; this had an overwhelming appeal over maintaining or attaining physical form. I just had to have one and experience both sides of the coin, surely these two stand out qualities could coexist in harmony? The truth is they can, they can even help you excel a fitness regime with the right mental attitude.

The same can be said for paddling a kayak whilst fishing. While angling alone may provide solitude and freedom from day to day rigours, emphasis can be placed on developing an advanced paddling technique before developing bad habits and exacerbating any long term injuries you may have forgotten about. Some of the best of our peers have torn shoulders or flared muscles and tendons beyond the point of simple repair whilst paddling a kayak. Changes in weather and conditions are the number one cause of physical stress related injury; sometimes having a bull like mindset isn’t enough, you can be as strong as an ox or nimble like a fox.

I’m not implying you should splash out and take paddling lessons; this is not an article on gathering fitness while fishing from your kayak. I am also not implying a daily run to and from your fishing field with your kayak in tow is required. Its more like a well being guide to understanding core benefits of being body active and the traits associated which will improve your Kayak Fishing experience ten fold. General fishing itself is not an extreme sport; many even argue it only contains an element of sport governed in it. The days of beer swilling, one hand bait juggling fishing socials still exist; kayaking on the other hand is recognised as an official Olympic event.

Add the two together (Sans the beer swilling) and hybridising occurs, creating a defined activity. Change up the scenarios and the fundamentals of the new sports value increase. Try mentioning to a friend you are planning to drift down you’re favourite freshwater river throwing lures chasing Bass. Then switch it up a little by indicating the following weekend you’re heading a few kilometres offshore tackling Tuna and even Billfish. I can almost guarantee you the two responses will be drastically different. The latter will have your manhood questioned in some way or the other, along with your sanity and your basic fitness and swimming level.

It’s wise to keep these conversations (And even this article) stored for reflection, questioning your own ability to handle certain situations will help you decide what is right and what is wrong for you. These choices can be shaped and moulded with confidence; self-belief grows from handling oneself in varying conditions (Especially when trying to gather some on the water experience). Sharing your thoughts and adventures with others will also improve your poise; I highly recommend developing a buddy system outing with a few friends and taking baby steps. Kayak Fishing is as safe as you want it to be, often reflected by its brethren family activity, canoeing. Before setting off solo and pushing its boundaries, sum up your own ability to handle any situation on the brine

One thing I have learnt over the years is when something does go awry Kayak Fishing, things can snowball quite quickly. A tangled lure, a change in swell, a drift under some low lying branches or some lost gear overboard. Add to this a feisty hooked fish and sudden wind gusts and trouble can start brewing. Luckily these are choice ridden situations that can be avoided with familiarity and repetitive exposure to similar situations; often the only worst case scenario you will encounter is that you fall in the water and get wet. What happens next depends on preparation, location, elements and above all any physical and mental strength remaining to complete a safe journey back to the departure point.

Know your craft, know your limits:

I once got caught in an offshore situation that left me with limiting skill sets available, the weather took a turn for the worst. The consequence was a fright and one exhausted author; while I was technically prepared for anything with copious amounts of safety gear onboard; my body suffered as I pinched a nerve and bulged a lower vertebra. I was in pain for months and the injury was only really identified early this year, accompanying that with a slightly overweight physique and previously bad back and I was suddenly in real trouble. In my frenzied rush to return to shore all previous paddling technique and good sense was lost in a whirlwind of panic, for the first time on my kayak I was scared.

Over the next few months I developed a case of self diagnosed sciatica due to overcompensation and lack of hamstring use while paddling and kayak fishing. I paid a trip to the local GP and underwent modern day scans and slices; it was time to find the root of this evil pain after years of dealing with it. I feared the worst but the doctor’s only real diagnosis and advice centred on strengthening core muscle groups. Here was I thinking paddling a kayak would do all that for me, turns out it was helping work against me by twisting my torso and keeping my legs stiff. I switched from a Mirage Drive to develop greater upper body physique; after explaining the system to the GP it was recommended I consider returning to a pedalling motion.

In the meantime I joined a gym straight away, knowing full well any additional work out would have more immediate health benefits and return me to greater fitness on the water. I had a workout tailored to strengthening my lower back and promoting flexibility. A gym visit three times a week was a chore at first; I already spend 10 hours a day on my feet as it is. It’s been six months since I joined and these times of pain have changed for good. Not only have I lost almost 20 kilograms of body fat, I have lost 20 additional kilograms on the kayak (Paddling seems a whole lot easier these days). Lifting and loading a kayak on and off the car is now a lot easier, sometimes it takes an annoying grievance to aggravate your way of life and kick you into gear.

http://www.yakass.net head honcho Josh Holmes knows all about this, his offshore sorties aren’t to be sneezed at. Having suffered a similar injury to mine mentioned above (Years previous) Josh now knows his limits. His choice of Hobie kayak has been upgraded numerous times to cope with his excelling offshore escapades. Each kayak he has owned has served a purpose, the Mirage Drive system for propulsion (Avoiding exacerbating his shoulder injury) and general hull shape. His latest choice, The AI (Adventure Island), seems boundless offshore when matched to his previous choices of a Revolution and Adventure.

Josh shares his wisdom below when quizzed on his confidence:

“The AI makes for an excellent off shore fishing platform for a variety of reasons. At it's core is the Adventure kayak hull, which is a damned fine kayak for open water. Fitted with a single ama it transforms into an outrigger, which adds layers of stability, and this is an excellent way of fishing in sloppy waters. Its use does come at a (surprisingly low) speed cost, but a massive advantage in stability. And with a tramp fitted it also affords 12 square foot of extra usable deck space and this is handy no matter where you're fishing”.

“Configured as a trimaran with amas, daggerboard & sail, it can be used for high speed trolling for pelagics and this is a lot of fun. In the right conditions the Island is fantastic for sailing, and is a great way to reach distant reefs, islands of other destinations that would otherwise be difficult to reach by kayak. And with the stability offered by those amas, it's a rock-steady fishing platform and great for landing big fish on. But using it as a trimaran isn't always the best option”.

“It's all about picking the right configuration to use it in. On perfectly calm days with no wind that I intend to cover long distances, I will use the hull as a vanilla mirage kayak. If I'm not planning on going terribly far or it looks a bit sloppy, but not terribly windy, I'll use it as an outrigger. And if it looks a little too windy to be peddling/paddling, I'll take the sail. If the conditions look right, I do take the opportunity to let the wind carry me further out to sea and back with surprisingly little effort. For the kind of kayak fishing I find myself doing more and more of these days, it's hard to imagine any other boat that could give me the same range of versatility and capability”.

Outcomes and my conclusion:

The above information sums up my (And countless others) successful approach to fishing from a Kayak and why many initially chose to move away from more conventional craft. Apart from provoking random thoughts of capability, scenarios, and choices I hope this piece constantly keeps your mind ticking over regarding a connection with your own comfort. Kayak fishing has grown immensely over the last few years, thanks mainly to the ease of ability to get involved, dedication of leading companies plus typified journalism dedicated to covering the subject.

It’s also matured into being an acceptable form of fishing outright, even those who once frowned from plate hulls gather on shore for a peek. For some the progression from boat to kayak is more a conventional decision than anything else. To me fishing from a kayak is all about freedom of expression and lifestyle, that and the occasional plunder of a healthy feed. For some the sense of community bites harder, for others it’s about being able to continue that lonely soul search.

Rest assured you are now not alone in these waters, what was once viewed as underground is nowadays mainstream. That’s not to say it’s a bad thing though, the support offered by the industry is second to none. Nobody wants to see a kayak gather dust under a house; particularly one many would give their right arm for (And cost you a leg too). Countless proclaim it’s too expensive to get involved in, these are the same naive folk that own 60” televisions, spend thousands of dollars a year on potato chips and never leave the safety of a couch.

What’s free is free and in this world this seems to be diminishing every day. Use your body to explore your mind, don’t just think about it. The excitement of two sports merged into one becomes reality when your first fish flaps on the deck. It’s highly addictive (Owning multiple kayaks is not unheard of) and almost immediately you start setting future goals, achieving and documenting personal bests and begin wanting to write for magazines (Hint hint). Top that off by being able to ring your couch mate for bragging rights whilst paddling/pedalling home with that catch of the day.

NSW - DURRAS LAKE OPENING (BEACH TRAMPING)

2011-06-22T12:55:00.013+10:00

Koich and I hatched a plan to visit the south Coast of NSW and witness the opening of the long closed Durras Lake. A happy hunting ground for the Massive, the news that the council had made the call was met with much excitement. Not only will the lake get a good clean out, but it will also provide an opportunity for the resident estuarine species to get a well needed taste of freedom, and maybe a little bit of the good stuff, pure saltwater.

With the forecast showing 35knts winds and the mercury well below what is deemed comfortable in any mans language, we decided to head off at gentleman’s hours, no kayaks, just old school beach fishing and rubber necking. Koich insisted hat he had to wear his red sweathog hoodie, I told him that they don’t exist anymore. I haven’t seen a sweathog hoodie for years, he reckons they do exist and they’re the business. I told him to belt up and stop being such a prat, red sweathog hoodie, my arse.

Man talk right there.

Koich picked me up and he’d gone for the Green Irish ‘Where’s Wally’ look for the day. If it ended up being a slow day, at least I had time to search for him amongst the backdrop of Durras Lake, looking back at the foliage surrounding North Durras Township. On arrival, there were many peeps watching as the excavator slowly created a channel that would open the lake up to the sea and bring on the fishing that we’d discussed in the car. We’d hoped to meet up with Craig450 but he was still at work.

In the car, Man Talk had predicted that we’d probably catch salmon, tailor, jewies and kingfish, not one or two but probably 500… each. We were hoping to leave blood on the beaches and have a pile of fish that wouldn’t be out of place with “down on the haunches, terry-towelling hats and King Gee stubbies” poses all round. Found him, next to the tree, standing behind the green shrub. First “Where’s Koich” for the day.

The wind was ripping through and with sand was ripping into our backs that would have made a Bedouin proud, we commenced the bloodbath. Koich kept mumbling about his sweathog hoodie, “wouldn’t be cold if I had the hoodie”. I’m just thinking he’s a .... sook (Man talk), get over the hoodie dude.

Tying on my lure, I glance up and saw Koich (“Where’s Koich” no 2 for the day). First cast for the day and he’s on, a nice salmon on his bream gear, nice fish, well played sir. The salmon was subsequently photographed, de-hooked and released.I quickly threw my metal into the wash and was rewarded with a similar size salmon, game on! A slightly different species for me, Id heard about, but had never captured the Durras beach battered salmon, a new PB for me.

My next two casts also produced similar sized fish, 3 battered salmon in 3, probably the greatest fisherman Durras beach had ever seen. Sand Dune fist pump! Koich was at the waters edge at this stage washing some blood of his ands, upset once again, he couldn’t wipe the blood on his red sweathog hoodie; blood and green just don’t go. Suck it up Bitch (man talk).

In the first 30 minutes or so we’d landed 7 good sized salmon so the choice tho make the trip was a good one.We paused to head down to the opening to see how the excavator was going, “Where’s Koich” became to easy. His Green Where’s Wally” stood out prouder than a honeymooner’s todger and that put paid to my game. The hoodie issue remained and to be honest I think it affected his A game today.

As we watched the excavator dig out the remaining barrier of sand (no Craig450 yet), I watched Grandma and Grandpa Silly (holding small child) standing in the middle of the man made channel closest to the beach, camera in hand waiting to capture the moment as the water broke through I too was waiting to capture the moment, camera firmly pointed at them. Alas the first water was a trickle, with a gradual build up to a small river, Gma and Gpa Silly made it safely onto the beach away from my camera glare.

Within an hour it was a raging torrent and the lake was emptying quicker than Gra’s seed pod on the waters of Wivenhoe.

Found him (No 7)

Fisheries paid us a visit, which was good to see, I didn’t have my licence which was going to cost me 75 squid if I couldn’t produce. A quick mms of my licence from home and I was back in the good books of Inspector Plod. Lovely fellow and quite generous with his information about all things ‘Fishing Sth Coast’.

Craig450 eventually showed...

The winds picked up, it got colder, the sand blew harder and the fishing died a sorrowful death. Unlike Tuross last year when it opened and the fishing was spectacular for the hundreds that got down there, Durras left us cold, windswept and lonely, we were the last two souls left on the beach...

DAIWA-HOBIE ABT RND 13 REDCLIFFE 2-3/7/11

2011-06-17T09:24:00.009+10:00

Round 13 of the Daiwa-Hobie ABT might be lucky for some, sure to be unlucky for others. Last years event saw some XOS Bream bury many competitors in the surrounding reef. If you have ever seen an AFC DVD with footage of boaters tackling Redcliffe you will know what to expect, how you prepare for that is anyones guess. With only three events left on the calender before the Grand Final this is the last QLD event you can enter (And also its the QLD state Title event). Dont miss out on securing a spot in the GF, with 5 slots up for grabs it is sure to be a highly contested event.

July 2-3rd R13- Redcliffe (QLD ST) 5 GF spots 2 Day Event

August 13-14th R14- St Georges Basin (NSW ST) 5 GF spots 2 Day Event

September 17-18th R15- Westlakes 3 GF spots 2 Day Event

October 2nd R6- Hopkins(Rescheduled) 3 GF spots 1 Day Event - Sunday

October 29-30th Hobie GF (Port Macquarie) 2 Day Event

For more information, please click here.

http://bream.com.au/abt/2010/Hobierules1011.pdf

NSW - SOUTH COAST BREAMING 28/5/11

2011-05-31T22:57:00.004+10:00

I made a quick trip down to one of my local spots on Saturday for a morning session to try out a few new lures that i havent had much of a chance to use yet, so packed minimal gear to stop me from using my usual favourites and really work these new lures hard. The weather was perfect, with only a light breeze blowing it was a beautiful morning, and with not another person in sight made it even better.

My first choice of lure, was a soft plastic on an unweighted hook, the SP was a izumi pintail 3" japanese lure, these lures look great and i have a lot of confidence in them even though i have only used them a couple of times so far. Casting over a shallow weedbed using a darting action typical of a flickbait lure, it wasnt long into the session i got a very small tap, followed by another then on the pause the SP got hit and a nice 35cm bream soon ended up in the net.

I managed a few smaller fish from the same spot before it went quiet so i ventured further upstream casting at anything that looked fishy with only a few more small bream along the way. Eventually i found some fallen trees to cast at in a few feet of water, and on the 2nd cast i saw a bream dart out from the snag and hit the lure hooking up straight away, i really didnt think much of it at the time as the fish didnt fight too hard and came in with little resistance until it saw the yak and took off in the opposite direction.

After a solid run, the fish stopped so i applied some pressure but felt the line rubbing on something, guessing it was a snag i thought it was all over but as i pedalled to the spot the fish had just buried me deep into some thick weed. With some gentle pressure, i eventually got the fish out of the weed and into the yak for a quick measure and photo, it went 37cm fork length and was quite thick too.

I did manage a couple more from the same area that went a little smaller and lost one to a snag that i think might have been a touch bigger. On the way back i fished a bit deeper, up to 2m with some sinking stick minnows, which i have only just started to use and managed a few smaller fish between 25 and 30cm. It was only a short session but one im very satisfied with.

The pintail plastics really worked a treat, and i have a few other things i want to try with them so when i get a chance to, ill post up some results.

DAIWA-HOBIE ABT RND 12 NARRABEEN 11-12/6/11

2011-05-31T19:07:00.002+10:00

Round 12 of the Daiwa-Hobie ABT series rolls into Narrabeen for a massive two day event. Showcasing the best of the best kayak tournament anglers from around the country, its an event on the calender not to be missed. Last years event had plenty of just undersized Bream but with the new measurement system nearly every fish you land will be over the magical mark. The turnout is sure to be huge and the Sydney crew are super keen to draw blood on home turf (Bring it on).

With only four events left on the calender before the Grand Final this is the last NSW event you can enter (Apart from the State Titles at St. Georges Basin in August). Dont miss out on securing a spot in the GF as all the following events (Sans NSW S.T) are in QLD, S.A and VIC.

June 11-12th R12- Narrabeen Lakes 3 GF spots 2 Day Event

July 2-3rd R13- Redcliffe (QLD ST) 5 GF spots 2 Day Event

August 13-14th R14- St Georges Basin (NSW ST) 5 GF spots 2 Day Event

September 17-18th R15- Westlakes 3 GF spots 2 Day Event

October 2nd R6- Hopkins(Rescheduled) 3 GF spots 1 Day Event - Sunday

October 29-30th Hobie GF (Port Macquarie) 2 Day Event

For more information, please click here

SQUIDGIE SOUTHERN BREAM SERIES - ROUND 6

2011-05-31T18:56:00.004+10:00

Round 6 of the Squidgie Southern Bream Series is on this Sunday the 5th of June. Just over half way through the series and with only two more rounds to the Grand Final it's a must attend event (Especially if you havent qualified). Start and finish location is Adelaide St Reserve, Greenwell Point. Please note parking is limited so best to arrive early and snare a spot.

For entry form PDF file with all the details on the round, please click here.

For more information, please visit:

http://www.ssbs.basinlureandfly.org.au

YAK FISHER MAGAZINE #54 (WINTER EDITION)

2011-05-31T18:30:00.004+10:00

Issue #53 winter edition of Sport Fishing Australia (Incorporating YAK Fisher) is out in stores now, just in time for the onset of seasonal change. The Sport Fishing Australia section features many toparticles from seasoned sport fishing journalists such as Steve Starling, Shane Mensforth, Al McGlashan, Scott Gray and Nigel Webster, Lee Rayner, Neil Schultz just to name a few.

YAK Fisher Kayaking Magazine has Yak news plus articles on sailing a fishing kayak, Mulloway Masters, The Bays of Barrington, Currarong, Peddals, paddles and salmnoids, Egi Inc, Yakkin about Natives, Winter Estuary (By yours truly) and much, much more (Including a lovely article by on a favourite location, Tuross).

Available at all good newsagents or by subscription,

http://www.afn.com.au/cms/details.asp?NewsID=114

ACT - CARP, CARP, WEATHERING CARP 29/5/11

2011-05-30T23:24:00.005+10:00

So, what do you do when the weather has locally has been crap, the free time coastal jaunts have revealed ordinary forecasts and a trip into the mountains gets canned due to inclement weather?

Well round these parts we go Carp Fishing, and with so many local lakes to bag a Euro from the hardest part has been just making up our minds where to fish. Take your pick, there all full of them and in large numbers. Firstly we recently went down to the upper parts of Lake Tuggeranong (Opposite Bunnings) and wailed them, The action started off pretty slow and we were a hairs width away from moving on to find some place more promising when they mooched on in. Rigs of choice were the fabled Jindy Rig (1m leader, split shot, running ball above) and a Canadian hair rig (medium hook, braided hair, bait threader, small leader, large sinker).

This was the first time I had used a hair rig and I was a little sceptical at first due to the open gape and especially the Power Pro braided leader and hair. Needless to say the specialist Carp rigs worked really well and we landed around 8 fish and lost 3 or so more. Bait was mainly corn kernels but Chartreuse Powerbait nuggets were employed either stand alone or combined with the Corn. I was fishing with Tim and his mate Serge (Two Canadians) so hopes were high of an Australian victory on what was once bogan home soil (Since graduated to Northside standing). Serge landed a cracker after an hour of scattering berley, followed by Tim, then Serge, then Tim, oh wait I'm on, no I'm not, then Tim, the Serge... You get the drift, nil result for the local. Still, great times with the Maple leaves and learned the subtle art of the hair.

Secondly a bunch of us decided to take the better halves and kiddies for a picnic morning/day to another arena known as Lake Ginninderra (This time, Northside Canberra). Over the years there has been a particular possie that always seemed to be inhabited by those in the know (Long rods, fancy bite alarms, slingshots) and after a brief suss out the day before it was decided it would be worth staking a wintery claim. Conditions were great, little wind, cold start but the barometer was most likely too high for impressive results (That's what I am blaming anyway). With new found hair rig skills and a profound tier of them onboard we donned them proper and awaited the onslaught. Factoring in the one or so hour berley trail wait we held our ground but relaxed our gaze, focusing on family rather than fishing.

Activity on the water slowly started picking up but it wasn't until early afternoon before things got interesting (We arrived at 10am, long wait). Schools of Goldfish started appearing, at first a dozen or so, followed by a school football oval sized flock (Well, scattered around in large numbers anyway). Jason switched to a size 8 Mosquito hook and tried slow sinking small clumps down to them, eventually hooking and landing what looked like a small Carp but was in fact quite a large Goldfish. It's at this stage we packed up and threw in the towel, just when things were starting to get interesting. As a resident of Canberra I forget we have our own sportsfish, I guess I'm scared to label them as that (No, not the Goldfish) due to the bad publicity they so rightly deserve. I'm sure you get some sort of glowing reputation and bad karma points when you glam up days chasing Carp, but when the weather is foul, it is what it is and you don't leave the hub.

(Image courtesy of Tim Allard - www.timallard.ca)

SQUIDGIE SOUTHERN BREAM SERIES - ROUND 5

2011-05-12T17:12:00.000+10:00

Round 5 of the Squidgie Southern Bream Series is on this Sunday the 15th May. Just over half way through the series and with only three more rounds to the Grand Final its a must attend event (Especially if you havent qualified). Start and finish location is Bayview Park, Concord (End of Burwood Rd). Please note parking may be an issue if you arrive late so best be an early bird to avoid congestion and dissapointment.

From City of Canada bay website:

Due to the high demand for parking in Cabarita Park and Bayview Park and the limited number of spaces available, parking fees apply. This helps to ensure turnover and access for all users. The fees commence at $2 for up to 1 hour and increase incrementally up to $15 for 12 to 24 hours, including gst. Where a car and boat trailer park together, double fees apply. Please note that the meters only accept coins.

For entry form PDF file with all the details on the round, please click here.

For more information, please visit:
http://www.ssbs.basinlureandfly.org.au/

NSW - ST.GEORGES BASIN 7/5/10

2011-05-12T00:12:00.004+10:00

Its been a while since ive used any of the camping gear so this weekend i decided a trip to the basin with my wife and Steve, my apprentice at work..or sometimes referred to as my bitch would be a good idea. Ive been doing a bit of research lately of what the basin has to offer in the way of waterside camping, and found what looked like a great spot, close to some great fishing.

We were all loaded up and left home at around 9am on Saturday morning and after a quick stop in Ulladulla for some essential items (JD cans and ice) we were on our way, it took a few u-turns and swear words to find the right track but eventually we found it, a tight rutted out track weaving through the bush. About 1klm in, we came to a stop with a massive puddle blocking the road, i was in my wifes AWD Toyota, and Steve had my 2wd Hilux so after checking the water depth and softness of the substrate i decided it was worth a shot so i went through first and well.....it was softer than i thought and i nearly sunk and bogged the wifes car, the front wheels managed to creep up onto dry land and pulled us out thankfully.

We thought it wouldnt be a good idea to try the hilux through it so Steve had to back track a little and take an alternative route to make it back to where we waited for him. With that out of the way, we were on the move again slowly making our way closer to the water until we again got held up by a large puddle, there was no way around this one so i went through then we filled the hole up as much as we could with whatever we could find and Steve was told to hit the puddle with speed to get through. Hit it with speed is exactly what he did, maybe a little too much but he got through so its all good.

The next obsticle was a stretch of about 200m of thick slippery clay track, with deepish ruts on both sides, and as soon as i hit it in the AWD it turned sideways but keeping the power on slightly it held itself in the ruts and as i looked back, Steve was just as sideways as i was, so we managed to hold them both on a 45deg. angle to the road sliding for the whole length of the sloppy area, i was having too much fun just driving in but i was also getting very keen to wet a line. I could see the water through the tree's so i knew we were close, but as we rounded what i thought might be the last bend, we were blocked by a massive puddle that we were not going to get even close to getting through, and the bush was far too dense to bypass it :(

I saw a small track to the right no far before the big puddle so we figured we may as well see where that would take us, it would be a shame to go through what we had already done to get that close only to turn back without finding a camp so we had nothing to lose. A short trip down the small but easy track, we popped out into a perfect, flat clearing right on the edge of a very fishy looking creek, it really is a stunning piece of land so we all agreed this is where we would camp the night.

We setup camp as quick as we could and rigged some fishing gear and launched into the dead calm, quiet and fishy looking creek and cast shallow hardbodies and soft plastics to the edges and snags. Results were almost instant, but the fish were small, mainly bream but some tiny flathead were hitting the lures as well, it was hard to concentrate on the fishing though, it was just too funny watching Steve trying to get his lure back out of every 2nd tree he cast towards. I soon had my attention back to the fishing when a big EP hit my soft plastic right as it hit the surface with a typical EP style surface strike that scared the crap out of me, with a tight drag i did my very best to keep the fish away from the snag he came out of but he really wanted to get home and won the fight when he wrapped the line around a submerged branch.

The small fish kept on coming after that, and so did Steve's wild casts, some higher in tree's than ive ever seen before, but somehow he never lost a lure. I tied on a Camion SR and cast right up into the corner of a large fallen tree and the bank, and retrieved the lure along side the timber and saw a flash of silver race out and belt the lure, with the drag set even tighter than before i was confident but became concerned when the fish started to tow the yak towards the snag and before i knew it i was right in there with the fish in plain sight just under a branch and i was able to confirm it as a large black bream, i figured all i could do was try to pull him out but he had already made his escape plan and snapped me off on the timber as soon as i put the pressure on him.

2 good fish lost, i was frustrated but keen to keep trying so i went back to camp for a quick feed and launched again in the last hour of light for the afternoon, this was obviously the time for the flatties to be on the bite, every few casts i landed flatties of various sizes but they were not what i wanted. Light faded and casting got difficult so i called it a day and pedaled back to camp dissapointed but eager to get back to it first thing in the morning, so i re-tied leaders and lures while having a few cans and got ready for an early night. Morning arrived and the conditions were brilliant so hopes were high for some more action on the big bream and EP's
After an hour without a touch, those hopes soon faded and after another hour with still no luck i decide the best option would be to head out into the basin and fish deep water.

We pedaled/paddled out of the creek and out of the bay into the main basin to a particular spot i usually find good bream at, and the conditions out there were just as good as in the creek, i have never see the basin so flat before. First cast with an Ecogear blade was hit by a decent flattie which Steve wanted to keep for dinner tonight, so it went into the esky. Then a few casts later my blade was hit on the drop by a solid bream in about 7m of water, after a few screaming runs to hooks popped out and another good fish earned its freedom :(
I was starting to wonder what was going on, then a few more casts later i was hit on the drop again but actually managed to land this fish that measured in at around 30cm to the fork.

I soon landed another average basin bream that again hit the lure on the drop, i had not even had a touch during a retrieve, but the only hits i was getting were all on the drop, so i suggested to Steve he should try a lighter blade as he was getting no action either. He tied on the smallest blade he had, and like mine, he was hit on the drop and landed his first fish on a blade, which was a nice bream at about 35cm to the fork, then shortly after lost another one that hit the blade on the drop and judging by the fight we called it for a better bream than his previous, we fished the area for about 2hrs in total and didnt get 1 touch retrieving a blade, all hits and landed fish were all on the drop, just as the lure hit bottom.

Satisfied with our session we headed back to pack the gear up and prepare for the trip home, and after packing up Steve decided to have a cast from the bank with a Tiemco sinking stick minnow and pulled a nice 33cm bream from the end of a snag at the campsite. It was a good fish to end a fun trip, but unfortunately for us it was time to go and attempt to get back through the mud and ruts that nearly caught us out on the way in, and it was just as much fun as before :D

Im sure that creek will have some good sessions to offer so im looking forward to heading back there asap for another go at them.

KAYAK FISHING MAGAZINE ISSUE #39 (ONLINE)

2011-05-11T21:59:00.002+10:00

The latest edition of Kayak Fishing Magazine has just come online, packed with all the quality features and articles that make them the largest and most read kayak fishing website and publication anywhere. From featured articles, interviews, angler of the month, gear guides and a world wide tournament calender, Kayak Fishing Magazine has a lot to offer our fishing community and best of all its free!

(This issue has a great article on the Hobie Pro Angler steering upgrade)

To view the latest edition of KFM, click on the links below:

Magazine - http://www.kayakfishingmagazine.net/home.html

Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kayak-Fishing-Magazine/119502353056

AUSSIE FISH ESTUARY ADVENTURES 4/5/11

2011-05-10T13:21:00.006+10:00

Recently I was lucky enough to be invited on a guided fishing tour at Tuross, NSW with none other than renowned guide Stuart Hindson. Stuart and his Aussie Fish Estuary Adventures have been guiding up and down the NSW South Coast for numerous years and specialise in monster Flathead, Mulloway, Bream, Snapper, Tailor, Whiting and Estuary Perch. Since Tuross had reopened to the sea I had been meaning to get down for ages, and being guided by Stuart here I was all set for a great day on the water.

Departing Canberra at 5am for a 7:30am hook-up was a little taxing on the body but the mind was keen and the drive easy enough. Good friend Tim Allard had been guided here before and filled us in on the experience. We met our guide at the boat ramp and climbed onboard his survey vessel with an air of expectancy. We were informed of the tide, moon phase and what we would target for the day.

Every species was still on the cards but we started by targeting Mulloway in 6 - 8m of water. Throwing large Squidgy Fish plastics on fast sinking heads the technique was similar to blading, except with a more pronounced hop. Bait was getting smashed by Tailor and there were quite a few massive bust-ups just out of casting reach. It was interesting getting information relayed second hand (I.e. : Direct from sounder to casting deck), we covered water far better and more efficiently with the boats length than I could from a kayak.

Unlucky not to hook a Jew we pushed on to target Flathead, downsizing plastics and jig head selection. The area we stopped at looked fishy enough, but to me it was one of those places you move quickly through and give no second thought of returning to ( Here is where guided knowledge really came in handy). Super schools of bait were present and in turn predatory fish holding underneath, the drift, drop off and tidal change all had an effect on how the following hours would unfold.

Plenty of Flathead were hooked and landed including a couple of sizable specimens. With the area being so full of bait plastics were upsized and the results increased. Almost on cue they came alive and devoured the larger profile, making for some exciting takes and hook sets. Setting the hook on a Flathead take is something I'm not used to doing, along with standing on the deck of a boat casting away. With the guide explaining the importance of striking firmly, along with retrieve, when indicated we flew the rod tips skyward with impressive results.

Tim was keen to target Bream in the shallows so Stuart took us to a great looking bank. Unfortunately conditions had somewhat glassed out and the wind had dropped to almost zilch, making the fish a little spooky. Covering the length of bank slowly the three of us worked similar lures right in the shallows and along the weed bed, landing some average specimens. Moving around to some islands Tim hooked a monster and landed a very nice Bream, photos ensued and our time on board drew to an end.

What I really enjoyed about the guided experience was the information freely dished out with a laid back approach, not too steely but with just enough exertion to improve results. Stuart is infamous for his pleasant demeanour and expert knowledge he looked to have enjoyed the day as much as we had. I couldn't possibly cover all the areas and techniques he employed to us at Tuross without writing a novel but I thoroughly recommend a day on the water with his service, experienced angler or not.

More information on Aussie Fish Estuary Adventures, click on the link below:

http://www.ausfishing.com.au/

APRIL WRAP UP - A FEW RANDOM REPORTS

2011-05-02T23:49:00.005+10:00

A couple of trips we seem to have missed, days just keep floating by...

I feel like it's been a little quiet on the yak fishing front here lately, in essence I guess it has. Truth be told were all still getting out for a fish, just separately or in differing locations. Rather than trawl through the copious amounts of information I could supply I figured it would be an easier read if I just submitted a monthly recap (Bugger, sometimes time is of the essence when reports are due).

NSW - JINDABYNE 26/3/11

With a seedy swell developing down the coast Jason and I decided to head up for a spot of good old Trout fishing, including a very leisurely departure time. This would be a slightly different trip however, with Squidder relaying the art of Yabbying to an eager ear. Everyone knows how to catch a Yabby from a small pond, but to angle a lake for a feed was something quite new to me. Jason deployed his traps while I set about prospecting for Rainbows. Hatchery Bay was very full and our old school possie looked mega fishy but proved fruitless (Fishless?).

Trolling wasn't much chop either and the fish weren't in any sort of rising mood. In hindsight we probably arrived a little too late, but it didn't bother Jason (Frantically working the traps). Even with five traps out between two people (Way under legal regulations) the work involved in catching and storing the Yabbies became a full time affair. To the couple that rocked up to fish the western bank we must have looked like bugs caught in a wind lane, travelling neither here, there or anywhere.

We eventually headed to a new section of bank in shallower water and had another crack at powerbaiting. A rod eventually went off but the hook simply pulled and the bite alarm spun off straight away (Sure fire sign of bad luck). ANother gentleman rocked up to fish the western bank and started braining fish after fish in much shallower water. This was around the are our Yabby pots were deployed, and in turn the weed beds. Why hadnt we fished this part earlier?
Hatchery Bay is still a great place to fish when full but when a basin styled area fills and you haven't fished it for a while it can become bewildering.

Repeat attempts here would eliminate this, when close to or over 80% capacity the bank line choice diminishes to one rounded arena (Rather than a multitude of smaller bays). We came home with 70 decent Yabbies between us and no Trout, enough for 2 great feeds of freshwater goodness. Great trip, keen to get more amongst it.

NSW S.COAST - DURRAS 9/4/11

Reports of some decent Snapper had been diluting down through the drains back to the hub, something all good huberrans cant ignore. After a recon mission or two the greater majority of 'The Massive' attempted to make their presence felt (In a minimalistic way). Luke, Craig, Hammo, Stuey, Squidder, Paddy, Stevo, Koich and myself took to the water at various intervals. catching a combined assorted bag any random fisho would have been proud of.

Snapper, Morowng, Bonito, Ooglies, Squid and Cuttlefish graced the decks, with a few Kingfish scares chucked in for good measure (Bommie was going nuts, Pelagic central). Craig's plastic approach dominated, throwing 5" jerk shads and larger 7" models in Lime Tiger. A few others caught Snapper but Jase and I went without and started Squidding (Some purposely, others as bycatch). I hooked a decent Cuttlefish and was impressed with the tug of war but not the taste.

A few of the rascals packed up for quieter waters and had their hooks bent in the lake (Good fish around, Flathead and Bream). I've since read about some bigger reds that have appeared around the inshore areas... Beware the ticket machine malfunction and take care with the parking areas. We are pretty lucky we can access this area so easily from our kayaks, best off leaving clear access for all.

ACT - YERRABI 29/4/11

Forecasts everywhere were unfavourable and Yerrabi actually looked fairly clean. Water temperature was a little on the chilly side but the day started well. No natives unfortunately but some decent Redfin were landed by Jase (Cant believe I'm saying 'Decent', 'Redfin' and 'Yerrabi' in the same sentence). Hordes of little blighters were smashing stuff off the surface, some of the smallest actively aggressive Redfin I have ever seen. Patrolled both ends of the lake and had eventually had an interesting hook up.

Reviewed the camera footage and it was very perplexing, slow hit, big load up, hook pull, slack line, another pull, rod load up, nothing. Only way I can think of explaining it was a bigger school of Redfin became aggressive and actually chased my lure down, swapping attacking formation as each one pulled itself off the hook. Keeps you guessing I suppose, plastics accounted for all fish with hard bodies barely receiving a touch (Sans above).Was good to stay local for the first time in many months, albeit a little disappointing on the native fishing front.

Things are hopefully looking up here, perhaps the la Nina effect over Canberra has finally broken? God knows this little impoundment needs a break from all the suburban drainage its received from the newer neighbouring suburbs. I drive past occasionally and still spy one or two people fishing it after hours, not sure of their final results though. Weed growth was surprisingly minimal making trolling easier than expected, here is hoping the pond itself returns to reputable form later this year.

AQUAPONICS - BUILD IT, GROW IT, EAT IT

2011-04-19T10:45:00.007+10:00

Busy, busy, busy... More like educationally distracted.

There is a subject I have been paying a great deal of attention to for the last 6 or so months. It's not related to the art of angling in any way (Hence off topic) but it is related to the study of fish and their cycles of life. Keeping fish in an aquarium at home hasn't been of interest to me, however when I discovered it can be incorporated with a gardening food production aspect I was immediately intrigued. 'Aquaponics' is really taken off in Australia and is basically the art of Aquaculture and Hydroponics rolled under the one guise. Aquaponics is no vicious circle, In a nut shell you create a living, growing, harvestable life cycle with both fish and plant species establishing themselves organically.

Being able to watch fish and plants grow at an extremely rapid rate from my backyard is what seemed to appeal the most, followed by food production and food security. Studying species like Silver Perch and Trout from my own property is just an added bonus, you can add consuming them at the end to that list too (These are no pets). After attending a seminar and researching the art (Via web, DVD and books) Aquaponics is still all new to me and there is much to learn. You can build these yourself but my complete manufactured kit should be arriving any day now, another geeky saddle to throw on my hobbyhorse life.

Visit these links to learn more about Aquaponics and what the hell I'm rabbiting on about:

http://www.aquaponics.net.au/, http://www.backyardaquaponics.com/

GOPRO LAUNCHES 3D HERO® SYSTEM

2011-04-14T20:10:00.002+10:00

GoPro, the world's leading activity camera company, today announced the availability of the much anticipated 3D HERO® System, a waterproof 3D expansion kit for GoPro's best selling 1080p HD HERO camera. The 3D HERO System is available immediately at GoPro.com and is shipping to GoPro retailers worldwide with an MSRP of $99.99 US.

The 3D HERO System has an industry-first modular design that enables consumers to combine two 1080p HD HERO cameras to form a single 1080p 3D camera, the world's smallest and least expensive one at that. Waterproof to 180 feet, the 3D HERO System can be worn on the body, mounted on gear and vehicles, and used as a handheld camera. A dual-camera, polycarbonate, waterproof housing holds the two cameras together and a synchronization cable plugs into the back of each camera, enabling them to function as a single camera. A single shutter button controls both cameras.

"The 3D HERO System is exciting for a lot of reasons, one of them being that it's not just a 3D camera. It's really several cameras in one, depending on how the consumer wants to use it," says Nicholas Woodman, GoPro's founder and CEO. "That you can take two GoPro cameras that you would normally use independently and combined them to form a new type of camera, a 3D camera...that's extremely cool. GoPro is excited to be the first company to build a camera this versatile."

To help consumers understand how much fun it is to capture and create 3D content, GoPro has developed an online information resource - GoPro 3D Center. This online resource features written and video tutorials about 3D in general, how to capture incredible content with the 3D HERO System as well as how to view your 3D content on your laptop, online at YouTube, and on 2D or 3D TVs.

Complete product specifications, instructions and system requirements can also be found in the GoPro 3D Center at http://www.gopro.com/3d-overview

DAIWA-HOBIE ABT BASS SERIES STARTS 10/4/11

2011-04-08T22:45:00.011+10:00

Kayak anglers now have a bass tournament series designed especially for them. Run in conjunction with the Blue Fin Boats BASS Electric Series anglers have the opportunity to fish two of south east Queensland’s and northern NSW’s premier bass fisheries, Lake McDonald and Clarrie Hall Dam in this inaugural catch and release bass fishing series. Entry will be on the day of the event with a catch-photograph-release format similar to the BARRA and Flathead events deciding the champions for 2011.

Visit http://www.australianbass.com.au/ and http://www.hobiefishing.com.au/ for more information. http://www.bream.com.au/abt/2011/Kayakbassrules11.pdf

Daiwa-Hobie BASS Kayak Events – $50 per day of competition, Pro – additional $50 cash.

DATES Round Date Location Contact
# 1 Apr-10 Lake McDonald, QLD ABT (07) 3387 0888
# 2 Jun 26th Clarrie Hall Dam, NSW ABT (07) 3387 0889

DAIWA-HOBIE ABT RND 10 MARLO (ST) 2-3/4/11

2011-03-30T18:44:00.006+11:00

Round 10 of the Daiwa-Hobie ABT series rolls into Marlo for the Victorian State Titles. This is a two day combined bag event, showcasing the best of the best kayak tournament anglers from around the country. Last years event shattered bag records and the Boss Hogg was close to 2 kilos. The turnout is sure to be huge and the Victorians are super keen to draw blood on home turf (Bring it on).

Recently Marlo/Orbost and the surrounding Gippsland region have been subject to flooding, we have all been informed its well and truely subsided and the fish are on. After all, you cant keep a good Black Bream down (And many are already having Bemm River withdrawals). State Titles not only offer prestige they also offer more qualifying spots, thats if you can fit the Bream in your livewell.

April 2-3rd R10- Marlo ( VIC ST) 5 GF spots 2 Day Event

May 8th R11- Clarence 3 GF spots 1 Day Event – Sunday

June 11-12th R12- Narrabeen Lakes 3 GF spots 2 Day Event

July 2-3rd R13- Redcliffe (QLD ST) 5 GF spots 2 Day Event

August 13-14th R14- St Georges Basin (NSW ST) 5 GF spots 2 Day Event

September 17-18th R15- Westlakes 3 GF spots 2 Day Event

October 2nd R6- Hopkins(Rescheduled) 3 GF spots 1 Day Event - Sunday

October 29-30th Hobie GF (Port Macquarie) 2 Day Event

For more information, please click here

DAIWA-HOBIE ABT HOPKINS RESURRECTED

2011-03-30T18:25:00.007+11:00

A month or two ago I mentioned on KFA that the Hopkins ABT event (Round 6) was cancelled due to flooding. Hobie MD Steve Fields recently announced that the event had been resurrected and slated for the 2nd of October. This is great news for anyone that missed out on attending the original event, from all reports its a great fishery and one that supplies Bream on tap. Big props to Hobie and ABT, hope your rewarded with a record turnout (Mexicans are crazy).

For information on the event, please click here.

KFA KITCHEN - SEAFOOD SOUP (INSPIRED)

2011-03-27T21:19:00.017+11:00

I don’t tend to divulge in the art of cooking very often due to my partner Claries wonderful culinary skills. Sometimes I get inspired to oil a pan but it usually takes some sort of exciting ingredient or someone elses passion to get my pot on. Lately it’s been a bit of both, accompanied by some serious cravings. When it starts to cool down in Canberra I get a hankering for some hearty meals, heavy soups and heavy servings. I watched a couple prepare a fish stew on a TV show recently an immediately wanted to prepare my own.

I searched the internet and found various recipes but decided to omit cream and start searching for a more structured soup that involved seafood. The result was a trip to a website that showed a video of Chef Guy Grossi cooking up a stew styled soup, followed by a recipe that could easily be altered. This recipe is not my own, perhaps only slightly hybrid but worth sharing none the less. Please note the recipe has a serving size of four but depending on your own take could serve just yourself.

Ingredients:

Salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper, to taste 2 cloves garlic, chopped 1 onion, chopped 2 sticks celery, chopped 1 tbs fresh basil, chopped 1 tbs dill, chopped 2 tbs fresh coriander, washed and chopped 4 tbs tomato paste 1 cup white wine 4 tbs olive oil 2 litres fish stock 8 fresh prawns, cleaned with heads and tails intact 2 Blue Swimmer Crabs 12 fresh scallops 1 fresh tube calamari, sliced thickly 8 fresh mussels 1/2 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped

Heat a pan on a moderate heat. Add olive oil and sweat off garlic and chopped onion with the chopped carrot, celery, salt, pepper and herbs. Add the tomato paste and cook out well until the tomato paste has darkened a little. Next, add the white wine and reduce by half. Add fish stock and simmer for 20 minutes. In a large deep frying pan or pot, add crab, prawns, mussels, scallops and finally calamari.

Gently stir crab and other shellfish through the soup and season with salt and pepper. Allow soup to simmer until the crab has cooked through. Add chopped parsley before serving and serve with a slice of bruschetta in a large bowl.

KFA Kitchen tips:

Omit fish or add an oiler species like Mackerel. In our dish we used Crab, cut in half and washed thoroughly. Add more delicate seafood last when cooking. Ingredients like Chilli would work extremely well, so would Potatoes like Desiree or Pontiacs. Alternative Species: Freshwater Species

NSW STH COAST - HIPPOS, CHOKOS AND FIZZ

2011-03-24T22:00:00.011+11:00

Tuross would have to be my favourite destination for a fishing/family holiday on the South Coast for a few reasons. I have access to some great accommodation options close to the lake; secondly, some of my favourite areas to fish are equally close by to the launch site. And thirdly, contrary to most of my trips, I’ve actually fared better in the lake and feel comfortable in locating some great estuary fishing option and a feed.

Recent Tuross reports from sea wind and forbs (thanks for the chat forbs) had whet my appetite and I was fairly confident that I would enjoy some success on the water over the three days I was there.

Thursday morning I launched with a four hour window to explore my old haunts. The difference this time being that it was now tidal due to the recent lake opening after being closed for a few years. Immediately I noticed the difference as my first 3 spots produced nothing, I may as well have been fishing with a diseased choko on my line as I was getting as much love as a red headed step child. 2 hours in and I was a bit annoyed.

It's all good, I'm a good fisho, my Dad said so, so it must be true. Time to explore a little bit and find the infamous EP tree that Forbs forfeited three love children under. That didn’t happen, all good, I quickly got on my phone and brought up the ‘Patwah battles massive morwong’ photo to remind myself that I touched a fish once. It made me feel warm and cuddly, a good thing.

I reverted to the bloodworm wriggler which brought immediate success, a gill hooked legal whiting. Nice one, I much prefer to hook fish in the side of the head as it makes their mouths look purtier. With great confidence and a small round of self administered back slapping, I continued in my quest.

Next passengers on board were a brace of excitable 24-28cm bream, they really do fight hard for their size and I can see why Greg L sleeps with a stuffed one each night. That was quickly followed up by a good size Silver trevally who had a chat to Knifey Mcknife and made an appointment to view my digs back at the house. I then dropped a couple of flatties which continued my run of failing to land them yak side, I was up to 5 now (including my recent poor efforts at Nelligen).

Day 1 was over and I proudly took my small catch home to be devoured by the money burners. Proudly boasting that although it was tough, I managed a lot more fish than anyone else I saw that day. (In reality, the only other person I saw that day was an elderly man on his electric scooter with a half full colostomy bag drinking from an old Tang bottle)

Day 2 was going to better. I launched early again, forgot my camera, forgot my phone (no morwong inspiration), and forgot my dignity. However I did remember to bring a nice pair of Spotters that Paff had donated, now proudly adorned with a floating neck strap courtesy of the ABT membership pack.

I waded out with my yak and prepared to hop in as the local fizzy folk passed by. My left foot sunk 3 inches more than usually as I lifted my right foot to hop in, this created a balance issue which no amount of inner ear influence was going to overcome. It was like a young hippo collapsing into 12 inches of water, much splash and legs flailing as I buried my head in the muck. The passing fizzy had a laugh and asked if I enjoyed my swim, he wasn’t laughing when my unused sounder battery took out his left cheekbone . (didn’t happen but I thought about it)

It's all good, I’m a good yakker, my Dad said so, so it must be true.

I had a few more hours up my sleeve, so I continued up the river to do a little more exploring as I hadn’t got as far as I wanted to the previous day. The sun has come up quickly and I reached for my sunnies, not there. Maybe I dropped them? Bugger…launch…..left foot…..right foot…hippo…splash……floating lanyard……..tidal………….gone….

I started to fish an old oyster bed, that only had the posts remaining, and peppered the surface with a (must buy) lure that Squidder had put me onto a few weeks before. Apparently this lure was the bomb and he hadn’t seen them for a while, funnily enough it had the same emblem as the cheque he was depositing when I met him at the bank. Switching between the 'secret' lure and the wriggler, iI had a nice little session that produced a few bream up to 30cm and a few small whiting, again face hooked like creatures of the Camden Markets

I moved onto the flats to see if I could lose some more flatties to keep the streak going. None were forthcoming but I did manage to knock over a few flounder (undersize) and a few small bream on the flats. Bloodworm wriggler again was the successful applicant.(Groundhog) I managed to finish off with a nice flattie of around 45cm and break the streak. Day 2 was successful but not appetising enough. I trekked home and grabbed the family to see if we could get Lily (2 ½ yrs) her first fish.

While Mum was feeding little Patwah (?) on a rock, I cast out a peeled prawn into an area I knew held fish, tap tap, on and hand the rod to Lily. She looked at me and proceeded to discuss in detail what she was doing “I'm fishing with Daddy; I'm holding a rod, I wind like this and this and this and I'm holding a fishing rod and I can see a pelican and I like the water” so I quickly showed her how to wind and she managed (with some help) to land her first fish. Awesome.

I cast out again and she quickly grabbed the rod to show off her new found winding skills, within three winds another bream quickly grabbed the bait and gave her a rude little shock. I proudly watched as she wound and wound and wound (with commentary of course),. It got kind of weird then, as the fish came in she proceeded to step into the water, one foot raised, a steely glare……….then raised the rod like a spear and attempted to repeatedly impale the fish as it swam around her feet. The fish was duly beached with some verbal assistance. Amusing stuff and no doubt indicative of her future adult female behaviour.

Day 3 (last day):

I woke up at 6am to the sound of Lily coughing spluttering and dragging mucus from as low as her toes, not cool. To give Mum a rest, I got up and spent the next two hours watching ‘Tangled’ (a must see for Rapunzel fans) and put to bed any hopes of a fish before leaving for Canberra. Wife woke up and kicked me out the door with strict instruction to scratch the itch. After two minutes after standing there scratching my groin, she glared at me and told me she meant fishing not smelling my fingers. No invitation needed.!!

I headed straight for my new found flattie spot (near a red marker) and proceeded to cast into a great drop off I had located on the sounder. The next 60 or so minutes produced the best flattie fishing I have had in recent memory. Literally surrounded by the fizz fraternity (5 at last count within 60 metres) I managed to pull out 11 flatties between 40-63cm with each fish gave me curry. Having the Nitro Vapor doubled over with line screaming of my Luvias 1003 (sponsorship opportunities here) raised more eyebrows than a forum member disagreeing with Kraley. I commented to the Massive that (in my experience) Tuross flatties seem to pull a little harder than other places, I’m not sure why?

>

Comments and questions were flowing freely between the boats and boats, and boats and myself as I was continually hooking up under the noses.

F1 “What are you using mate?”
P “Diseased Choko”

F2 “You’re on fire mate”
P “No Im not, it's an orange shirt”

F3 “Save some for us mate”
P “Smell my fingers”

F4 “get out of the way”
P “Check yo’self before I wreck yo’self”

It was a great little session and I had an absolute ball, I must add that the fizzy fanatics were well behaved and very appreciative of my efforts in the plastic tub. A nice way to wrap up the three days away.

“You're a great fisho and yakker mate”

“I know, my Dad told me so”

NSW STH COAST - A NEW LOCATION 19/3/11

2011-03-20T23:07:00.006+11:00

With the local waters close to home fishing slow lately, i decided a trip a little north to Wandandian creek would be a nice change so i packed the night before and made the trip up on Saturday morning to chase some Bream. The weather was horrible, dark clouds above and a decent breeze made for a very gloomy launch but areas of the creek looked sheltered enough to get a decent session out of so the yak went in the water at around 8am.

The first cast of the morning was with a Squidgie soft plastic cast into the snags and was taken aggressively by a undersized Bream which fought well above its weight. The action was consistent all morning, with most snags holding fish but nothing of any decent size. I pedaled downstream some more and saw some surface strikes deep into the snag so i fired a few casts into it with no response from the suspected EP.

A few minutes later, i saw another surface strike so i cast the plastic right to the spot and got nailed before i could even close the bailarm on the reel, the fish swam straight for the nearest snag and tied me up in it and earned its freedom. Within 10m of the first bust off, i got done 3 times all in a very similar scenario, so i upgraded from 4lb leader to 8lb hoping to be able to apply the brakes onto a few of these better fish but the only thing this achieved was spooking them and as a result, i was not even getting the hits anymore.

Frustrated, i went back to the 4lb leader and straight away started getting hits again and landing a few more Bream just on or over the legal 25cm mark. I changed from the soft plastic to a Khamsin Jr hardbody lure, and on the first cast with it i got smoked again straight into the timber and lost the lure. This happened many more times, and after the 7th or 8th Khamsin donated to the creek, i opted to go back to the SP's before it cost me more in lures than it already had.

Casting a 2" gulp shrimp at the edges i managed a few more small bream before coming up tight on a heavier fish which was a nice 65cm Flatty, which was released again after a quick photo. That was the last fish of the day, time had run out for me, so i called it quits and headed back just before the rain came down, avoiding a good soaking.

It was a very enjoyable session, and i wished i had more time up there but i will return and hopefully land some of those fish that wanted my lures so bad.

YAK FISHER MAGAZINE #53 (AUTUMN EDITION)

2011-03-14T18:05:00.003+11:00

Issue #52 summer edition of Sport Fishing Australia (Incorporating YAK Fisher) is out in stores now, just in time for the onset of seasonal change. The Sport Fishing Australia section features many top articles from seasoned sport fishing journalists such as Jason Metcalf, Shane Mensforth, Brent Hodges, Roderick Walmsley, Nigel Webster, Lee Brake, Daniel Kent just to name a few.

YAK Fisher Kayaking Magazine has Yak news, Tournament results, dedicated Kayak test rundowns and also features many articles by industry stalwarts covering new products / innovations / gear reviews. The summer Issue includes 1770, Surf Launching & Beaching, DIY Getting Noticed, Offshore Game Fishing, Yak reviews, Sterling Silver and much, much more.

Available at all good newsagents or by subscription,

http://www.afn.com.au/cms/details.asp?NewsID=114

DAIWA-HOBIE ABT RND 8 FORSTER REPORT

2011-03-14T17:52:00.005+11:00

After a FFC hiatus in 2010, the Forster round of the Daiwa-Hobie ABT series (Along with the Minn Kota Mega Bream) were again recognised as the two forefront and opening tournaments of the returning Forster Fishing Carnival. With a massive marquee providing a backdrop for the various area of the fishing competition, including the ABT weigh in stage, the scene was more than adequately set for a great kayak fishing tournament round. With support from companies/brands like Berkley and the products and cash prizes available to triumphant anglers the stakes were high (And the oyster racks nigh!).

The turnout was as expected quite high with 55 anglers assembling there tournament kit on the shores of the marina. The early morning shotgun start was delayed slightly due to the prevailing light but once underway was a sight to behold. Stories of a tough pre fish governed either a change in direction or a steadfast approach. With game plans and nous at the ready, beginning the search for a spirited bag of Bream would take many deep into the realms of Wallis lake and the system proper.

Many elements seemed to be against us from the start, mainly the tidal influence and the raging currents. Being a netted system and with the event run on a low tide during our scheduled tournament times made the going a little tougher, rendering many previously visited flats low on water and some virtually unfishable. The same can't be said for the many racks that abound though, Bream filled these tackle destructive underwater voids and ventured out only if the presentation was just right.

Being a combined bag two day event the pressure was on to perform straight off the bat, by the end of day one almost half the field failed to secure a legal tip length Bream (25cm to the tip measurement). Many undersize Bream were reported, termed 'Squeakers' these fish were in abundance and plagued the flats along with the racks. Day two brought windier conditions making drifting the racks in some areas a hull scratching affair. Some anglers told of losing multiple lures to racks and underwater obstacles whilst others had dream runs that shot them up the leader board.

Ian Seeto switched from boat to kayak and took out the $100 Boss Hogg with a 850gm Bream. Detailing the top three, In third place was previous winner Stewart Dunn with 6/2.57kg ($400, Atomic Pack). Jason Meech took a well deserved second with 6/2.61kg ($600, Berkley Pack). Luke Kay took 6/2.73kg and walked away a thousand dollars richer ($1100, Daiwa Pack), taking first place and the event win.. Courtesy of Hobie every entrant that didn't feature in the top three went into the draw to win a brand new Hobie Outback. Bill Woods was announced as a worthy recipient and cheers rang out throughout the tent, Bill is a regular on the kayak tournament scene and rarely fails to make an appearance.

1 Luke Kay Kayak 3 1.51 3 1.22 6 2.73 $1,100
2 Jason Meech Kayak 3 1.42 3 1.19 6 2.61 $600
3 Stewart Dunn Kayak 3 1.4 3 1.17 6 2.57 $400
4 Dave Hedge Kayak 3 1.38 3 1.05 6 2.43 $300
5 Nicholas Meredith Kayak 3 1.38 3 1.02 6 2.4 $250
6 Jason Lambert Pro 3 1.06 3 1.25 6 2.31 $200
7 Chris Burbidge Kayak 3 1.2 3 1.04 6 2.24 $175
8 Ian Seeto Kayak 2 0.66 3 1.51 0.85 5 2.17 $150 + $100 Boss Hog (0.85kg)
9 Greg Lewis Kayak 3 1.16 2 0.91 5 2.07 $150
10 Bob Boss Kayak 3 1.12 3 0.88 6 2 $100

For the events full tournament results and wrap up, please click here.

From a personal point of view I found the fishing extremely tough going over the two days. I lost count of how many 'Squeakers' I nailed, light gear and the pulling weight of a foul hooked Bream had me thinking I was out of the donut van on more than one occasion. Being confident fishing cockle bed flats my spot of choice failed to produce during my pre fish but I dropped a legal or two. Venturing back on day one found the opposing flats firing with an hour to go, not enough time to stick around and make the most of it. Day two I searched unfamiliar water in search of similar flats and ended up returning, dropping a good Bream and failing to rid some sort of Flathead curse.

It's the experience you gain on the water that makes you a better fisherman off the water, be that a favourable result or not. Money just can't buy that sort of stuff, even if you spend hundreds on tackle and don't get to test it. It was my fourth visit to Forster and it basically mirrored my previous efforts, still I will return (With more newfound respect). A great waterway, a great tournament and all round a great weekend fishing with friends. Congratulations to the winners and also well done to the visiting Canadian Tim Allard for weighing in a fish in his first Bream tournament in Australia.

Bring on those giant Marlo Blacks...

DAIWA-HOBIE ABT RND 8 FORSTER 12-13/3/11

2011-03-06T22:21:00.007+11:00

March signals the return to the paddocks, the big bruisers and the fast tidal sweep. The Forster ABT event will be run on Saturday the 12th and Sunday the 13th, a combined tournament bag of 6kg+ over two days is more than possible (1kg Bream on tap). It will not matter if you fish racks, edge bites, flats, drop offs or other system structure the chance of tangling with an epic fish and shooting up the leaderboard is yours for the taking, all you have to do is enter. An event that has to be seen to be belived, can we top a record field of 57? (Set at Bemm River 2011).

March
12-13th R8- Forster 3 GF spots 2 Day Event
26-27th R9- Albany (WA ST) 5 GF spots 2 Day Event
April
2-3rd R10- Marlo ( VIC ST) 5 GF spots 2 Day Event
May
8th R11- Clarence 3 GF spots 1 Day Event – Sunday
June
11-12th R12- Narrabeen Lakes 3 GF spots 2 Day Event
July
2-3rd R13- Redcliffe (QLD ST) 5 GF spots 2 Day Event
August
13-14th R14- St Georges Basin (NSW ST) 5 GF spots 2 Day Event
September
17-18th R15- Westlakes 3 GF spots 2 Day Event
October
29-30th Hobie GF (Port Macquarie) 2 Day Event

For more information, please click here

SQUIDGY SOUTHERN BREAM SERIES - ROUND TWO

2011-02-28T21:12:00.004+11:00

A win and two donuts, better than we predicted...

The Clyde River round of the 2011 SSBS tournament series was held on Sunday the 27th February in mixed conditions. The weather was quite surreal as it changed from rainy and overcast to muggy and hot, far from the predicted 30 degrees a local assured me of (Yes Moi Moi, you). Another great field turned out with numerous boats and 20 kayakers, all ready to take on the stubbornness that only Nelligen’s fishery could produce. I had some demons that needed exorcising here and promised myself I wouldn’t rest till it was all said and buried. There is never a clear winner at the Clyde round, just scrappers and bleeders battling it out on a very level playing field.

Before I go any further I must say that as a system I detest this place, it’s not that its a bad location (Far from it) for a tournament it’s just my general fishing experiences here have been rather poor. It’s a very up and down system and it should be noted that many moons ago it was an ABT fishing arena but was removed from their calendars due to its poor bag limit showing (Guessing that last part). The facilities in the area are great, the township of Nelligen quite pleasant, the bloody Jewfish iconic but when it comes to Bream fishing the Nelligen end just plain bites. Can you tell that I got served up a big fat donut at this round, making it a hat trick at this venue and putting me well on the way to half a dozen Krispy Kremes? (Or do I need more passion?). Just remember though, I’m not suggesting the SSBS follow the ABT lead here... Not at all.

Thankfully it was fun day on the water but the exercise in both my legs and patience were probably overextended. Met a few new people and caught up with ‘The Massive’ crew out in full force, minus master Patwah. Good old Craig Coughlan took out the Nelligen round (Well deserved) followed by Andrew Death and Rob Chambers. Stu somehow managed a fish on his way back to the beach while both Jason and I shared similar stories of lost fish and bloody Estuary Perch. More than once I had my ‘Pants pulled down’ by finicky Bream that would hit hard, even returning to nip and run (Brand new lure, straight out the pack). For some reason I just couldn’t find a hook set all day, the only patch of Bream I could of possibly managed a fish from was right near the end of a 18km round trip from start to finish (Lessons learned, don’t explore and stick with what you know).

My example of the day comes from a wayward cast into an elongated snag pile in a foot of water. As the lure sailed over a branch miles to high off the water it tea bagged into the drink and was hit hard on a light drag. All I could mutter was ‘Oh no’ as this Bream took my Khamsin deeper into the tree, swimming under branches and by now lying on its side. My braid resembled a spider’s web and just as I positioned the kayak in a way that would allow some kind of lateral thinking on how to reclaim at least some of the braid back the Bream swam out past me. With no pressure on I quickly gathered up my now limp line and peered in the water, great its a bream and legal too.

I reached for the net and noticed my Nitro rod bent in half stuck in-between the rear rod holder and a rather large tree branch. Expecting two snaps now I somehow managed to free my rod from its barky grip and returned my attention to this trouble causing bastard fish, which in the end simply smiled, opened its mouth and swam away. It didn’t change my day as I was sincerely humbled by this fish (And that’s an understatement) and was feeling both ends of the spectrum (Devastated and delighted). On one hand it would have been an average start to compiling a bag (By legal I mean maybe 28cm tip?) and I blew it, but on the other it was still early enough to do something about it. Oh Big Island must be just around that corner, perhaps I will just meander a couple more kilometres along the banks and hope to god the tide stops ripping through... Oh dear oh dear.

My original life plan for February was take a trip to Tasmania, catch up with Claire’s family and fish the St. Helens round of the ABT. As I drove home I pondered their leader board and felt quite jealous of the blue nosed bruisers that they had to of been catching. One could only imagine that these two events, in different locations (On the same day) would bring about such strikingly similar results. Congratulations to the Basin Lure and Fly crew for another great round. Great result again Craig and congratulations for taking out a round close to home; good to see you back on a kayak and doing so well.

For full tournament results, please click here.

LIBERALS/NATIONAL COALITION FISHING POLICY

2011-02-24T13:57:00.006+11:00

The Liberals/Nationals coalition have released their policy on Marine Parks and Recreational Fishing, in the lead up to the NSW state elections on 26 March 2011.

You can read the policy at http://nsw.nationals.org.au/images/stories/pdf/marine%20parks%20policy.pdf

In the latest newsletter from Fishing World (http://www.fishingworld.com.au/news/coalition-fisheries-plan-reveals-commonsense-policy), Fisheries shadow minister Duncan Gay is said to have promised that the coalition will re-form a stand-alone fisheries department and add a parliamentary secretary to look after the recreational fisheries sector, invest more money in commercial buy-outs and form advisory committees with elected rather than appointed angler representatives.

According to the policy, the coalition will:

Maintain the existing six marine parks and a moratorium on the creation of new marine parks and fishing closures, pending the outcome of an independent scientific audit.
Subject to the results of the scientific independent audit; expand the current Habitat Protection Zones within existing marine parks.
Commit to removing pressure on fish stocks and marine environment through a $16 million, 4-year commitment for a commercial fisherman buyout policy. We will continue our commitment for a voluntary buy out of commercial fishers where it represents the most appropriate means of reducing excessive pressure on the natural environment subject to the wise and sustainable supply of seafood to consumers.
Ensure the conservation needs of the grey nurse shark are met well into the future.
Implement recovery/preventative measures for any identified problems or potential threats including initiatives like seasonal closures, gear restrictions, tougher bag limits where needed and/or protection zones for identified species.
Immediately commission an independent scientific audit of the effectiveness of existing zoning arrangements in meeting domestic and international commitments to the conservation of marine biodiversity.

As part of the scientific audit we will initiate a comprehensive trial of environmentally friendly recreational fishing techniques in areas under review. We will address the problem of aggregation of fishing effort caused by Labor's current zoning arrangements within marine parks. The audit will examine which lead agency (Fisheries or the Department of Environment and Climate Change) is the most appropriate to manage Marine Parks. Local Community Social and Economic Impact Statements will include the audit into the design/effectiveness of Marine Parks.

Follow the scientific audit with site and species specific assessments of local environments to identify real and/or perceived threats from fishing and other sources. Ensure that the NSW Liberals & Nationals Marine Parks Policy will be in accord with future fisheries reforms and greater integration with urban planning, including issues surrounding agricultural land use and water run-off from urban areas. Create a new joint Recreational and Commercial Fishing Advisory Committee including stakeholders from the fishing industries.

Part of the NSW Liberals & Nationals action plan is to restore accountability to government by giving people a say on issues that affect their lives. A NSW Liberals & Nationals Government would audit the current management of NSW Fishing Trust funds, including the process by which trust funds are allocated, in order to ensure this money is being used in the most effective and appropriate manner and the process of allocating funds is a democratic one.

Improve the awareness of anglers of zoning arrangements so fines are not handed out to unsuspecting people drifting into restricted areas. This may include simplifying zoning arrangements and better markings of restricted areas. Review the current system of inspection by Fisheries compliance staff with a view to improving the NSW Government’s commitment to greater public compliance with rules and regulations governing sustainable conservation of aquatic systems.

Shooters and Fishers Party announce position statements:
The Shooters and Fishers Party has released four Position Statement and Action Plans on its website http://www.shootersandfishers.org.au/.

Titled ‘Safeguarding the Environment’, ‘Natural Resources’, ‘Fair Recreational Access’ and ‘Society and Service Delivery’, the papers cover many issues related to recreational fisheries management, regulation and access and includes points:

We will encourage the new Government to immediately legislate to create a Statutory Authority for recreational fishers. We will aim to have the Government establish a single authority responsible for management of fisheries and marine parks. Merging Fisheries NSW and Marine Parks as one Authority – Fisheries NSW, to eliminate conflict and improve customer service for rec. fishers in this state.

We will strive to open Marine Parks to sustainable recreational fishing, using evidence based management programs. We will pursue ongoing Government funding of recreational fishing advisory bodies. We will work to improve recreational fishing opportunities, through the implementation of sustainable utilisation programs, such as catch-and-release, and breed-and-release programs for Native Fish Species.

We recognise the impact that invasive species like European Carp have on our inland native fisheries and we commit to implementing a carp bow-fishing program through Game Council NSW to help reduce the impact of this pest on our native fish species. We will ensure the important work done by the Gaden and Ebor trout hatcheries receives on-going funding so that they can continue to provide trout fishing opportunities in NSW.

Recreational fishing can at times be associated with risk to personal safety. We will establish on-going funding of community fishing safety education programs and expansion of the 'Angel Rings' placement program at key areas along the NSW coastline. We will ensure that Government maintains proper public access to all inland and estuarine waters for the benefit of recreational fishers. We know it is important to have safe, good quality boating facilities. That is why will advocate for more and improved boat ramp facilities, across NSW.

(Excerpts taken from http://www.freshwateranglers.com.au/)

THE 'SPOT X' THAT SHALL NOT BE NAMED (O.T)

2011-02-23T00:06:00.003+11:00

I read a few comments about a particular spot on a fishing forum recently, observing them speaking in code (Or tongues) and evidently trying to keep a spot off the radar. Funnily enough this particular location has been the subject of secret squirrel mutterings for a few years now (That I have noticed ) and it got me thinking, how really untouched is your super special spot X?

Being from a freshwater background this subject comes up now and then, either fiercely contested or quickly swept under the carpet. You see, round these parts a great spot can be hard to come by and pulling a nice fish is, how do I say it, gratifying. Living where I live and belonging in a previously decade long parched environment some of the more iconic spots round the way have simply vanished.

Government bodies offering incentives to fishing clubs have provided Canberra and its surrounds by replenishing recent doldrum fisheries with good numbers of Native species (Well done I might add). Subject to introduced species invasion some even remained pristine and as far from rural as possible (Forget the 'Bush Capital' logic). One in particular was seen as shooting fish in a barrel to many angling peers but yet astounded onlookerswho were naiveas to what lay in front of them.

It's funny as at one stage myself and some mates called this particular location 'Spot X', hardly ever spying another angler(In many years) gracing its presence. The fish were immaculate, healthy and sizable and we literally thought we had the place under the thumb. It was never mentioned on forums and was a taboo subject in outsider chit chat/fishing circles.

Turns out that we basically fished it so early in the day or late at night that we missed the other 9-5 crowds attendance (Discarded fishing line and all). Urban population increased, road conquering drives were formed and civil planning took over. Before we knew it a weekends jaunt heralded a dozen or so anglers on the water, some in boats (Illegal I might add), others in kayaks and some bank bound. These weren't your everyday fisherman either, they were all hunting the same glory we were and new what was there (Be that a photo, a memory or a feed for the table).

Water quality began to deteriorate, weed growth flourished and eventually the dreaded Redfin appeared. How the pest fish appeared was anyone's guess but rumours of illegal stocking and adjoining suburb runoff ran rife (I sure as hell was confused). Either way they weren't stocked by the Government, far frombeing a naturaloccurance and in the past totally nonexistent. People were pissed that this might ruin the pondage, but it was proved the stocked Natives had held their ground and many anglers continued to flock to the area.

My point is I was in a bubble, a small secluded world were everything revolved around secrecy (And I am guilty as charged). I can think of a dozen locations off the top of my head I don't like mentioning in public and as a fishing journalist I often feel perplexed. I want to publish and expose these areas as a unique angling opportunity, one to visit and treasure for the rest of your life. However, having been shown these spots by peers and after researching any history on the location(Be that print or studying the land) I have concluded that nine times out of ten it would be highly irresponsible of me to do so (But it can be done in the right ways).

My 'Spot X' might not be your 'Spot X', as it turns out you have probably fished it before (Or someone you know has). Case in point being the opening paragraph relating to another particular spot, and this time involving saltwater. In 2006 I and many others were shown an area that was out of the wind and far from any maddening crowd. Being a frightfully helpful fellow, I am damn sure not a singular thought regarding secularism crossed his mind before guiding me and a dozen other kayak fishermen onto this waterway.

Being part of a larger system and with the weather poor our visit was brief but spectacular. I swore black and blue to return and have done so with others who either knew about its location previously or didn't (Not that it mattered anyway). Having a plethora of vintage fishing magazines and books at my disposal I considered myself a bit of a location buff but this location was so far off my radar I had skipped over it many times, searching maps for its upmost reaches where Bass may lay.

Finding the facts in a faded freshwater journal I traced the rivers history and found half a dozen articles over the last 20 years that detailed its exact whereabouts, its popularity and its profitability (By angling standards). These were no sordid articles either, pure old school information worth more than its weight in gold. As time went by it most probably appeared to be forgotten about, tell tale fishing floats and 'Others' soon put that reasoning to bed. By 'Others' I meant the tinny full of overweight men that grunt at you on the way past upriver, not any individual perpetrates of all things secret.

Communication on the internet whilst mentioning certain locations can be a hard knock affair, those that can remember will recall KFA coping a serve previously (Via search engine results). A spots success can get out of hand rather quickly and even a fishing bible/encyclopaedia dated B.C, rereleased and reprinted thousands of times becomes dated information, thanks to the art of Google. In my published opinion there is nothing wrong with mentioning areas and providing detailed information to the public on the internet or in person, but be advised some of those 'Others' don't think so.

In summarising, this post was all just about getting your brains ticking over, nothing more and nothing less. There is no personal pot-shots, no skulduggery and no self vilification. Nobody should take any offence, just read and take in any differing opinion on the subject (If you have one). Indecently that last place I mentioned was Bumbo Creek (Upper reaches of Tuross). It's not hard to find and worth a visit, especially if you want to chase E.P's or decent Bream (Never mind the large Flathead). My Dad once told me he used to fish it a bit in his earlier years and it was full of Bull Sharks...

Go figure!

NSW S.COAST - ST. GEORGES BASIN 9/2/11

2011-02-10T23:33:00.004+11:00

St Georges Basin is quite a system, both from a size health perspective. Its one of those places that can kick you in the arse if you’re not careful (Think wind gusts) but continue to deliver the goods time and time again. When my good friend Tim Allard (Canadian Fishing Journalist) started frothing over another trip to the salt I knew only one destination could really supply the goods. You see, our recent Durras trip was hit and miss (Some fish, mainly small and scattered) and the Clyde spectacularly bombed out (No fish, except massive random Long Tom), there was no way I was just venturing just down the mountain.

Extra distance would be worth the effort (Given the forecast) which involved an early start and a jaunt down Nerriga Road to Basin View. I haven’t travelled this road for many years (Since my childhood) and only remember parts like forests and dirt. Was good to see nothing much has changed, although from the township of Nerriga onwards it was quite a pleasurable experience ($80 Million dollar road upgrades will do that). My Forester, towing the kayak trailer, hates round marbled surfaces so slow and steady got us there bang on 7:45am (Easy two hours +).

Conditions were almost perfect for fishing, albeit a little drizzly. The 5% chance of rain predicted eventuated on arrival and hung around most of the morning. As usual I was unprepared for the weather (No spray jacket) but Tim was a little smarter. It was the first time Tim had been in the Hobie Quest so there was more than a little change from the mighty Pro Angler. Its worth mentioning that he has fished from a paddle kayak before, just not whilst on Australian soil (Vanuatu does not count Tim). He relished the opportunity and grabbed it with both hands (Paddle that is).

Launching from Basin View was the best option as I knew the chance of possible action was a lot closer than say a Palm Beach posting. As we paddled over we noticed a good drop off just out from the entrance of Wandanian Creek, an area that we began working with hard bodies (Both surface and sub). Flathead was the target from the table and Bream for the mercy release, anything else would just be a celebrated by catch. I have to say it was great fishing the Basin outside of a tournament and weekend situation, a few boats may have been in attendance but we literally had the place to ourselves.

The fish came on a little slow, only to pick up the pace and the turn of the tide. Flathead after Flathead, Tailor after Tailor, it didn’t really matter what we threw. Blades worked well with both Tim and I collecting fish on Berkley Big Eyes and an Ecogear VX (Both gold patterns). Bream weren’t responding to the surface until the receding water pushed the bait into venerable positions. Tim caught a couple on a blade (Including his first Bream, a cracker too) while I slugged it out with a few decent specimens on ultra finesse gear in a foot of water (Heart in mouth stuff).

A couple of interesting occurrences happened, mainly with Leatherjackets finning in the shallows and kamikaze Tailor going bezerk. I gave up looking for the Bream and started doing battle with these silver soldiers. A Hat trick of surface casts, some major lure carnage and a few tackle losses summed up my experience, I had an absolute blast and kept a few for the table. Time ran short like on all good days so we had to turn tail and run for the hills. Whilst packing up at the boat ramp and speaking to another Hobie addict a Ute pulled up with two guys who immediately asked how we went. “Want a Kingfish? Kingy in the back mate, it’s yours. “

Well I wasn’t going to look a gift horse in the mouth and went over to check the fish out. It was legal, well looked after and ready to rock and roll back to Canberra. Thanks to the kindness of strangers we returned home with a great haul of Flathead, Tailor and ofcourse Kingfish. Tim had a smile on his face the whole way home, and the images taken on both our cameras will capture those great moments forever. Glad you had a blast Tim, especially on the faithful Quest ‘Mary Jane’, a great steed worthy of a fish or two. I’m really looking forward to returning to the Basin for the SSBS and the ABT tournaments, and if I get half the chance I will return even earlier.

NSW S.COAST - NORTH TURA BEACH 29/1/11

2011-02-05T22:05:00.005+11:00

After a big week long holiday kayaking and fishing (Separate, together, whatever) at Bemm River I returned back to Canberra and then left almost straight away. Had my step Mother’s 60th down the far South Coast of NSW (Pambula to be exact) and believe it or not I didn’t take the kayak. At first I thought I was going crazy but I soon realised I just needed a relaxing trip away with bugger all baggage. I still wanted to go fishing whilst there but what would be the easiest way to wet a line without plunging a family social calender into selfish disarray?

The easiest and most waining choice would be a quick beach session, most probably solo on the arriving night. My old 13’ outfit felt quite heavy and the 10kg Maxima Ultragreen wasn’t going to do me any favours in the ‘bite’ department, maybe I could (Make that should) buy a new outfit on the way?. I didn’t need a combo too crazy, just lighter and spooled with sensitive line. Rovex Aureus with under bound guides, made of a carbon composite fitted the bill nicely. I matched this to a more salt tolerant Rovex Big Boss 6500, spooled with 25lb Super PE and a 40lb Sunline Shock Leader.

Dad mentioned he was up for an early flick and that North Tura beach was a good option (backing up the actual helpful advice from the tackle shop employee). Tide chart suggested an early morning sortie so the pilchards were purchased and the sinker pounds packed. As it turned out the new rod made casting into the surf much easier, that and it was damn light. Accompanied with the Super PE and new reel, beach fishing proved to be a more enjoyable affair than I dared to remember (Not really fair comparison to my old heavy Penn combo).

Smack bang on the incoming tide the Salmon came on thick and fast. The first Salmon busted my 40lb leader on its primary agitated lunge (Bang,bang,bang, gone). Dad was loading up like a champ while I retied, spying my free hooked Salmon fleeing through the waves in the process. They weren’t the biggest I had ever seen, girth wise though they were massive. Just as quickly as they came on after a few fish each they simply disappeared. If we arrived 10 minutes earlier the score would have been doubled but hey, this was a quick mercy dash to keep my jitterbugs at bay.

Thanks for the company Dad, a throwback to good old Shoalhaven 7 mile...

DAIWA-HOBIE ABT RND 6 HOPKINS CANCELLED

2011-02-01T20:55:00.003+11:00

(Taken from http://www.hobiefishing.com.au)

Daiwa-Hobie BREAM Kayak- Hopkins Round Cancelled

With the recent floods in Victoria and a host of rivers running high and brown the decision has been made to cancel the Hopkins River round of the Daiwa-Hobie BREAM Kayak Series scheduled for 13th February.

ABT, Daiwa and Hobie regret having to cancel the event, but we believe this is the best option. Any enquiries can be directed to ABT on (07) 3387 0888.

NSW S.COAST - BACK IN THE SADDLE 30/1/11

2011-01-31T20:14:00.006+11:00

30cm black bream taken on a Zipbait skinny pop

I have spent some time without a yak of my own recently which is the reason for the lack of south coast fishing reports on my behalf. However, last Wednesday i picked up my brand new Hobie Pro Angler (the same colour as my last one just the new model) thanks to Pauly at The Sailing Scene in Sydney, who opened the shop especially for me so i could pick it up before the weekend.

Sunday afternoon was my first opportunity to get the yak in the water, so i decided that since i had a limited amount of time to fish i would stay close to home and fish the local river, but with the amount of boat traffic present, mainly ski/wake boats i thought my best option would be to drive as far upstream as possible before the river turns to fresh water and fish for black bream and estuary perch.

I launched at 4:30pm and arrived at my spot just after 5pm and fished poppers and unweighted plastics around the many snags in the upper reaches of the system and i was rewarded early in the session with a bream just on legal size. The action was fairly consistent, getting hits on both lures every couple of casts, and landing fish every few minutes but i found it tough to find any of the real bruisers that i know live around the area.

All of the fish were bream in the 25-28cm size range, but fought hard for their size close into the snags. At this stage i was thinking of heading home until i cast the unweighted plastic towards a snag but it wasnt one of my best casts and landed a metre or so from the target, but as soon as the lure hit the surface a bow wave shot out from the snag and hit the plastic hard, the drag screamed as the fish went for deeper water, then performed a U turn and went straight back into the same snag it came from and snapped the line.

Shortly after, i landed a 30cm fork bream on the Zipbait popper from the edge of a shallow weedbed. I was just about out of daylight so i started the pedal back casting at a few snags and weedbeds along the way without any luck.

Im very happy to be back in a yak and enjoying the many different opportunities it can provide, and im looking forward to getting back into the comps as well.

SSBS RND 1 - GEORGES RIVER RESULTS 31/1/11

2011-01-31T00:17:00.007+11:00

Congratulations to Andrew Death for taking the win at the first SSBS event of 2011.

2.21kg's is a huge bag and is another impressive result, relagating Stewart to third (Only just Stu, Hedge on your tail). Biggest field assembled for a bream comp in Australia, over 100 entrants (Including 80 + boaters). Next round is the infamous Clyde River at Nelligen, no doubt I will be pre-fishing it till the cows come home (Last two comps here, 2 x donuts). For anyone looking to get involved in the world of tournament fishing look no further than the SSBS Series...

For more information on the SSBS series, please click here.

1 Andrew Death 2.21 3 50
2 Robert Chambers 1.89 3 49
3 Sailing Scene/Lox Rods Stewart Dunn 1.585 3 48
4 Dave hedge 1.535 3 47
5 Luke Kay 1.43 3 46
6 Hobie Fishing Carl Dubois 1.265 3 45
7 Fully Loaded Man Jason Peters 1.245 3 44
8 Ronnie Sonter 1.17 2 43
9 Alan Parkinson 1.145 2 42
10 Daniel Holder 1.125 3 41
11 NSW SCKF Jason Childs 0.96 2 40
12 Sean O'Hagan 0.745 1 39
13 I Fish Jason Lambert 0.725 2 38
14 Jason Reid 0.47 1 37
15 Terry Grimn 0.45 1 36
16 Brian Rutledge 0.38 1 35
17 Jonathon Chen 0.37 1 34
18 Westie Clint Short 10
19 Ken Raley 10
20 Marcel Chaloupka 10
21 Scott Carmody 10
22 Peter Woods 10
23 Michelle Carmody 10
24 Tom Duffy 10
25 AKFF Dave Gleeson 10
26 Eric Wood

DAIWA-HOBIE ABT RND 5 BEMM REPORT 23/1/11

2011-01-30T22:55:00.003+11:00

The anticipation, the journey, the heralded return...

The 2011 Daiwa Hobie ABT Kayak Series has many spectacular settings and destinations, none more hyped than the tournaments return to the mighty Bemm River. With a reputation for big southern Black Bream, the Victorian town conjured up an impressive turnout of competitors. So many in fact that the event earned its mega breamin’ tag and broke all previous ABT Kayak records by amassing the biggest turnout ever seen at any ABT Kayak event since its inception (57 entrants to be exact).

The majority consisted of sturdy Breamers, the first time hopeful, non boater stalwarts, interstate travellers and a massive flock of Victorian residents ready to cast more than an eye over the solid field. With Bemm River being the popular fishing and camping destination many arrived days earlier to take advantage of the impressive waterway, scouring possible hotspots developing what game plans they could (Just which direction to go, when and why?).

The official practice session on the Saturday gave many an insight into what to expect come tournament day. The sight of pre-fishing competitors and the numerous reports of sizeable Bream on offer had many minds agape. Those that could reflected on their efforts and last year’s Bemm bumper crop, ABT weigh master Simon Goldsmith and those infamous bump tubs were expecting the full kit and caboodle (The elusive three kilo mark).

The chance for history to repeat itself was nigh. On Sunday the 23rd of January the tournament assembled on the shores of Sydenham Inlet, with full catering by Alpine Country (Hobie Dealer) and the presence of the new ABT/Fishing Monthly Trailer. Mr. Goldsmith accompanied by Josh Carpenter prepped the entrants and assembled onlookers on the rules, etiquette and what lay ahead come weigh in. With just minutes to go a couple more individuals arrived and boosted the total number of live wells that needed to be inspected to 57 (As mentioned previously an impressive new record).

The ABT officials commenced time on and the contestants spilt off in alternate directions. Some ventured towards the bay flats, others as I found out later trekked a lot further. The Bream may of been feeling a little stung after the official pre-fish but the overcast conditions provide an idyllic backdrop and more than made up for any immediate lack of action (My experience only). As with most Bream events your approach was determined by the conditions. Would the surface be a big fish early morning option or perhaps dictate the only path to deeper water progeny?

There were some massive Bream around, schooling with either identical/smaller fish or roaming around what appeared to be solo. The vision of a big black thumper cruising the crust below a windswept wave was seriously awe inspiring. Water quality was mainly a turbid brown but in some locations ran crystal clear. Natural coloured presentations like a Zip Bait Khamsin Jr pattern 513A (Grey/Bronze/Green and Black fleck) worked well in the shallow sandy silt while a clearer 3B Crank Puppy Dog Hooch pattern (Shrimp, clear with orange stripes) dominated clearer, deeper water.

Everyone had their own individual approach and some would ultimately be more successful than others. First placed Jordan Trusty ventured kilometres up River before even wetting a line, an all or nothing approach that involved 3lb fluoro finesse and a Stiffy Minnow crank (Tassie Tiger pattern ). Runner-up and tournament debutant Bryan Lazzaro fished a lot closer, using a braided non stretch vibe and rip approach with a ghostly looking Ecogear VX35 Blade (Colour 439). The locations were polar opposites, their techniques varied greatly but in the end result proved to be much the same.

There were of course some unfortunate stories, with a couple of big fish deaths and of course a few late penalties. As entrants sauntered their way back to the finish line and milled around waiting for a victory weigh bag all eyes were affixed to the weigh master. As it turned out 100 legal Bream graced the judges presence (over 72kg’s of Bream was weighed) and 25 competitors secured a full bag. During last year’s event a 2.5kg bag didn’t even make the top ten, interesting to note that the same bag weight submitted at this event almost made the top five (Testament to the pre-fishing numbers perhaps?).

With such a large field the payouts went all the way down to 12th Place, with Kevin Winchester landing the tournaments $ 100 Boss Hog Bream of 1.15kg. In 11th place with 3 fish for 2.25kg, earning himself $75 was Clark Wilson. Dave Hedge rounded out the top 10 with 3 fish for 2.26kg ($100, Hobie Long Sleeve Shirt Prize). Hobie’s own Greg Lewis came in 9th with 3 fish for 2.33kg, ($100, Hobie Long Sleeve Shirt Prize). In 8th place with 3 fish for 2.36 was Glen Chester ($125, Hobie Long Sleeve Shirt Prize). 7th spot went to Matt Petrie with 3 fish for 2.42kg ($150, Hobie T-Shirt) and in 6th place with 3 fish for 2.51kg was Chris Burbridge ($150, Hobie T-Shirt).

The top five consisted of two anglers who backed themselves using the ABT ‘Pro’ feature. Neil Carstairs took out 5th and second placed ‘Pro’ with 3 fish for 2.55kg ($150/$90 Pro, Hobie Drift shute). Derek ‘Paffoh’ Steele (Writing as the third person) managed 4th with 3 fish for 2.64kg ($200, Hobie Drift Shute). 3rd placed Martin Fellows stepped it up a notch with 3 fish for 2.71kg ($250, Ram Fly Rod Holder/Hobie Bag) and Bryan Lazzaro, in his maiden kayak tournament pulled a well earned 2nd place with three big Bream for 2.75kg ($300, Ram Tube/Hobie Gear Keeper/ Hobie Bag).

As previously mentioned the event was taken out by ABT non-boater Jordan Trusty (Fishing out of a Hobie pro Angler Kayak). Jordan remarked to me while we were both waiting to weigh in that three fish over 800g was a great bag, you could tell he was quietly confident. Weighing in last he kept us all in suspense, with his down to earth attitude, free sharing spirit and angling nous he was always tipped to do well. The big question on many people’s lips was could he break that magic 3 kilogram mark?

Weighing in a bag only just shy at 2.93kg, which included two 38cm fork Bream, Jordan Trusty simply took the win. First placed ‘Pro’ netted $210, with an additional $650 breaking the ABT bank. For his efforts Jordan received a Ram Pivot, Large and Small Hobie Gear Keepers and a Hobie Bag. With a third place in last year’s Hobie Grand Final, and now automatic qualification into the 2011 Port Macquarie Grand Final, Jordan will definitely be one to watch come the season ending tournament day (Never mind the race for the Angler of the Year title!).

The next round of the Daiwa Hobie Kayak Series floods into the Hopkins River (Sorry, a pun is a pun), followed closely by the Tasmanian event at St. Helens. With four state titles approaching (Including 10 more rounds) and 38 Grand Final spots still up for grabs there has never been a better time to get involved and participate in one of the best tournaments on the ABT stage. For more information on rounds, the event calendar, results, reports and updates on locations and numbers please visit http://www.hobiefishing.com.au/ or http://www.bream.com.au/.

For full results of this round, please click here.

DAIWA-HOBIE ABT RND 5 BEMM RIVER 23/1/11

2011-01-18T22:58:00.003+11:00

One of the most anticipated rounds of the season is upon us, this is definitely not to be missed. Sunday the 23rd of January sees the Daiwa Kayak Fishing Series roll into Bemm River Victoria and the stage is set for a wicked turnout. If last years event is anything to go by expect big, big bags and plenty of them (A 2.5kg bag didn't even break the top 10!). Competitors will be travelling from near and far to tackle with these large southern Black Bream so make sure your ready to rumble.

January
23rd R5- Bemm River 3 GF spots 1 Day Event
February
13th R6- Hopkins River 3 GF spots 1 Day Event
27th R7- St Helens 3 GF spots 1 Day Event
March
12-13th R8- Forster 3 GF spots 2 Day Event
26-27th R9- Albany (WA ST) 5 GF spots 2 Day Event
April
2-3rd R10- Marlo ( VIC ST) 5 GF spots 2 Day Event
May
8th R11- Clarence 3 GF spots 1 Day Event – Sunday
June
11-12th R12- Narrabeen Lakes 3 GF spots 2 Day Event
July
2-3rd R13- Redcliffe (QLD ST) 5 GF spots 2 Day Event
August
13-14th R14- St Georges Basin (NSW ST) 5 GF spots 2 Day Event
September
17-18th R15- Westlakes 3 GF spots 2 Day Event
October
29-30th Hobie GF (Port Macquarie) 2 Day Event

For more information, please click here

THE OBSERVER - DAIWA AUSTRALIAN OPEN 2011

2011-01-14T22:09:00.009+11:00

I've got a ticket to ride, I've got a ticket to rrriiidddeee,

On Thursday I accepted an observer position at the 2011 Daiwa Australian Open, a prestigious boating tournament and one of the highlights of the ABT calender. Just what is the job of an observer you may ask, well in my case I got to ride with a top ABT angler for seven hours in a warp speed Stratos and pick brains with some of the industries finest. At first I was keen to accept a three day position but with a hectic landscaping schedule ahead of me this was wisely shortened to one.

The weather was as predicted, overcast and choppy. I was allocated to Ian Seeto, one of the infamous Seeto brothers and a Daiwa sponsored angler. Ian took control of the conditions and shared his knowledge and approach openly, delivering a full bag to the weigh master on each and every day. Be it cranking flats and pylons, blading deep/shallow water or running boat hulls with plastics/hard bodies Ian had an answer for every situation. His dedication to tournaments was duly noted and was shown plenty of respect from peers and entrants alike.

To be honest I was a little tired from lack of sleep and travelling and even nodded off a few times (Not from boredom Ian, honest), only to be awoken by 'Damn it' or 'Nooooo' (A sure sign Ian had just lost a good fish). I lost count of how many decent Bream he lost and how many just under legal length Bream visited his deck. Ian commented that it would kill him having to watch someone fish for seven, I was fine for awhile... But...

Being keen on Sydney Harbour angling I tried to justify and validate a day trip on the kayaks, just by feeling out the banks and walls. At one stage we came to a big cockle bed that was only a foot or two deep, this is about when the craving kicked in. I could have spent a whole day on those flats alone, never mind the other areas we visited. It was at this stage when I suddenly realised that maybe the ABT non-boater role might be more appealing than I first thought (Anything is worth a shot, right?).

I missed the live stream today due to landscaping duties but quickly found out the end result from the http://www.bream.com.au website. Ian came in a commendable 8th place (Just above his good mate Josh), a top 10 finish worthy of his efforts. Congratulations again Ian and thanks for my time onboard, I have some photos I would love to email you (Contact - paffoh@aol.com). Good luck for future tournaments mate and I might even see you around as your non-boater... Maybe...

For full tournament results, please visit:

http://www.bream.com.au/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=737&mode=&order=0&thold=0

KAYAK FISHING ADVENTURES - HAPPY NEW YEAR

2011-01-04T23:10:00.005+11:00

Happy New Year readers,

Time for my annual recap, albeit a little later than usual. 2010 was a massive year for all at KFA, most of it was outstanding (In more ways than one) but a few left me scratching my head. To start with the tournament scene blew up another level with both the ABT series and the SSBS delivering great rounds and great fish. Our attendance was pretty heavy at the ABT events but perhaps a little sporadic in the SSBS. We fished well, learned a lot and even managed a couple of wins, top fives and even grand final appearances (With Jason taking out the SSBS GF).

Local fishing was non existent and our favourite Native hole (Any many other peoples) basically died due to run off from a new suburb. Its a real shame as the weed growth actually excelled to a point where light was at a minimum and constant captures proved elusive. I drive by this place everyday now and with the recent weather creating more run off mayhem the once crystal clear suburban water resembles nothing less than a muddy Yabby pond.

A little further afield and things change, for the better it seems. My favourite place to fish in the whole wide world (Yes, Lake Jindabyne) filled to a level I had not fished it from for many years (Well before my kayak fishing days). At first it became a guessing game finding previously hallowed ground but with repeated trips the edge bite really came alive. Trout Fest 2010 was a perfect example, while we caught some excellent fish the sheer majority of them made it a stand out event for the year.

KFA headquarters moved into a much bigger pad, a far cry from my old dig. A short time after Phoebe was born, followed by Patwah's baby Arli (Excuse the spelling mate). Its been a hectic time for Claire and I with a new house and child and for that the middle part of the year halted my multiple winter trips (Post and pre). Phoebe and Claire are doing well and the house is great, i'm finally getting around to the landscaping (If only for a place to store the new trailer). I have never been this proud before, and I have the tattoo branding to prove it.

Canberra saw more rain than it has in over a decade, so much so that nearly every Dam within earshot has been full to overflowing (First Brogo, then Burrinjuck, Googong, Pejar etc). The waters are still yet to settle which has made local fishing difficult (And downright hazardous) but some great Golden Perch have been extracted by Jason fishing flooded ground and a couple of close mountain streams showed promise with aerobatic Bows. If anyone fishes locally over the next few weeks take care, the local lakes are full of obese flotsam and jetsam.

Contributions from others on KFA have slowed and basically halted, which is rather disapointing. I really only have myself to blame as my judgement on an issue affected others and in turn the website (And another) suffered. The issue was a cloud over my head for a few months and I am now still poorer for it. Without dredging it up again and again those affected know why it was mentioned. Again, apologies to all and sundry (You know who you are).

KFA did pick up the pace, with a little bit of content management we hit 50,000 hits before the year was out. Pretty stoked with the result, considering how little cross promotion and avenues for advertising we had up our sleeves. The online shop stalled and is currently in an unintended hiatus. While not a priority or strict money making site tool I do hope to have it up and running in the near future. With some of the other tabs suffering a similar fate another overhaul is on the cards very soon, perhaps with a complete website update?

Which brings me to the best part of all, time management. For the last seven years my life has consisted of running and owning a coffee shop. Early morning starts, late finishes, management, staff issues, basic business, its been a real roller coaster ride. Just last month we decided to put it on the market and Claire and I recently took a deposit on the shop (Almost straight away). This puts me in a remarkable position for the first time in years, a position of change and opportunity.

While I am not exactly sure what the future will hold in regards to employment I do know what immediate rewards I will reap. More free time, more time with the family, more time fishing, more time resting, more time appreciating the little things, more time planning, more time writing, more time excelling, more time bludging. Whichever way I look at it its a win-win situation, and a bloody big one. I like to show dedication, pay my dues and walk away with a smile (In all aspects of life).

Its time to grab a beer and park my carcass...

THE TRAILER HAS ARRIVED - 3 x P.A'S POSSIBLE

2011-01-04T22:33:00.006+11:00

It is finally here, the trailer I have been swooning over (In my mind).

Danny at Resort Trailers did a great job, especially given the multiple questions I asked over and over again. Its a high side 7' x 4' custom rack with a mammoth drawbar. With both front and rear fold down gates it was designed to carry three Pro Anglers (Or multiple other models) to and from ABT/SSBS tournaments up and down the east coast. I am pretty new to the whole trailer game so was surprised how well it seemed to tow with a full load.

The beauty of this size trailer is it tracks almost identicaly to my Subaru Forester, the main reason with sticking to 7' x 4' (And not going, say 8' x 5' instead). Perfect for sojourns down the coast and also strong my kayaks permanently when at home. Its had a few 400km + outings and even a 4wd all terrain adventure and has not skipped a beat (Except for the smashed left front wing, eh? - ed).

Not everything went to plan with this build, but the issues were very minor and fixed myself. Firstly the rack sat dead flat on the high sides (Good) but the Pro Anglers seat was just a tad to high for bottom tray loading (Bad). Couple of 40 x 40 box steel cut offs, some elongated bolts and a lick of paint allowed me to prop it up enough for one to fit (A small oversight on my behalf). The upshot is the solid sides can now breathe, essential for those cross winds that pushed it round on its maiden voyage.

I mounted a utility box on the draw bar, clear of the swinging jerry/tyre carrier and the car when jacking (Can go close to 90 degrees). Next and final steps is to sort some kind of canopy/tarp and pole system for shade and camping comfort (Edit - done and done). The pictures dont do this trailer justice but they do however paint the picture (Minus the trailers spare wheel mount and a few odds and ends).

Maybe now I can finish working on my car, rather than constantly checking for damage and washing saltwater off the roof. Maybe now those journeys to Forster with three kayaks and three cars will be compacted into one, saving time, logistics and most importantly money....

Massive road trip anybody?

DAIWA - HOBIE BASS KAYAK SERIES EVENTS 2011

2010-12-26T23:38:00.006+11:00

(Information taken from http://www.bream.com.au)

Kayak anglers now have a bass tournament series designed especially for them. Run in conjunction with two of the Blue Fin Boats BASS Electric rounds anglers have the opportunity to fish two of south east Queensland’s and northern NSW’s premier bass fisheries, Lake Macdonald and Clarrie Hall Dam, in this inaugural catch and release bass fishing series.

Entry will be on the day of the event with a catchphotograph-release format similar to the BARRA and Flathead events deciding the champions for 2011. Visit australianbass.com.au and hobiefishing.com.au for more information.

Daiwa-Hobie BASS Kayak Events - $50 per day of competition, Pro – additional $50 cash

Tournament Calender can be downloaded from the link below:

http://www.bream.com.au/abt/2011/Calendar11.pdf

TANDEM A.I TAKES OUT REC. BOAT OF THE YEAR

2010-12-22T22:19:00.005+11:00

Hobie Mirage Tandem Island wins Sailing Worlds Best Rec. Boat of the Year

(Information supplied by Steve Fields, original posting by sailingworld.com)

Now in its 25th year, Sailing World's Boat of the Year contest continues to deliver the most anticipated awards in the sailboat-building industry. Topping this year’s field of winners at the overall Boat of the Year is the RS100 by RS Sailing (U.K).

Other winners in Sailing World’s 2011 Boat of the Year competition are:

• Best Crossover: Beneteau First 30 (Beneteau USA, Marion, S.C.)
• Best One-Design Keelboat: J/111 (J/Boats Inc., Newport, R.I.)
• Best Daysailor: C.W. Hood 32 (C.W. Hood Yachts, Marblehead, Mass.)
• Best Recreational: Hobie Mirage Tandem Island (Hobie Cat Co., Oceanside,Calif.)
• Best Grand Prix: Gunboat 66 (Gunboat, Newport, R.I.)

Images of Sailing World testing the Tandem Island can be seen at:

http://www.sailingworld.com/gallery/sailboats/boat-of-the-year/hobie-mirage.

Sailing Worlds Boat of the Year article can be found at:

http://www.sailingworld.com/sailboats/boat-of-the-year/announcing-i-sw-i-s-2011-boat-of-the-year-winners

Tandem Island:

http://www.hobiecat.com.au/sailing/tandem-island/

DAIWA-HOBIE ABT R4 TWEED RIVER 5/12/10

2010-12-01T22:12:00.005+11:00

Round 4 of the Daiwa Hobie Kayak Series heads to the Tweed River this Sunday for another Bream bashing bonanza. Reports from the area show water temperatures rising, indicating a hectic days fishing. With entrants vying for three Grand Final qualifying spots and cash and prizes its gonna be tough. The Tweed River is steeped in Bream fishing tournament history and if the past is anything to go on this arena will be set to become a permanent fixture on the ABT Kayak Fishing circuit.

For more information check out the details below:

http://www.bream.com.au/abt/2010/Tweed10.pdf

December
5th R4- Tweed River 3 GF spots 1 Day Event

January
23rd R5- Bemm River 3 GF spots 1 Day Event

February
13th R6- Hopkins River 3 GF spots 1 Day Event
27th R7- St Helens 3 GF spots 1 Day Event

March
12-13th R8- Forster 3 GF spots 2 Day Event
26-27th R9- Albany (WA ST) 5 GF spots 2 Day Event

April
2-3rd R10- Marlo ( VIC ST) 5 GF spots 2 Day Event

May
8th R11- Clarence 3 GF spots 1 Day Event – Sunday

June
11-12th R12- Narrabeen Lakes 3 GF spots 2 Day Event

July
2-3rd R13- Redcliffe (QLD ST) 5 GF spots 2 Day Event

August
13-14th R14- St Georges Basin (NSW ST) 5 GF spots 2 Day Event

September
17-18th R15- Westlakes 3 GF spots 2 Day Event

October
29-30th Hobie GF (Port Macquarie) 2 Day Event

For more information, please click here

YAK FISHER MAGAZINE #52 (SUMMER EDITION)

2010-12-01T21:05:00.003+11:00

Issue #52 summer edition of Sport Fishing Australia (Incorporating YAK Fisher) is out in stores now, just in time for the onset of seasonal change. The Sport Fishing Australia section features many top articles from seasoned sport fishing journalists such as Jason Metcalf, Shane Mensforth, Brent Hodges, Roderick Walmsley, Nigel Webster, Lee Brake, Daniel Kent just to name a few.

YAK Fisher Kayaking Magazine has Yak news, Tournament results, dedicated Kayak test rundowns and also features many articles by industry stalwarts covering new products / innovations / gear reviews. The summer Issue includes Tassie East Coast Bream, Kayaking the Herbert River Pt2, DIY Electronics, Poppin and fizzin for Bass, Yak reviews, Tallowa Dam (By yours truly) and much, much more.

Available at all good newsagents or by subscription,

http://www.afn.com.au/cms/details.asp?NewsID=114