Category Archives: Target Fish

Eastern blue groper live along most rocky areas of the coastline from southern Queensland to Wilson’s Promontory, Victoria. Another closely related species the Western blue groper looks very similar and can be found from South Australia to southern Western Australia. The harder it is to access a set of rocks then generally the better the fishing is. They can be caught in depths between 1 and 30 meters.

The author Darrin ‘Wilso’ Clarke washing up a big blue onto the rocks.

How to target

Rod & Reel

You don’t need large bulky outfits to target snapper. An ideal outfit to use is a 5-8kg spin rod around 7′ to 7’6″ in length. Match it with a 3000 to 5000 reel and you’ll be able to flick lures or baits with it all day without getting tired.

Brett Mensforth’s winning 101cm topwater snapper entered in the Get Fishing Tournaments 2015.

Line and leader

When fishing for snapper with small to medium sized spin reels choose a braid in the 15-30lb range to suit your outfit. You can go lighter but when it comes to stopping 10kg+ fish you might be a little under gunned in most situations. Attach 2-3m of 15-30lb fluorocarbon leader to your mainline using an Albright Knot, GT Knot, FG knot or similar. Double Uni Knots are not recommended as they are a low-breaking strain knot and will bust eventually.

Fingermark are also known around the top end of Australia as Golden Snapper, particularly in the Northern Territory. They are found in estuaries, inshore reefs, structures and wrecks throughout the northern parts of Australia. Mostly an inshore species although the bigger fish may be found further offshore when in their spawning cycle.

Coby Pascoe with a cracking Fingermark taken on a soft plastic.

How to target on bait

Fingermark will take a large variety of baits although fresh is always best. Baits of live Squid, Herring, Yellowtail and other small to medium baits are all worth trying. Dead strip baits of Squid, Mullet or Tuna and what is around the area of the target species is always worth a go.

How to target on Lures

Fingermark are an aggressive fish they will attack a wide range of lures large or small. Lure choice is determined on the area and conditions fished at that time.

For instance calm clear days fish smaller less aggressive style of lure. Night time, low light and dirty water use vibe’s and larger lures.

The new micro jigs will do the trick of turning the fingermark on. If in doubt try and match the hatch.

Kenny Howell with a tournament winning fingermark taken on soft vibe at night.

Rod & Reel – Estuary

The fingermark found in estuaries are generally smaller than the big offshore fish so if you are fishing gravel patches rods from 2kg to 5kg and reels in the 1500 to 2500 sizes will give you some fun and still handle these smaller fish. However when they are around snags or rock bars you will need to up-size to rods of 5kg to 10kg and reels from 3000 to 4000 to extract them.

Rod & Reel – Inshore

Fingermark found around inshore reefs are a lot larger than the average estuary fish so some stopping power is needed, especially in rough terrain. Reels of 3000 and above sizes and rods to match with some serious stopping power in the roughest terrain will be needed.

Liam Pascoe caught this fingermark while flicking the bank of a QLD estuary.

Terminal Tackle – Estuary

When using smaller estuary outfits mainlines of 2kg to 5kg and leaders of 6kg to 10kg will suffice for fish hanging around the softer terrain such as gravel beds, etc.

You need take it up a knotch when the terrain gets that bit rougher around rock bars, snags, etc. So main lines of 10kg to 15kg are the go with leaders of 15kg to 27kg.

With soft plastic’s matching the hook size, weight to the outfit and current conditions is required. Also as the tackle used gets heavier you need to upgrade your hooks so as to not straighten them out on a fish retreating for home.

Rigs: Stick with the KISS method [Keep it simple stupid] just run a ball sinker of the right weight for the conditions straight to the hook or add a swivel of the right size with the sinker running to it then about 1m of leader to your hook. See Running Sinker Rigs.

Terminal Tackle – Inshore

These fish are usually hanging around some pretty tough structure so some stopping power is needed. Main lines of 15kg to 25kg are needed to stop these fish from getting home and when they do leaders in the range of 18kg to 36kg should help, but not always.

Rigs: A paternoster rig with the appropriate weight with solid hooks in the 7/0 to 9/0 range or a running ball sinker to a crane swivel of the right size with a 7/0 to 9/0 is best suited to a live bait.

Soft plastic jig heads and lures should all have strong proven hooks on them these fish will straighten hooks on heavy tackle.

Best Lures

Soft plastics in the 3’’ to 5’’ work well when fishing estuaries. When fishing inshore you can switch it up to 5’’ to 7’’ Flick baits and paddle tails.

Vibes for the estuaries should be under 4’’ or 100mm whilst outside anything that gets close to their front door will work.

Jigs are becoming popular and will work in the 40mm to 100mm range and different weights.

Notice the ‘finger mark’ disappears in larger fish.

Hints and tips

• Always use the FRESHEST bait possible.
• Use the correct hook size for that bait, eg.plenty of hook point showing.
• Use your sounder and electric motor if you have one to find the best structure or concentrations of fish.
• At night or in dirty water work your lures slow but noisily in the one position this will attract the fish to your lure from distance.
• If you catch one there will be more, concentrate your efforts on that area you caught the fish.

Liam Pascoe with a very nice inshore fingermark caught on medium spin gear.

Black Jewfish are commonly caught in northern waters of Australia. They can be caught in a range of different habitats from the top of an estuary to the mouth, headlands and offshore wrecks and reefs. Its usually best fishing for these fish in the colder months when they begin to school up in large schools.

Night time is the best time to target black jew.

How to target

Black Jewfish are very similar to there relative the mulloway, although mulloway have a very good reputation of being picky with what they eat. This isn’t the case with black jewfish. Black Jew are scavengers and predators. They are commonly caught on dead baits like pilchards, squid, prawns, fish fillets, whole fish, etc. While they do readily take dead baits it still pays to remember that fresh is best. 

Juvenile fish can be caught in estuaries and can easily be confused with other small jewfish like soapy jew and river jew in the estuaries. But once these fish start getting around legal size (75cm in QLD) they are easier to identify. Big black jew are occasionally found in the deep holes of estuaries, around rock bars and in the mouths of creeks.

Headlands and offshore is were you find the big fish ranging from 75cm to 150cm. You generally find them in the deeper areas although they still move around to shallower headlands and islands.

Generally 4 days before and after the full moon is best at night around the tide change. In saying that, 4 days before and after the new moon still produces some fish as well.

Black Jew aren’t just scavengers they are also aggressive predators that will attack a whole range of lures such as soft plastics, hard bodies and vibes. Working lures slow generally produces the best results.

You don’t always need heavy gear to stop big fish.

Rod & Reel

One of Coby’s black jew being measured for our tournaments.

Line and leader

Best Lures

Soft plastics large and small all work, especially the big flick baits and curtails. Just work them slow in the one area, this will attract the fish to the area.

Vibes from about 40mm and up can also be used to great effect. They cover the whole water column and can be used to search out the area very quickly.  Slow rolls, big lifts and draws work well as does just slowly hopping the lure straight up and down under the boat.

Coby’s dad Liam with a cracking black jew on stickbait.

Best Bait

Black Jew are not too fussy so baits of all types can be used. Just remember that fresh is best.

Baits such as qquid, tuna, mullet, fish heads and pilchards are all good baits.

Hints and tips

• Winter time is your best time to find these fish as they are usually schooled up and are bigger fish especially off headlands and wrecks. Concentrate your time during night time around the full moon on tide changes.

• Make use of your electronics and sound around an area for a while to find were the bait is located. There may not be fish there yet but they wont be far away.

• Keep an eye on your sounder at all times as black jew show up very well on sounders because of there large size and big swim bladder.

• Use different techniques, especially if there is more than one person. Whether you are anchored, drifting or have an electric it still pays to have a bait out the back while using lures.

• Don’t be scared to go big in lures! Especially at night time big is better and it does not worry these fish. Work them slow too. Big vibes slowly jigged under the boat works well.

• Also usually were there is one there is more. Don’t expect to be able to release these fish as they suffer from barotrauma in depths of 8m or more, and will more than likely die. So only catch as many as you need, they aren’t very good eating except in curries and soups.

Coby with a prize-winning jew from our tournaments.

Rigging for bait fishing

Usually a paternoster rig will be good enough fitted with the right weight for the prevailing conditions, just make sure the hooks are large and strong 7/0 to 10/0 these fish have huge mouths and pull extremely hard.

If the current isn’t pushing to hard then a decent ball sinker sliding straight to a crane swivel attached to about 1.5m of good quality leader and hook wafting around with a large squid head or strip of tuna will entice them. See our Running Sinker Rig video as an example.

Rainbow Trout are an introduced species that inhabit the southern states of Australia predominantly. They can be caught in rivers, dams and lakes throughout these areas. Rainbow trout do have areas where they are self supporting, but they are stocked heavily into many areas for their sporting ability. They are more prominent than brown trout due to the amount of private fisheries they have been stocked into. It is a common belief with anglers that they have better fighting ability than that of the brown trout. Rainbow trout love running water and sometimes the faster the better. They will lay in sections of fast water that you would not expect a fish to be in and they love traveling upstream into the current. When hooked the run very fast and they generally don’t give up easily sometimes spending more time out of the water than in it. They have been stocked extensively into many waterways and its not uncommon for them to be in many private dams around the country as they can be purchased specifically for this purpose. They are easily distinguished from other trout by the red stripe that runs through there body and there are several colour variations of this also.

How to target

There are several ways to target trout depending on where you are located. Its best to check the local angling regulations in your area to check what the rules and regulations are as in most instances a freshwater licence is required to fish for them. They can be caught using lures, soft plastics, flies and bait. You can fish from a shore or boat using any of these methods. They are a great sporting fish and they have good fighting ability. It’s not uncommon for them to run and jump once they are hooked.

They have soft mouths and it is easy to pull the hooks if you have your drag too tight so a patient approach will see you land more fish. A loose drag is a must and its important to wear the fish down rather than just try and get them in as quick as you can.

Rod & Reel

Trout fishing gear has come a long way over the years from where it began. Most people used bigger rods and reels back in the earlier years, but these days you can use a 1-3kg rod or heavier with either a 1000 or 2500 size reel. Length of rod would be up to your preference, but anything from 6-7ft would be ideal.

Line and leader

When fishing for trout there are many types of line available to suit your needs. If your using braid you can use anything from 4lb to 12lb as there is very little difference in the line thickness these days and its just your preference of where you will be fishing and what size fish you will be targeting as to what you want to use.

Terminal Tackle

Depending on what you wish to do there are many options available to you.

• Jig heads: from 1/16th to 1/6th it depends on what area you will be fishing and depth. Also its best to choose a hook size to suit the size of your plastic as you don’t want to be using a small plastic with a big hook so take this into account when choosing.
• Lures: Most lures will come with the trebles already attached. Try and use the same size hooks that have come off the lure. There are many different brands such as Owner, Gamakatsu, Decoy and Mustad. Any of these are fine and in most cases size 10 or 12 will suit, but I never use silver hooks on trout lures as it looks unnatural to see them hanging from a lure.
• Sinkers: When trout fishing the least weight as possible is best. When a trout takes a bait if it feels weight and resistance it doesn’t feel natural. So look at thje bait and where you will be fishing and choose the lightest you can. Barrel sinkers or ball sinkers are best.
• Hooks: When bait fishing there are many hooks available. You need to look at your bait and decide what hook best suits the bait based on its size. You have many baits you can use from worms, wattle grubs, baitfish, mud eyes etc so your hook choice will be based on the bait used. The possibilities are endless really.
• Clips/snaps: When using lures you can use clips to attach your lures. There are several available and the benefits of these are it enables you to change lures faster rather than retying. Trout don’t seem to mind clips, but try and use as small as possible. Size 00 are generally rated to around 18lb so they are ideal. Damiki and Decoy both have versions of these.

Best Lures

There are literally hundreds of options available when it comes to choosing a lure or soft plastic to fish for Brown trout with. They are a predatory fish, but they can also be quite lazy at times as well. You can use anything from small hard bodied lures up to six inch plastics with success. They key is matching the bait that inhabits the area. If you can use something of similar size or colour then that’s a good starting point. Try mixing up how you fish them from fast to slow and with aggressive twitches and even letting the plastics bounce off the bottom. It will depend on what sort of mood the fish are in as to how they react. Once you work out a pattern then try sticking to that. It’s a matter of what works on one day may not necessarily work on another.

A selection of what you can use to catch brown trout.

Best Bait

There are many baits to you can use when fishing for brown trout. You can use wattle grubs which the fish love. They can be rigged on a running sinker rig and fished on the bottom or they can be used unweighted. Worms are another great bait and these are especially good when fishing rivers that are on the rise or when newly covered ground has been covered by rising water. In some areas you can use baitfish, but check your local regulations first as depending on your location this may be illegal. It is a very popular method for catching sea run trout. mudeyes are a great bait for trout. These can be fished under a float or unweighted. Trout find these hard to resist and in the warmer months they are very popular.

Hints and tips

Brown trout are a predatory fish this helps us as anglers to catch them. You can use many methods to do this, but remember to try and use what looks natural.

• Rainbow trout love running water. They will travel great distances following it and lay in sections that you would think impossible for a fish to be in. The faster the better at times.

• They can sometimes travel in schools and its not uncommon to catch several fish from the same spot.

• They can be very fussy at times and follow your lures without taking them which is all part of the challenge. Sometimes a change of colour or retrieve will get them more interested.
• Rainbows love bright and flashy lures. Sometimes things that look completely unnatural they will eat. It’s sometimes a case of the brighter the better. Pink and orange are two such colours.
• They love structure and this ranges from rocks, logs, trees or anything they can hide under. It pays to fish around these as this is where you will find them.
• They also like running water and you will find them in very fast sections of running water, but generally they like sitting behind structure in this instance where they can ambush any prey that comes past their nose.
• When using soft plastics don’t be afraid of using big plastics as they will eat them even when they are 6 inches long. You will be surprised how big the plastics are that a small fish will take.
• When using lures fish with big rips and jerks. This mimics a baitfish and sometimes the faster the retrieve the better. It is not necessary to pause the lure and a constant wind with twitches works well.
• If fishing in running water don’t dismiss anything as they will hold in very fast water. If you can see structure that breaks the current as in behind a rock give that a go as they will often sit behind these as it requires less energy.
• When fishing its and advantage to use a landing net as this gives you a better chance of landing the fish rather than trying to beach it or pick it up.
• Rainbow trout can be caught at night using most methods. Big fish feed at night under the cover of darkness as it gives them plenty of cover. Using wattle grubs of a night and surface lures are very productive and can result in some big fish captures. The key of a night is fishing as slow as possible.
• Look for showering baitfish as this is a sign that there may be a fish chasing them. It pays to give these some attention if you see them.
• They have soft mouths and it is important to have your drag loose so they can pull line once hooked. This prevents them from breaking your line and helps prevent losing them.

Rigging for lure fishing

There is nothing complicated when rigging a lure for a trout. You can simply tie the lure straight on using a Clinch Knot or loop knot such as a Lefty’s Loop. You can also use a snap or clip. Either is fine and the advantage of a clip is it enables you to change lures more quickly rather than retying every time you want to change lures

Brown Trout are an introduced species that inhabit the southern states of Australia predominantly. They can be caught in rivers, dams and lakes throughout these areas. Tasmania is the mecca when it comes to trout fishing in Australia due to its colder climate as trout can become quite lethargic in warmer water. There are also rivers and estuaries which have sea run trout which are basically a brown trout that lives in the sea the majority of the time and come in from the ocean at certain times of the year. These fish fight exceptionally hard and are also very silver in colour compared to the freshwater dwelling browns. Brown trout have spread out very well within the southern states and any water that is connected to another they will have made their way into if it’s possible.

How to target

There are several ways to target trout depending on where you are located. Its best to check the local angling regulations in your area to check what the rules and regulations are as in most instances a freshwater licence is required to fish for them. They can be caught using lures, soft plastics, flies and bait. You can fish from a shore or boat using any of these methods. They are a great sporting fish and they have good fighting ability. It’s not uncommon for them to run and jump once they are hooked.

They have soft mouths and it is easy to pull the hooks if you have your drag too tight so a patient approach will see you land more fish. A loose drag is a must and its important to wear the fish down rather than just try and get them in as quick as you can.

Rod & Reel

Trout fishing gear has come a long way over the years from where it began. Most people used bigger rods and reels back in the earlier years, but these days you can use a 1-3kg rod or heavier with either a 1000 or 2500 size reel. Length of rod would be up to your preference, but anything from 6-7ft would be ideal.

Line and leader

When fishing for trout there are many types of line available to suit your needs. If your using braid you can use anything from 4lb to 12lb as there is very little difference in the line thickness these days and its just your preference of where you will be fishing and what size fish you will be targeting as to what you want to use.

Terminal Tackle

Depending on what you wish to do there are many options available to you.

• Jig heads: from 1/16th to 1/6th it depends on what area you will be fishing and depth. Also its best to choose a hook size to suit the size of your plastic as you don’t want to be using a small plastic with a big hook so take this into account when choosing.
• Lures: Most lures will come with the trebles already attached. Try and use the same size hooks that have come off the lure. There are many different brands such as Owner, Gamakatsu, Decoy and Mustad. Any of these are fine and in most cases size 10 or 12 will suit, but I never use silver hooks on trout lures as it looks unnatural to see them hanging from a lure.
• Sinkers: When trout fishing the least weight as possible is best. When a trout takes a bait if it feels weight and resistance it doesn’t feel natural. So look at thje bait and where you will be fishing and choose the lightest you can. Barrel sinkers or ball sinkers are best.
• Hooks: When bait fishing there are many hooks available. You need to look at your bait and decide what hook best suits the bait based on its size. You have many baits you can use from worms, wattle grubs, baitfish, mud eyes etc so your hook choice will be based on the bait used. The possibilities are endless really.
• Clips/snaps: When using lures you can use clips to attach your lures. There are several available and the benefits of these are it enables you to change lures faster rather than retying. Trout don’t seem to mind clips, but try and use as small as possible. Size 00 are generally rated to around 18lb so they are ideal. Damiki and Decoy both have versions of these.

Best Lures

There are literally hundreds of options available when it comes to choosing a lure or soft plastic to fish for Brown trout with. They are a predatory fish, but they can also be quite lazy at times as well. You can use anything from small hard bodied lures up to six inch plastics with success. They key is matching the bait that inhabits the area. If you can use something of similar size or colour then that’s a good starting point. Try mixing up how you fish them from fast to slow and with aggressive twitches and even letting the plastics bounce off the bottom. It will depend on what sort of mood the fish are in as to how they react. Once you work out a pattern then try sticking to that. It’s a matter of what works on one day may not necessarily work on another.

A selection of what you can use to catch brown trout.

Best Bait

There are many baits to you can use when fishing for brown trout. You can use wattle grubs which the fish love. They can be rigged on a running sinker rig and fished on the bottom or they can be used unweighted. Worms are another great bait and these are especially good when fishing rivers that are on the rise or when newly covered ground has been covered by rising water. In some areas you can use baitfish, but check your local regulations first as depending on your location this may be illegal. It is a very popular method for catching sea run trout. mudeyes are a great bait for trout. These can be fished under a float or unweighted. Trout find these hard to resist and in the warmer months they are very popular.

Hints and tips

Brown trout are a predatory fish this helps us as anglers to catch them. You can use many methods to do this, but remember to try and use what looks natural.

• They can be very fussy at times and follow your lures without taking them which is all part of the challenge. Sometimes a change of colour or retrieve will get them more interested.
• They love structure and this ranges from rocks, logs, trees or anything they can hide under. It pays to fish around these as this is where you will find them.
• They also like running water and you will find them in very fast sections of running water, but generally they like sitting behind structure in this instance where they can ambush any prey that comes past their nose.
• When using soft plastics don’t be afraid of using big plastics as they will eat them even when they are 6 inches long. You will be surprised how big the plastics are that a small fish will take.
• When using lures fish with big rips and jerks. This mimics a baitfish and sometimes the faster the retrieve the better. It is not necessary to pause the lure and a constant wind with twitches works well.
• If fishing in running water don’t dismiss anything as they will hold in very fast water. If you can see structure that breaks the current as in behind a rock give that a go as they will often sit behind these as it requires less energy.
• When fishing its and advantage to use a landing net as this gives you a better chance of landing the fish rather than trying to beach it or pick it up.
• Brown trout can be caught at night using most methods. Big fish feed at night under the cover of darkness as it gives them plenty of cover. Using wattle grubs of a night and surface lures are very productive and can result in some big fish captures. The key of a night is fishing as slow as possible.
• Look for showering baitfish as this is a sign that there may be a fish chasing them. It pays to give these some attention if you see them.
• They have soft mouths and it is important to have your drag loose so they can pull line once hooked. This prevents them from breaking your line and helps prevent losing them.

Rigging for lure fishing

There is nothing complicated when rigging a lure for a trout. You can simply tie the lure straight on using a Clinch Knot or loop knot such as a Lefty’s Loop. You can also use a snap or clip. Either is fine and the advantage of a clip is it enables you to change lures more quickly rather than retying every time you want to change lures

Squid can be found in estuarine and inshore habitats from inshore reefs and weed beds to rock walls, jetties and offshore man made or natural structures. Being a predominantly ambush predator these places offer them not only refuge from being attacked but also a place to prey on food such as prawns, baitfish and crabs. This ‘How To’ will focus mainly on the Southern Calamari species.

How to target

There are two options when it comes to squid, they are cast and retrieve with squid jigs or using a squid spike/prong and bait. When casting jigs let them sink to the bottom and add an upward whip of the rod on the retrieve to make the lure dance in the water. Doing this imparts a prawn or wounded baitfish action alerting any squid in the area. Let the lure sink and repeat.

When using bait insert a baitfish onto a squid spike/prong and cast out underneath a float. Wind in any slack line and when the float goes under you on, then gently start winding.

Rod & Reel

If land based fishing for squid a rod in the 9ft range and 3-5kilo line class is ideal. The extra length will aid in not only casting ability but will also give you some leverage around the rocks, jetty, etc. Balance your outfit with a 2000-3000 size reel.

The same setup can be used when fishing from a boat, however leverage isn’t as paramount and a shorter 7ft rod will provide greater maneuverability and ease of use.

Line and leader

• Lure: 10lb braid, 1.5m of 10lb fluorocarbon leader.

• Bait: 10-15lb braid, 15lb fluorocarbon leader.

Terminal Tackle

• Lure: Squid jigs/jags, snap swivels or speed clips.

• Bait: Swivels, weighted float, bait prongs/spikes, glow sticks optional.

Best Lures

All jigs/jags will catch squid, some days certain colors will out-fish others so it pays to have a selection on hand to find the right one on each day. Popular sizes are 2.5, 3.0 and 3.5, this number being the feet/second drop rate.

Yamashita and Yo-Zuri both make exceptional quality jigs in a wide range of colors & styles with exceptionally sharp hooks – this may often be the result in a good day’s squidding or a not. Squid jigs last a long time so don’t skimp when it comes to purchasing.

Best Bait

The best bait for squid is fresh baitfish such as Herring, Sauries, Yellowtail, Whiting and Pilchards.

Hints and tips

Squid can be caught right around Australia year round. However, the southern half of the country arguably offers the best squidding during the cooler months of the year and they are most certainly a fun species to target whether it be land based or from a boat. Looks for those structure such as weed beds, reef areas or rock walls and they shouldn’t be too far away.

• Carry a wide selection of jigs in various colors and sizes. Alternate between them to find what’s working best on the day.

• When targeting from a boat drifting allows you to cover more ground and is more productive than at anchor.

• When fishing from the rocks its always handy to have a landing net at hand.

• Make sure you imply some action in the lure with short fast upward whips of the rod to make the lure dance.

• Make sure you imply some action in the lure with short fast upward whips of the rod to make the lure dance.

Rigging for cast and retrieve

Targeting Squid on jigs is great sport and is a fun alternative to targeting fish. It is also a great option if you are fishing with kids or someone who is new to fishing. Use a 4-10lb braid mainline and join it to a 1-1.5m, 10lb fluorocarbon leader with an Albright knot or similar. At the other end of the leader tie a loop knot such as a Lefty’s Loop directly to the jig to allow the lure more freedom to move during the retrieve. Alternatively tie on a snap swivel or speed clip for ease of changing jigs.

Blue morwong, hereafter referred to as Queen snapper, inhabit deeper offshore reefs and sponge gardens along Australia’s southern coastline from WA to VIC and TAS. They are often found around prominent ledges, lumps, patches of pinnacles, and other areas of structure in 30-60m of water, and as far out as the continental shelf. When targeting Queen snapper, fish the tapering edge of the structure rather than the top.

How to target

When targeting Queen snapper use your charts and sounder to find suitable ground, rather than patches of fish. The ground they’re found in is usually too deep to anchor and berley, so once you’re found an area plot it in your GPS and drift over it. Do a few drifts then move on to the next area, as these fish generally don’t school in large numbers. The rig of choice is a basic Paternoster rig with two droppers, each with a 7/0 octopus style hook. Lead weight will depend on depth and drift speed but 6-8oz is usually suitable.

Rod & Reel

Queen snapper average around 2-3kg but they can grow up to 11kg and any fish over 4-5kg is going to require quite a bit of stopping power. That said, you still want an outfit that is light enough to fish with all day and sporting enough that when you hook a good fish you’re still provided with a challenge.

An appropriate outfit would be a small overhead reel such as the Shimano Torium 16 matched with an 8-12kg overhead rod around 6 foot in length. Choose a rod with sensitivity in the tip but plenty of power down low.

Line and leader

• Line: 50lb braid

• Leader: 80lb mono wind-on leader for shock absorption, running 2-3m above the paternoster rig.

Terminal Tackle

• 7/0 Gamakatsu black Octopus hooks, 6-8oz snapper leads, size 2-4 crane swivel.

Best Lures

• Soft Plastics: 145mm Squidgie Flick Baits with 1oz Jig Heads.
• Demersal jigs 100g-200g depending on water depth.

Cam Trowbridge with a stunning Perth metro ‘Queeny’ on jig.

Best Bait

Squid, pilchards, cockles, and fresh fillets of salmon trout, herring, trevally, mackerel, etc.

Hints and tips

Queen snapper are caught around deep offshore reef systems and sponge gardens in cooler waters between southern WA and VIC/TAS. Anglers use onboard electronics to search for suitable ground, then drift over the area with bottom bouncing rigs.

• Look for prominent ledges and lumps. Mark ground on your GPS then perform a ‘dummy’ drift to work out the drift speed and direction.

• Continually let out line to keep the bait as close to the reef as possible. A sea anchor or heavier sinker will also help.

• Use braid for greater bite sensitivity, and for shock absorption use a 2-3m mono leader.

• Queen snapper are a good eating table fish. Make the most of their eating qualities by bleeding and placing on ice immediately after capture.

Rigging for drifting

This method involves drifting baits over prominent structures such as ledges and pinnacles in about 30-60m of water. Use a basic double Paternoster rig with two droppers each with an octopus style hook, a 6-8oz snapper lead on the bottom, and a size 2-4 crane swivel on the top. Allow 40cm between each hook and the sinker, and 10cm between the top hook and swivel. In deep water braided mainline aids in bite sensitivity. Counteract the low stretch with a 2-3m wind-on leader for shock absorption.

Information courtesy of Jamie Crawford, Port Lincoln [Port Lincoln SA (Get Fishing Tournament Member)] and Department of Fisheries WA. Photos courtesy of Jamie Crawford, Arron Fone, [Albany WA (Get Fishing Tournament Member)] and Cameron Trowbridge [Perth WA (Get Fishing Tournament Member)].

Where to fish

Yellowfin bream are found throughout the Indo-West Pacific and in Australia occur between north Queensland to Victoria. As opposed to Black bream, Yellowfin bream are caught in the surf and around headlands and inshore islands as well as estuary environments. When targeting them focus on open sand flats as well as areas of structure such as fallen trees (snags), rock bars, pylons, oyster leases, breakwalls and boat ramps. 

How to target

Yellowfin bream can be targeted from the shore or by boat and can be found around structure or on open sand flats and beaches. They are aggressive predators that will readily take lures or baits. Target them around headlands or in the surf using natural baits such as beach worms, pipis or prawns. Likewise, baits work well in the estuary, however, targeting them with lures or fly provides a greater challenge. During daylight hours target them around structure and at night also try fishing the adjacent open areas such as sand flats.

Danny Weaver with a typical Gold Coast canal Yellowfin Bream

Rod & Reel

Estuary: A light to medium outfit consisting of a 6′-7′ carbon fibre or graphite rod in the 2-6kg range paired with a light threadline reel in the 1000-3000 size range.

Beach/rock: A light to medium outfit consisting of a 9′-11′ carbon fibre or graphite rod in the 5-9kg range paired with a light threadline reel in the 3000-6000 size range.

Line & Leader

Braid or monofilament mainline in the 2-8lb range with a 4-10lb fluorocarbon leader. Fish heavier leader around structure if bust-offs are frequent.

Terminal Tackle

• Hook: Size 2 to 3/0. Anything will work. Mustad Viking 540 or Gamakatsu Octopus style will suit most applications.

• Sinker: Limit weight as much as possible or fish unweighted if conditions allow.

• Trebles: Decoy YS 25’s, Owner ST-11’s, or VMC.

• Jighead: 1/32 – 1/4 oz to suit depth.

Where to fish

Black bream are endemic to coastal rivers and estuaries from Myall Lake NSW and South around to the Murchison River in WA, including Tasmania and Flinders and Kangaroo Islands. They spend their entire life within the estuary and prefer to reside in and around structure so when targeting them focus on areas such as fallen trees (snags), rock bars, mangroves, pylons, oyster leases, breakwalls, boat ramps and deep holes.

How to target

Black bream can be targeted from the shore or by boat, either way for better results it pays to fish close to structure. A reliable approach is to flick lures or lightly weighted baits in amongst fallen trees in the upper parts of estuaries, or around any other structure for that matter. They are a tough contender so in this scenario a firm drag setting and abrasion resistant leader will see you land better quality fish. Black bream also respond well to berley so if you prefer a passive approach throw a berley bag in the water and bring the fish to you.

Rod & Reel

A light to medium outfit consisting of a 6′-7′ carbon fibre or graphite rod in the 2-6kg range paired with a light threadline reel in the 1000-3000 size range.

Line & Leader

Braided (preferred) or monofilament mainline in the 2-6lb range with a 4-10lb fluorocarbon leader. Fish heavier leader in the snags if bust-offs are frequent.

Terminal Tackle

• Hook: Size 2 to 3/0. Anything will work. Mustad Viking 540 or Gamakatsu Octopus style will suit most applications

• Sinker: Limit weight as much as possible or fish unweighted if conditions allow.

• Trebles: Decoy YS 25’s, Owner ST-11’s, or VMC.

• Jighead: 1/32 – 1/4 oz to suit depth.

Best Lures

Popular bream lures include Jackall chubbies, Berkley gulp plastics, Squidgie plastics, Ecogear blades, vibes, small diving minnows, etc.

Best Bait

Good baits include nippers (ghost shrimp), prawns, pilchards, small strip/fillet baits, crabs, bread, pippies, beach worms & blood worms.

Hints and tips

Black bream are generally caught in estuarine habitats in the southern half of the country. They can be taken on a wide range of bait offerings and make great sport when targeted on lure with light outfits, especially in amongst the snags.

• Bream can be finicky and like a slow-sinking bait or lure. When lure fishing allow 3-5 seconds between twitching, hopping or slow rolling.

• When using fleshy baits try tweaking/bending the point of your hook outwards with pliers for a better strike rate.

• When using bait or plastics use minimum weight to keep you in the strike zone longer.

• Berleying is a good way to bring Black bream to you and keep them interested for longer. A good mix of chook pellets, bread, tuna oil, old pilchards/fish baits or crustacean shells will do the trick.

Rigging for luring

The trend amongst anglers targeting Black bream on lure would have to be braided line but monofilament also has it’s advantages. Attach the mainline to a 1-2m fluorocarbon or monofilament (for surface luring) leader with a joining knot such as an Albright or Double Uni. Attach the leader to the lure with a loop knot such as a Lefty’s Loop, Perfection Loop or Rapala Knot. This will optimise its action and allow the lure to swim freely in the water.

Rigging for bait fishing

When fishing with bait use as little weight as possible. In some situations no lead is possible which is a great way to present ‘drift’ baits down the burley trail. Hook to mainline as follows: Tie hook to fluorocarbon leader with a double-blood knot or other standard knot. If using weight insert a running sinker onto the leader now. Connect leader to mainline using a Double uni or other joining knot, or alternatively use a swivel to reduce line twist particularly when fishing with monofilament line.

Click here for more Information On Black Bream

Information courtesy of Danny Weaver, Gold Coast QLD

Where to fish

Pacific sailfish inhabit tropical and temperate waters between 24-28 degrees Celsius. In Australia they are more frequently caught between Carnarvon WA northwards to South West Rocks NSW. They are often found close to the coast and around offshore reefs and islands, but are not restricted to these areas. Sailfish will never be far from bait, so focus your efforts around bait grounds and other areas of abundant food supply.

How to target

There are many different ways to target Sailfish from the shore and by boat. Here are 3 ways to target them by boat:

1) Trolling lures (least preferred method)

2) Slow-trolling whole fish baits

3) Switch-baiting. This method is dynamite and involves trolling teasers with no hooks, pulling them in when a Sailfish is raised, and presenting the fish with a live (preferred) or dead whole fish bait bridled with a circle hook. Once the fish has taken the bait engage the reel and let the circle hook pin the fish in the corner of the mouth. Don’t strike to set the hook, this will just pull the hook clear.

Rod & Reel

There are a variety of techniques used to target Sailfish but the following information specifically refers to switch-baiting.

For a threadline outfit a 6-7 foot 15kg rod matched with a Shimano 6000 or Daiwa 4500 sized reel is ideal. As far as overhead setups go a TLD15-25 size reel with a 5-6 foot 15kg game rod will be fine, there’s no need to over do it.

Line and leader

• Mainline: 15kg mono is preferred. Braid will work but is better suited to visually sight casting surface lures.

• Leader: 2m+ wind-on of 80-110lb hard mono.

Terminal Tackle

• Size 8/0-9/0 Owner or Gamakatsu circle hook.

• Stainless crimps and thin plastic tubing.

Best Lures

Soft-headed skirted trolling lures such as the 6-7” Mold Craft Softhead.

Best Bait

Obviously live baitfish of whatever the fish are feeding on at the time. But among the favourites would have to be: Large Sea garfish, Sardines, Herring, Slimey mackerel, Yellowtail, Queenfish, and Mullet.

Filleting

Sailfish are usually regarded as catch and release sport fish. This philosophy is encouraged.

Hints & tips

Pacific sailfish are usually caught in close proximity to bait. They inhabit warmer waters close to the coast and around offshore reefs and islands, as well as oceanic waters. Anglers target them with many techniques but switch-baiting has to be one of the best.

• Troll with a good set of teasers to mimic a school of baitfish. Examples include daisy chains of soft squid or chandelier shaped sailfish dredges.
• When using circle hooks never strike to set the hook. Simply engage the drag and allow the fish to hook itself.
• When switch-baiting remember the fresher the bait the better. If possible use live bait.
• Stitch a 6-10” piece of belly flap of mackerel, tuna, or other pelagic fish inside the skirt of your teasers. The sailfish will get a taste and follow it right to the back of the boat.

Rigging for switch-baiting

Targeting Sailfish using the switch-baiting technique is quite productive. A standard rig consists of a 2-3m, 80-110lb wind-on leader and 8/0-9/0 circle hook. Crimp the hook on, but not too tight that you restrict movement. Slide a cm or so of thin tubing over crimp and the loop for abrasion protection. Connect double wind-on leaders to mainline with a Bimini Twist and single wind-on leaders to mainline with an Albright knot or similar. Rig bait onto the hook with a small rubber band bridle.

Rigging for trolling

The same rigging method applies here as that mentioned above, the only difference is you are using a lure and straight eye hook in place of the circle hook. Hook choice and ways to correctly rig a trolled lure vary and we suggest you consult your local tackle store for more information. One thing to keep in mind is that single-hook rigs, as opposed to double-hook rigs, have a high success rate, impart more action in the water, cause the fish less harm and are safer when handling the fish boat side.

Click here for more Information On Pacific Sailfish

Information courtesy of Kyle Van Der Meulen, Tathra NSW, DPIF NT, and Department of Fisheries WA. Photos courtesy of Kyle Van Der Meulen.

How to target

When targeting Southern Bluefin look for feeding schools on the surface or schools of bait in 30m of water or more. Once you’ve located feeding fish troll past them with bibbed 3-5m diving lures. If you’ve located bait, troll past with 4-5” skirts, with a trolling speed of 6-8 knots. If the fish aren’t taking trolled lures, start cubing. Send down artificials such as 110mm flick baits and other soft plastics or salt water fly if you’re that way inclined. If the fish still aren’t striking, especially if they are down deep, send down cubes of pilchards/mulies.

Rod & Reel

When trolling for fish up to 30kg, go for a smaller outfit. An example would be a TLD 10-15 size reel matched with a Shimano Backbone 10-15kg overhead rod or similar, around 5 foot in length.

For casting, go for a high quality Shimano 5000 or Daiwa 4500 sized reel, loaded with 30lb braid, and matched with an 8-10kg spin rod 6-7 foot in length.

If targeting larger fish you’re obviously going to need heavier, high quality outfits. Talk to an expert at your local tackle shop for advice.

Line and leader

• Trolling: 50lb braid or 10-15kg mono mainline. 3m, 80lb, hard-wearing mono wind-on shock leader.

• Plastics: 30lb braid and a 3m, 40lb, fluorocarbon wind-on shock leader.

Terminal Tackle

• Cubing: 8/0 Gamakatsu black Octopus joined un-weighted to a 60lb fluorocarbon leader.

Best Lures

• Skirts: 70g jetheads in blues, pinks and purples.

• Bibbed: Halco Laser Pro 120-190mm, Rapala CD14’s, Yo-Zuri Hydro Magnum 120-140mm.

• Plastics: 110mm Squidgie flick baits.

Best Bait

Pilchards/mulies

Hints and tips

Southern Bluefin tuna are generally caught well offshore in Australia’s southern waters between WA and NSW. Anglers locate them by visually searching for feeding schools or large schools of bait. They are targeted with a variety of trolled and artificial lures, or by cubing.

• Keep an ear to the ground amongst locals and tackle shops as to when schools of fish have arrived and their whereabouts.

• Look for diving birds and baitfish as indicators. Target them with a variety of techniques until you find what works best.

• When trolling, cover a range of depths >30m and run a spread of different sized lures.

• It’s best to bleed tuna immediately. Insert a short-bladed knife through the main arteries, located approximately two inches behind the pectoral fins. Keep on ice.

Rigging for trolling

One of the more productive ways to catch Southern Bluefin is by trolling. Join your 50lb braid or 10-15kg mono mainline to a 3m, 80lb, hard-wearing mono, wind on shock leader with an Albright knot or similar. At the other end of the leader use a stainless crimp to connect the lure, or hook in the case of skirted lures. For skirted lures, insert the mono through the lure head and add 5 or 6 small plastic beads as spacers before crimping on the hook, so that the hook sits just within the limit of the skirt.

Rigging for soft plastics

Targeting Southern Bluefin by trolling enables you to cover more ground, but if you come across schools of feeding fish a more exciting way to target them is on spin gear with soft plastics. Join your 30lb braid mainline to a 3m, 40lb, fluorocarbon, wind-on shock leader with an Albright, Double Uni, or similar knot. Tie the other end of the leader to the jig head and thread on the soft plastic. Either pull up next to a school and cast plastics at them or drift the plastic down a trail of cubed pilchards.

Click here for more Information On Southern Bluefin Tuna

Information courtesy of Jamie Crawford, Port Lincoln SA and Department of Fisheries WA. Photos courtesy of Jamie Crawford and Rock Wyrsta, Sydney NSW (GTpopping.com).

Where to fish

Giant trevally (GT) inhabit coastal and offshore waters from the central Western Australian coast north around to the central coast of New South Wales. GT’s are wide ranging and can be found cruising in shallower nearshore as well as offshore reef structures such as coral reefs and atolls, pinnacles and drop-offs. When targeting GT’s look for washy areas where bait are holding up, particularly fusiliers around offshore reefs and atolls.

How to target

Giant trevally will take live or dead whole fish and fillet baits as well as soft plastics and trolled minnows, but by far the most exciting and sporting way to target them is on large surface lures like poppers and stickbaits.

When targeting GT’s by boat pull up in deeper water within casting distance of an area of interest, a reef outcrop for example, and cast large poppers or stickbaits towards the reef edge and work the lure back to the boat, imparting as much action to the lure as possible. Upon hookup drive the fish off the reef fast!

Rod & Reel

Minimum rod length for casting of 7ft and up to 9 ft. Preferably choose a strong, lightweight graphite rod rated PE 6-10 to suit the lure size and area you plan to fish. A lower cost example would be the Azusa 902H or for high end Carpenter Monster Hunter and Blue Lagoon.

A quality reel is advisable for example Shimano Stella, Sustain, Biomaster size10000-20000 or the Daiwa Saltiga or Saltist size 4500-6500.

Line and leader

• Mainline PE 6-10 braid

• Min.100-200lb leader, fluorocarbon preferred

Terminal Tackle

• Quality high breaking strain crane swivel

• Quality high breaking strain split ring

• Quality trebles e.g. Owner Stingers or Decoys

Best Lures

Large poppers such as Dumbbells, Black Jack Cubera and Tuna, Hammerheads, Fishermans, Carpenters etc, and large stickbaits such as Black Jack Ulua, Shimano Ocea, Daiwa Dorodo, etc.

Best Bait

Live whole or dead fish caught on location. Fillet baits can work but not as well.

Filleting

We strongly encourage catch and release fishing for this for this highly regarded sport fish.

Hints & tips

Giant trevally are generally caught around coastal offshore reefs from the central WA coast north around to the central NSW coast. Anglers target them with high quality, strong, lightweight outfits using large poppers and stickbait lures.

• When a fish follows don’t speed up the retrieve. Keep doing what you are doing and even throw in a pause if they are still not hitting.
• In calmer conditions work poppers with a slower retrieve with big sweeps of the rod to displace more water.
• Always be ready for a strike. You will often get hit as soon as the lure hits the water.
• In calmer conditions or when the fish are less aggressive use stickbaits with an aggressive walk-the-dog technique with the rod tip down to get the lure darting.

Rigging for lure casting

This method involves casting and retrieving large poppers or stickbaits over and around reef structure. Join your braided mainline to: a) a twisted leader by tying a Bimini twist, or b) a single strand leader by tying a FG knot, PR knot, Fingertrap knot or similar. At the other end of the leader attach a quality crane swivel by tying a Uni knot, Chain knot or similar (even when using a twisted leader). Connect the swivel directly to a quality split ring on the lure and you’re away.

Rigging for live baiting

This method involves fishing live whole fish baits from the shore, jetties, or boat. Keep the rig simple; connect the mainline to a basic rig (as pictured right) consisting of a 6/0-10/0 hook, 100-200lb leader (preferably fluorocarbon) and a quality high breaking strain crane swivel. Insert the hook through the nose or shoulder of a live baitfish such as Fusilier, Herring, Mullet or similar. For dead whole fish baits or fillets use the same rig just insert a running ball sinker between the swivel and hook.

Click here for more Information On Giant Trevally

Information courtesy of Che Carson, Perth WA and Department of Fisheries WA. Photos courtesy of Rock Wyrsta, Sydney NSW. Visit gtpopping.com for more details.

Where to fish

Sand whiting inhabit sandy areas within estuaries, bays and coastal beaches at a depth generally between 0.5-6m. When targeting whiting within an estuary focus on the sand flats during an incoming tide, particularly the upper reaches of the tidal front, and channel edges during the run out tide. On the beach, look for areas of interest such as shallow gutters and holes, corrugated trenches and divots, and also the edges of washy sandbars.

How to target

When targeting Sand whiting you have the option of bait fishing in estuaries, bays and beaches vs surface luring in estuaries and bays. When bait fishing use live or fresh bait and incorporate a slow retrieve with the occasional pause into your style. When surface luring constantly cover new ground, cast up current and retrieve with the tide, and vary the action and pace of retrieve. Throwing a pause into a fast erratic retrieve is dynamite on timid fish. To set the hook with whiting employ a slow lift or gentle lean rather than a sharp strike.

38cm to the fork - Andrew Badullovich, Tuross River, NSW

Rod & Reel

To get more enjoyment out of your Sand whiting fishing it’s best to adopt a finesse approach with a lightweight, light line outfit. In protected waters go for something like a 2-4kg 7 foot graphite spin rod and a 1000-2500 size reel to suit.

On the surf beaches use a light 10-12 foot rod and balance with a 4000-6000 size spin reel or a lightweight graphite Alvey.

An ideal fish to target with the kids

Line and leader

• Bait: 4-6lb monofilament & 0.5-1.0m 4-6lb fluorocarbon leader.

• Lure: 2-4lb braid & 1.5m 4-6lb monofilament leader (the shorter the more action imparted).

Terminal Tackle

• Size 4-8 long shank hook, size 4-8 swivel, and size 0-2 ball sinker (slightly heavier in the surf).

• Fine gauge, roughly size 12 treble.

Best Lures

Small poppers or walk-the-dog style hard-bodied surface lures. For example, Bassday SugaPen 70’s.

Best Bait

The best baits for Sand whiting are live ghost nippers (nippers or yabbies), bloodworms, beach worms and pippies.

Hints and Tips

Sand whiting are generally caught in estuaries, bays and surf beaches from northern Queensland to Tasmania. Anglers adopt a finesse approach and use light line, lightweight outfits and live baits or surface lures to target them.

1) When fishing the sand flats cast into the sun where possible as silhouettes or shadows cast over the water easily spook Sand whiting.

2) When surface luring vary your retrieve and figure out what mood they’re in and what’s working best on the day.

3) Stopping and pausing a slow retrieved bait or fast, erratic retrieved lure is dynamite.

4) The ideal conditions for surface luring the flats are: rising barometer, sun in the face and wind at your back, casting up current and retrieving with the tide.

Rigging for surface luring

Targeting Sand whiting on surface lures is great sport and can be quite productive. Use a 2-4lb braid mainline and join it to a 1.5m, 4-6lb mono leader with a Double-Uni knot or similar. At the other end of the leader a loop knot (e.g. Lefty’s Loop) will enable walk-the-dog style surface lures freedom to move and zig-zag during the retrieve. Alternatively, tying a knot tight to the tow-point of a cup-faced popper will aid the popper to track straight during a constant blooping retrieve.

Rigging for bait fishing

Whether bait fishing from the shore or from a boat the rig you use remains the same, the only thing that differs is the amount of weight you use. Fishing a monofilament mainline can be beneficial as the elasticity reduces the chance of pulled hooks. Sand whiting rigs vary but a simple rig that works consists of a size 4-8 long shank hook, 0.5-1m monofilament leader, and a running ball sinker above a swivel. Bait up with a live nipper or beach worm and you’re in business.

Click here for more Information On Sand Whiting

Information courtesy of Audrew Balullovich, Merimbula NSW and DAFF QLD. Photos courtesy of Andrew Badullovich.

Where to fish

Their habitat range extends from the upper tidal limits of coastal rivers in near-drinkable water to reefs and offshore gravel beds many kilometers from the coast. They are particularly fond of hunting in river mouths and adjacent coastal areas along rocky foreshores and beaches where baitfish and squid are abundant.

How to target

Mulloway are predators and occasional scavengers, feeding primarily on smaller fish, squid, octopus, prawns, marine worms and crabs. They do a great deal of their hunting under cover of darkness, but will also feed during daylight hours, especially in dirty or aerated water and under low light conditions.

These relatively cautious, schooling fish are best targeted using live or very fresh baits of whole or cut fish, squid and large prawns or bunches of marine worms such as beach worms. They also respond well to lures and flies at times, and are a very popular target amongst sport fishers using soft plastics.

Try concentrating your efforts around the change of tide within a few days of the full and new moon phases. Most importantly fish regularly. Persistence pays off when targeting mulloway, stick at it and eventually you’ll land the trophy fish you’re after.

Steve Starling – NSW South Coast

Rod and reel

Ideal tackle for targeting mulloway is dependent upon terrain and the size of fish likely to be encountered. In open areas of larger estuaries or bays, a 3000 to 5000-size spinning reel or an overhead (baitcaster) reel with a similar line capacity will do the job when matched to a 2 to 2.5m rod with a relatively fast taper.

For heavy rock, surf and breakwater fishing, many angler prefer heavier tackle and, on the east and west coasts, sidecast reels on longer rods (up to 4m in length) remain popular.

Line and leader

The majority of mulloway are taken on lines with rated breaking trains between about 5 and 15kg (monofilament or braid). In open water, they can sometimes be landed on much lighter tackle, despite being a powerful adversary capable of making long, sustained runs when hooked. Around line-cutting cover such as rocks and jetty or bridge pylons, heavier gear may be required.

While mulloway have strong jaws and sharp, conical teeth for grasping and holding their prey, their capture does not normally demand the use of thick, hard-wearing leaders or traces. Typically, a monofilament leader about twice the strength of the main line will do the job.

Best lures

While mulloway have been taken on a huge range of lures and flies, 10 to 20cm soft plastic shads and fish-shaped “swim baits” are arguably the most productive offerings of all. Classic examples include the Squidgy Fish, Shads, Whip Baits and Slick Rigs. Natural, baitfish colours are preferred by most specialists, although brighter colours can be useful in dirty water.

Best bait

With mulloway baits, fresh is best and live is usually even better! They are particularly fond of eating small tailor, luderick (blackfish), trevally, yellowtail scad, pike, mullet, pilchards, garfish, tommy ruff (herring) and slimy mackerel. However, perhaps the deadliest offering of all is a live or very fresh squid. In the surf, generous bunches of live beach worms are hard to beat.

Filleting

See our ‘How to Fillet Mulloway’ video for the correct method of filleting Mulloway.

Hints and tips

The mulloway is an immensely popular and highly sought-after target species amongst Australian anglers. These elusive and hard to catch predators can potentially exceed 2m in length and 70kg in weight, but are more common at weights up to 30kg.

• Mulloway respond well to lure and fly in estuaries during daylight hours, however night time takes preference when targeting them with baits.
• Mulloway experts focus most of their effort around tide changes on the bigger tides of the full or new moon.
• Mulloway don’t come easy. Keep employing the methods you learn and fish regularly.
• Adult mulloway are good eating and there’s no crime in taking one for a feed. However the benefits to the fishery and the feeling of releasing this species far outweighs the benefits to your taste buds.

   

  

  Andrew Badullovich – Clyde River, NSW

   

  Rigging for luring

  Targeting mulloway on lure is great sport, can be quite productive, and enables you to be far more mobile in your approach. Braid is the line of choice as it provides direct lure contact and greater cast ability. An ideal leader length is one that sees the joining knot sit just above your reel when casting. Join leader to mainline with an Albright knot or similar. At the business end either a direct knot to the tow-point or a loop knot such as the lefty’s Loop for greater lure freedom.

   

  

   

  Rigging for bait fishing

  Obviously there are a different rigs to suit different scenarios and bait applications but the following double snell rig is a good one to get you started and is suitable for presenting both live or large baits in the surf and estuary. Cut 1m of leader line and snell a 10/0 and 6/0 hook to one end and a three-way swivel to the other end. Use a cross-lock snap clip to attach a star sinker to the swivel dropper. Tie your mainline to the top eye of the swivel. Bait up with a live or slab bait and you’re in business.

   

  

   

  Click here for more Information On Mulloway

• Information courtesy of Steve Starling, South Coast NSW and DAFF QLD. Photos courtesy of Steve Starling.

Where to fish

King George whiting live in coastal marine habitats and estuaries, over sand, weed and low-lying reefs. In South Australia KGW prefer sandy environments during summer and reef environments during winter. When targeting these bottom feeders search for areas that would provide a likely food source such as: Sand patches amongst the weed, sand patches amongst low-lying reef, broken rubbly bottom and sandy channels.

How to target

While King George whiting can be taken on sandworm pattern soft plastic lures, it is widely accepted that bait fishing is far more productive, although less challenging. When fishing from a boat, anchor up and, depending on the rubbish fish situation, use a bit of berley to bring them in. Use a paternoster rig with droppers as close to the bottom as possible. KGW will whack at the bait but often they sit and suck on it so keep the bait moving, feeling for weight by gently lifting the rod tip and bouncing the bait back to the boat. If there is little action after 5-10 minutes then move.

Jason Stevenson (right) with a couple of Port Lincoln KGW

Rod & Reel

There’s no need to get too technical with your King George whiting fishing. However, their often-subtle biting nature does call for an approach with a touch of finesse, so a lightweight, sensitive outfit will be most suitable. A 7’-8’6”, 2-5kg graphite rod with a sensitive tip will aid in bite detection and work well whether you’re fishing from shore or in a boat. Match it with a small 1000-2500 sized reel and you’re in business.

Line and leader

• Bait fishing: 6-15lb braid mainline. Substrate type will determine the strength of leader. Use anything up to 25lb when fishing in rock/kelpy terrain

• Lure fishing: 4-10lb braid mainline and 1.5m of 4-10lb fluorocarbon leader

Carmen Irwin – Rottnest Island, WA

Terminal Tackle

• Paternoster rig with 2 droppers close to the sinker

• Hook: long shank, stainless, thick gauge

• Sinker: Swivel bomb style or similar

• Optional: Red plastic tubing and/or beads

Best Lures

Sandworm style soft plastics

Best Bait

Beach worms, pippies or cockles, prawns and fresh tenderised southern calamari.

Hints and tips

Anglers fish with light, sensitive outfits to feel their often-subtle bite. A popular rig is a paternoster with two droppers.

• When it comes to berley, know when enough is enough. You need to keep them interested but you don’t want to over-feed them.

• Fish actively. Constantly work your bait, lifting the rod up and down, feeling for bites or the weight of a fish.

• Fish with fresh bait. Changing your baits regularly will also increase your success rate.

• If the spot is not producing move on or try a different technique, perhaps try drifting. Knowing when to move comes down to experience but the sooner you get the hang of it the better.

Fuzzell with an elbow-slapper from Arno Bay, SA

Rigging for bait fishing

Targeting King George whiting on bait is great fun and can be a bit of an art form when the fish are timid. Whether fishing out of a boat or from a jetty a simple Paternoster rig will do the job nicely. The rig consists of a swivel at the top, two droppers with long shank hooks, and a swivel bomb (or similar) sinker at the bottom. Try to get your droppers down low to the bottom, the same as pictured right. For added effect place a couple of inches of red plastic tubing above each hook.

Paternoster Rig – both baits up off the bottom

Alternative bait fishing rig

An alternative approach is to get your baits right on the bottom. This rig is ideal for sandy substrates but will result in more snags on a rocky bottom. The rig, as pictured in the downloadable pdf in the ‘Fast Facts’ column to the right, consists of a running bean sinker on the mainline above the rig, a swivel, one dropper with a long shank hook, and one long shank hook tied with a standard knot to the bottom of the rig. This will keep your baits on the bottom at all times and will also work when drifting. Again, some red tubing can be added if you prefer.

Double running rig – both baits on the bottom

Click here for more Information On King George Whiting

Information courtesy of Jason Stevenson, Port Lincoln SA, DPI Fisheries VIC, and Department of Fisheries WA. Photos courtesy of Jason Stevenson.

Where to fish

Dusky flathead inhabit estuaries from the river mouth right up to brackish water between the depths of 1-20m and to a lesser extent beaches and headlands adjacent to river mouths. They prefer a soft sand or mud substrate but quite often hang around patchy sand, rock and weed. Focus your activity along the edges of channels, drop-offs & around weed beds on sandbanks.

Ian Phillips with one of his biggest duskies at St Georges Basin, NSW

How to target

Duskies will readily take live baits and pretty much anything else you can think of but arguably the most enjoyable and sporting way to target them is on lure. You need an outfit that will maximise casting distance allowing you to cover more ground per cast, and a variety of soft and hard-bodied lures for different applications. Starlo and Bushy revolutionised the soft plastic phenomenon with the invention of the Squidgie and to this day soft plastics are the preferred choice amongst many top anglers so give them a go next time you’re out.

Rod & Reel

A light to medium 6′-7′ carbon fibre or graphite rod in the 2-6kg range with quality guides and a cork grip paired with a light threadline reel with a good drag system, metal spool and coated line bail rollers in the 1000-4000 size range. Alternatively a light 5’6″-6’6″ overhead rod paired with a light baitcaster reel will suit.

This flathead was taken on fly in the Tuross River by Steve Starling

Line & Leader

6-10lb fine diameter and brightly coloured braided line. 2-10lb fluorocarbon leader.

Terminal Tackle

• Jighead: 4/0 – 6/0 weighted to suit depth.

• Hooks: Any style from 2 – 4/0 to suit bait size.

• Trebles: Decoy YS 25’s, Owner ST-11’s, or VMC.

• Sinker: Size 1 to 5 ball for most estuary settings. Limit weight as much as possible.

Best Lures

Duskies will attack just about anything. Plastics, vibes & blades work well and so do shallow diving hard-bodied minnows on the sand flats.

Flathead will launch after surface lures in the shallows

Best Bait

Again, duskies will eat anything. But remember big baits catch big fish. Some of the better baits include live poddy mullet, fresh strip/fillet baits, live prawns, frozen prawns & whitebait.

Hints and tips

Dusky flathead are caught within estuaries and nearshore waters throughout Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria. They are relatively easy to target on lure and are best targeted in the warmer months from October to April.

• There’s no ‘right’ way to retrieve soft plastics. Vary the retrieve from slow & straight to sharp & erratic until you find what’s best on the day.

• Try giving the rod a good hard rip to lift the jig well off the bottom then let it drop again. Pause then repeat.

• Concentrate on edges of channels, drop-offs & around weed beds on sandbanks.

• Store your soft plastics in a ‘worm proof’ tackle box and carry a diamond hone for touching up worn jig hook points.

Rigging for luring

Soft plastics: It’s important to rig plastics on the hook properly. They must lay straight & not bunched up or it will interfere with the action & not swim correctly. Measure it alongside the jig head & take note of where the hook will need to exit the body. Start the hook point in the center of the nose & thread it round the hook & bring the hook point out through the seam so it lays nice & straight.

Hard-body lures: Join leader to lure with a loop knot such as a Lefty’s Loop to allow the lure to swim freely in the water.

Make sure your plastics are straight when rigging

Rigging for bait fishing

Live fish: Larger duskies will usually engulf livies whole and sometimes bite you off so use a heavier leader of around 20lb and 2ft in length. Use a suicide or octopus style hook and as small a sinker as possible running freely above the swivel allowing the bait to swim around somewhat naturally.

Other bait: Similar to above but run the sinker between the hook and the swivel for better bite sensitivity. Choose a hook to match your bait choice and reduce leader strength to 10-12lb.

Bait fishing rigs – Live fish left, other baits right

Click here for more Information On Dusky Flathead

Information courtesy of Ian Phillips, Wollongong NSW and DAFF QLD. Photos courtesy of Ian Phillips.