Thursday, December 29, 2011

Celebrity Fishing: Charlie Sheen Reel's 'em in

Good old Charlie Sheen has had quite a year, but like the rest of us regular Joe's, he knows that a spot of fishing can help take your mind off your troubles.


Charlie Sheen Fishing with Family
 According to his twitter posts, Charlie Sheen went fishing with his ex-wife Denise Richards, their two children Sam and Lola and the actress' adopted daughter Eloise Joni just before Christmas. He even posted this photo of a fish he caught. Not much to smile about there Charlie!

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Hazards of Kayak Fishing

South African Fisherman survives shark attack
'Yak fishermen sometimes like to think of themselves as a breed apart, and certainly Kayak fishing has its challenges. Just ask Werner Coetzee, a 35 year old 'yak fisherman from Johannesburg - he survived a shark attack while fishing off Noordhoek in Port Elizabeth, South Africa two days before Christmas!

“The shark came from underneath me, the same way it klaps a seal. I never saw him until it happened," Coetzee,told the media. The great white shark emerged out of the water and knocked  the front of his fishing Kayak so hard that he was flung up into the air Coetzee said.

"I have a Pinnacle kayak which takes a big punch, but he knocked me and the front of the kayak about 2.5m minimum out of the water,” he recounted. "My kayak and all my tackle weigh 38kg and I weigh 102kg - so you can imagine."

Coetzee said when he landed back in the water, his kayak landed next to him but upside down.

"That was when I saw it was a shark. It was about four metres long. He was just a few feet away from me, biting into the front of the kayak." “We eyeballed each other and I saw him change his attention from the kayak to me."

Coetzee said he then started pulling himself onto the hull of the boat.

“I lay there for about a minute, although it seemed like much longer, waiting for the next hit. But it never came.”

Coetzee said the shark moved away - probably because he did not regard the fibreglass the kayak was made out of as a delicacy.

"He obviously didn’t like the taste of fibreglass and that is why he moved off.”

Coetzee said two of his fishing rods and his sunglasses had not been as lucky as he had - they disappeared during the attack.
Guest contributor Rhett Thorne from Mad Keen Yak Angling takes us through his lure tips for freshwater lagoon fishing.

The Blue Fox Vibrax Super Minnow

After stocking up with some of the new lures by Rapala brands, I had the pleasure of trying out a few of the smaller models in my local, freshwater lagoon. 

The first to be tied on was the Blue Fox, Vibrax Super Minnow, in the orange colour, because it covers the greatest amount of water due to castability and variable depths. Being the first time I’ve ever used a spinner lure, I began with a standard retrieve before switching to a stop and go retrieve around the snags to help entice the fish out of the timber.
After snagging up in over the shallow weed beds, I swiched to the Rapala Original Floating minnow lure in the new Orange Tiger colour. This lure has the ability to work from the surface down, depending on the style of retrieve.
 
The most productive retrieve I use with this floating style lure is to cast it out into the snags and let it float on the surface. A sharp twich pulls the lure forward, causing it to flick up water and dart just under the surface. The lure then floats back up and the retrieve continues. After the lure is out of the snags and is in relatively open water, a sharp, sub-surface twitching retrieve helps to immitate a wounded baitfish and produce strikes.
 
While using this retrieve I hooked up on a solid Barramundi that darted towards the snag. The drag of my little Okuma Avenger II reel screamed as the fish zig-zagged through the water. The fish put on a bit of an aerial display jumping through the air before cruising along the bank.

The Rapala Original Floating minnow in the new Orange Tiger colour 

The Barra was landed using my Okuma Lip Grips before being taged and released after a few quick pictures.
To say the least my new Okuma combo of the Avenger II 25 reel and Taurino 2-5kg rod performed exceptionally well. 


The wounded minnow action of the Rapala Original lure combined with the orange tiger colour proved to be a dynamite combination and by far the best lure, by outfishing the competition. Next time I head down to BCF I will for sure be buying a couple more for the tackle box.


My Okuma Avenger II reel and Taurino rod

Words and Pics: Rhett Thorne - reproduced with permission. Read more from Rhett's at Mad Keen Yak Angling.


Monday, December 26, 2011

Celebrity Interview - Prepare Well to Perform

Antonis loved fishing and soccer from
an early age.
Exclusive Fishmax Interview

Terry Antonis first received media attention in Australia when he was 10 years old winning a football talent competition on a Channel 7 television show, and he's been described as "one of the most outstanding young players that I have seen" and "of immense talent without a doubt." Now he's making his mark in the midfield with Sydney FC in the A-League, but as well as soccer, the teenage sensation has also been fishing since his very early years. Terry talks fishing exclusively with Fishmax in this interview.

FM: What’s your earliest fishing memory?

Fishing with my family off the wharf under the Spit Bridge in Sydney

FM: Where is your favourite fishing spot?
The Spit Bridge on Sydney’s Northern Beaches is still my favourite fishing spot

FM: Your best fishing story?
When I was younger I was fishing with my uncle and grandpa and I was standing on the back of the boat fishing. My uncle thought it would be funny to move the boat forward and I fell off the back of the boat with my rod in my hand

FM: Favourite fish recipe?
I love catching a fish and then cooking it on the BBQ, wrapped in foil with some olive oil, salt and herbs.

FM: What’s the biggest fish you’ve caught?
The biggest fish I’ve ever caught was a 4kg bream
Preparation the key in soccer and fishing


FM: How often do you go fishing?

I manage to go fishing about once a month but it depends on when I get some time off training and playing football with Sydney FC.

FM: Where is the most exotic place you’ve been fishing?
I’ve never really been anywhere exotic fishing but the best place I’ve been was off Sydney Heads.

FM: Do you have a fishing tip you’re willing to share?
You have to prepare well if you are going to catch anything.

For more Terry Antonis News and news, fixtures etc, visit the official Sydney FC website.

words: Stevo Perry Pics: Terry Antonis' personal albums & Getty Images

Friday, December 23, 2011

Merry Fishmas!

The staff and contributors at Fishmax would like to wish you all a fantastic christmas break!

Even the Big Man Likes to Fish!
We'll be back next year with more great fishing stories, features, giveaways and interviews and a couple of brand new ideas we're sure you'll love. In the mean time we hope your summer fishing adventures are fruitful and your travels safe.

Merry Christmas and tight lines!

Monday, December 19, 2011

Celebrity Fishing Interview - No looking back for Nick Carle

Carle Catches Marlin
Exclusive Fishmax Interview

A-leaguer Nick Carle, came to a lot of people's attention when he won the Johnny Warren Medal in 2007 while at Newcastle, but there is no looking back for the attacking midfielder who has overcome his injuries of last year to help Sydney FC climb the rankings this season.

A keen fishermen since his youth, 30-year-old Carle took a few minutes to speak to Fishmax about his other passion, fishing.

FM: What’s your earliest fishing memory?
My earliest fishing memory is fishing as a kid when I was on holidays at The Entrance

FM: Where is your favourite fishing spot?
Jervis Bay is my favourite fishing spot when I am fishing with my brother in law but I love heading up to The Entrance with my kids.

FM: Your best fishing story?
I caught an 80kg Striped Marlin when I was fishing off Jervis Bay few years ago. It took me 90 minutes to land it and it is now mounted on the wall in my garage at home.

FM: Favourite fish recipe (either describe the dish or give the recipe if you prefer)?
My Mother in law cooks an awesome salt and pepper squid if we come home with some squid from fishing.

Carle is an enormous asset for Sydney FC
FM: What’s the biggest fish you’ve caught?
That would easily be the 80kg Marlin

FM: How often do you go fishing?
I go fishing probably 6 or 7 seven times a year as I am pretty busy with training, playing and promotional commitments at Sydney FC.

FM: Where is the most exotic place you’ve been fishing?
I went fishing off the reef near Port Douglass when I was on holidays a few years ago.

FM: Do you have a fishing tip you’re willing to share?
I am far from a professional fisherman and the only tip I can give people is make sure you look behind you before casting out. That can hurt!

For the latest news on Sydney FC and Nick Carle, click here.
Words: Stevo Perry Pics: Nick Carle's personal albums

Saturday, December 17, 2011

Big (flat) fish!

Englishman catches huge stingray in South America
Ok, it's a ray, not a fish, but we couldn't help but share these amazing photos of fishing journalist Jeremy Wade with a 127 kg short tailed stingray caught near Buenes Aires in Argentina. The stingray is a River Stingray (Potamotrygon brachyura), native to northern, central and eastern South America, living in rivers that drain into the Caribbean, and into the Atlantic as far south as the Río de la Plata in Argentina.

Wade who hosts an English fishing TV show fought the ray for four hours. It was so big he couldn't land it in his boat and had to tow it shore.

Watch a video on the story here:





 



River stingrays are almost circular in shape, and range in size from 25 centimetres (9.8 in) in diameter, to the Short-tailed river stingray, which grows up to 1.5 metres (4.9 ft) in diameter. Most species are brownish or greyish and often have distinctive spotted or mottled patterns, but a few species are largely blackish with contrasting white spots.

River Stingrays have a venomous caudal sting, and are one of the most feared freshwater fishes in the region, sometimes more feared than piranhas and electric eels. However, they are not dangerous unless stepped on or otherwise threatened.

 

Thursday, December 15, 2011

No Boat this Christmas?


If you're without a boat for whatever reason this summer, then get out and talk to the boys and girls at Boab Boat Hire.

Boab Boat Hire provides you with an easy, affordable and safe option when it’s time for you to get out on the water and their selection of well maintained, environmentally friendly hire boats come equipped for you on a trailer or already launched and ready to go starting from just $215 a day. 
Whether it’s inshore or offshore fishing, Boab Boat Hire has got the boat for you and with 21 locations nation wide, you'll have your pick of some of the best fishing in the country!

Thanks to Boab Hire, we've got two gift vouchers worth $150 each to give away to two lucky Fishmax readers.  Simply complete your name and email address and tell us why hiring a boat is better than owning for your chance to win.









The small print: competition closes Midnight Friday December 23, 2011. Free to enter. One entry per person. Winners drawn at random. Prize not transferable of exchangable for cash. Judges decision is final. By entering this competition you agree to receive emails from Fishmax including our newsletter, but you may unsubscribe at any time. We take your privacy seriously, we will never send you SPAM or sell your email address or other personal details.

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Beer the Fishos Drink

Ok, fishermen (and women) drink all sorts of beer, but here's a brand we reckon is custom made for fishos. Bottled in 330ml PET (plastic) bottles with a smooth flavour, Brass Belgium Lager and Brass Belgium Pilsner are beers you could drink all day (responsibly of course).

Genuine 100% imported Belgium beer, this will be an ideal treat for the Christmas hols or even a gift for a mate who enjoys the good stuff on the boat.

While some beer drinkers might be put off by the idea of drinking from a plastic bottle, we found the taste great and the fact that the bottles are recycable, lighter than glass (8kg for a carton instead of 14) and of course, unbreakable means that for us this is a no-brainer this summer on the boat or when camping particularly.

You can buy Brass Belgium Beer for about $40 a carton at leading retailers including Dan Murphy's or click here for stockists.

Monday, December 12, 2011

Sebile Splasher, Barra and Tarpon

Guest contributor Clayton Nicholls talks gear and tactics for CQ Barramundi and Tarpon.

It was late In the afternoon, a few of my Gramma mates and myself met with a couple of boys from TCC(the cathedral college). We had the common goal, try for fish such as Barramundi and Tarpon on the surface.
I decided to make use of my Sebile lures and show off how top notch they really are. It was a slow start for my mate as his okuma baitcaster combo wasn’t working so he changed to his 1-3kg spin gear eventually, fortunately I already had mine out and going with a tarpon down on my Sebile splasher 52.
Once the fish got excited it was great, the best part was Tarpon have such soft mouths the hooks normally fall out. That was great news for everyone as each cast it would get hammered more than once and then something would finally hook up and the throw the hooks at the bank so all you had to do was cast out again. This happened most of the time but they hit the lure with so much force sometimes they hook up on their gills or eye socket or even in their side so the pliers and lip grips were handy.
The end of the day came and most of us achieved our goal, to catch fish.
My best mate got way up into the action with his light gear, my mate from TCC that works at the local tackle world cast about 3 lures into the tree and probably lost more, the other TCC guy claimed to have caught a Barra but there is no photo so I cannot put it up. Out of all the Sebile splasher showed every lure up. Lure fishing isn’t as easy as it may seem one of my mates didn’t get a single fish, it goes to show quality is better than quantity.
GEAR OF CHOICE:
Shimano Stradic Ci4 1000, 4 pound braid, Struwick sic stik pro 1-3kg
Sebile Splasher, Sebile Stickshad, Sebile Bonga Minnow
TACTICS:
The lure was used on a slow retrieve with regular bloops, more subtle bloops were used if the lure was being retrieved slower.
When surface luring do not try to hook the fish


Words and pics: Clayton Nicholls. You can read more from Clayton at his blog.

Thursday, December 8, 2011

Fly Fishing in the Indian Ocean

Bonefish, Permit and Trevally all make great fishing, and the guys at Fly Castaway love catching them on the fly. Check out this great vision  taken at St. Brandons Atoll  in the Indian Ocean.


St Brandon's Atoll (also called Cargados Carajos Shoals) is a group of over 50 small islands (total land area of less than 1 square mile), islets, coral ridges and vast sand flats on an extended reef in the Indian Ocean, situated 268 nautical miles north-east of Mauritius. Many anglers have been comparing St. Brandon's Atoll to "the way the Seychelles used to be" with a fishery which is virtually untapped. Another spot to add to our bucket list!

FlyCastaway specializes in guiding groups of dedicated anglers to various exotic destinations in Africa and the Indian & Atlantic Ocean Islands around the continent. To find out more, click here.

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

When Marlin Attack - 250 Kg Marlin Stabs Boy in Face

Fishing can be a dangerous business, but thankfully most of us get bye with just the occassional hook jab and stiff muscles.

Not so lucky American teenager Stephen Schultz. Check out this video clip is from the feature story on Animal Planet’s series, “Untamed and Uncut.”




Schultz and his family were fishing  off of the coast of Panama when he went a round with a marlin and came off worse for it. Schultz had a 250 kg (600 lb) marlin on the line and near the boat, when the fish spontaneously leapt into the air toward the fisherman. The bill of the fish entered directly into Schultz’s open mouth, piercing the back of his throat, breaking his nasal cavity and slicing through and out the side of his cheek.

Incredibly, the chest of the fish hit the back of the boat, stopping it’s forward progress just enough to prevent the bill of fish from piercing straight through the back of Schultz’s head.

Stephen Schultz was medi-vac'd to a Panama City hospital about 100 miles away. Amazingly, the teen made a full recovery, healing without even a scar.

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Have the kids been good?


Santa brings gifts to good little fisher-boys and girls
 Have the kids been good? Well whether or not they have been, you know you're going to have to play Santa and get them something, and rest assured, unless they are as fishing crazy as you, the missus is not going to let you put a Sebile S& S Splasher in the stocking for little Reggie or a Waeco Cool Ice Esky under the tree for Regina.

Lucky for you, your mates at FishMax are here to help with some hot tips on the best gifts for the kiddies this Christmas. Whether you've got a game boy or a little princess, there is bound to be something in our Christmas gift guide which will suit your kids (other than a Plano 758 Tacklebox of course!)

Not My Favourite Popper?

No fisherman likes loosing a lure, even a cheapy. But when you're fishing top line lures, even Steve "Starlo" Starling doesn't want to to see his lure, or his catch, disappear. Checkout this great vision of a "lure thief" that Steve and his wife encountered in NT.


Here's what they have to say about the encounter:

It was a typical November day. The temperature monitor tripped 39 degrees on "The Bong" before noon... Sunday night's terrific thunderstorm seemed to have dumped most of its payload square on the wetlands surrounding our chosen fishing spot and by 9am, the resulting humidity had our eyes streaming as sunscreen melted into them. Yep... it was going to be a traditional build-up fishing day.

As we pushed through the fast advancing frontline of lilies, tarpon tailed and swirled everywhere. The early signs promised more activity than we'd seen on Corroboree all year. As we lowered the electric at a likely spot, pulled out the fly rods and started working the surface for 'toga and barra, the sun started punching through the trees.

We hadn't been fishing for more than twenty minutes before we noticed a large saltwater croc approaching us from well upstream. Being breeding season, we were on high alert. When the beast was not twenty metres away, Steve hooked up to a tarpon.

"Not my popper!" he started muttering as he quickly stripped to get the fish in before the croc (which had dramatically changed direction and made a beeline for the hapless fish) could crunch it. He succeeded, but only the once.

Two casts later and Steve hooked up again. This time, the croc left nothing to chance. I was videoing the magnificent creature at the time and managed to capture the attack on film. Whilst the recorded soundtrack is a very repetitive "Oh My God" and not much more from me, it is punctuated by Steve's "Not my popper... NOT MY POPPER!"

We did get the popper back, but in that short exchange I managed to pick up a stalker. The croc became quite obviously fixated on my position (I'd sat down where I'd been fishing on the back casting deck so that I was more stable when the croc got close). His gaze was piercing and I could feel myself being sized up for dinner. When he stopped being interested in Steve's hooked fish, I got really worried. That's when I asked to move spots. You never can be too careful, especially with the recent rise in attacks on anglers!

As we started the motor and engaged the throttle, the crocodile's body rose in the water and turned towards the back of the boat. When we accelerated, he moved to full speed! I don't think I've been so scared in a long time... I dropped the camera and dived forward to the middle of the boat.

Whilst this croc didn't have things go his way, it's a timely warning to all fishos to be even more vigilant than we are throughout the rest of the year. The crocs at this time are not shy, they are not retiring and they have a burning appetite.

(from Youtube - to follow the Starling's youtube channel, click here ).

Monday, December 5, 2011

What do women really want (for Christmas)?

She'll be even more exited when
she sees its the Shimano TLD15
Many a fishing trip topic of conversation revolves around just exactly what our wives, mothers, girlfriends really want from us. Well we can't help you with that,  but we can give you some ideas of what they want for Christmas! Check out our What Women Want Gift Guide to find the perfect Christmas present for the lady in your life.

Unfortunately not all of us have women in our lives who think the ultimate Christmas gift is a new Rod or even better a Kevlacat , so if that includes you, you won't go wrong with our gift guide. Read it here.

Sunday, December 4, 2011

Hot Tips on Hot Snapper from Jarvis Walker

After some hot snapper action this Summer?  According to Jarvis Walker,  this year the place to be is  Whyalla, SA on the the western shores of the upper Spencer Gulf. Big snapper are the draw card for this region, and it rarely disappoints, with fish to 10kg available with more regularity than many other reputed snapper grounds and November to February sees snapper fishing in the Spencer Gulf at its best.

Wyalla fishing accommodation ranges from self-contained options, to caravan parks, hotels and motels, and cosy bed and breakfasts. While you're there dream of the fortunes made in the early days during an Iron Knob mine tour and see the various growth stages of Murray cod at the Stuart High School Murray Cod Enterprises aquaculture venture.

Jarvis Walker also suggest Melbourne’s Port Phillip Bay is worth the long wait at the boat ramp in November if you want to go after Snapper in Victoria and Snapper also bend rods consistently off Coffs Harbour, NSW.

Win WASP Bags with FishMax


At FishMax we love our WASP Bags.  WASP Bags are completely water and sand proof bags from a great Aussie company and in our view, they're essential kit for any Aussie fisho.

Some things just shouldn’t get wet (phones, iPods,cameras, your spare undies), however it can be very hard to keep those things dry when you’re out enjoying the great outdoors, fishing and doing other man stuff. WASP Bags are perfect for taking things like phones and cameras on your boat without fear of them being ruined by water or sand and the two sizes, Baby ($24.99) and King ($39.99) means there is one perfect for you whether your out for just a few hours or even a few nights. And now, by popular demand there's the Mega WASP for $79.99 to keep even more gear waterproof.

The company is so confident in their product that the WASP Bags come with a lifetime 100% moneyback guarantee.

WASP Bags are available for purchase online at www.waspbags.com.au. All orders are shipped within 24 hours, so WASP Bags will make an ideal last minute Christmas gift and even better, thanks to Chris at WASP Bags, we've got 5 WASP Bag Combos valued at $65 each to give away. 

Simply complete your name and email address and tell us why you need a WASP Bag for your chance to win.









The small print: competition closes Midnight Monday December 19, 2011. Free to enter. One entry per person. Winners drawn at random. Prize not transferable of exchangable for cash. Judges decision is final. By entering this competition you agree to receive emails from Fishmax including our newsletter, but you may unsubscribe at any time. We take your privacy seriously, we will never send you SPAM or sell your email address or other personal details.

Friday, December 2, 2011

Count Down to the Big Red Man

Santa gives some hot tips on fishing the summer whiting
It's almost time for the fat man in the red suit to put his rods aside for a night and deliver goodies all over the word.

Unfortunately in our experience the wife and kids will not be satisfied simply giving you a gift card to your favourite tackle shop, so like we do every year, we've prepared a handy "blokes gift guide" which you can leave lying around with your desired gift circled.

And of course, it's not all about you - no doubt you have dads, brothers & best mates to buy for, some of whom (shock horror) don't fish, so our gift guide will mean your decision making is easy. Take a look at our gift guide for blokes right here.

Protect Your Boat & Trailer This Summer - Product Spotlight

It's a sad truth that there are low life scum out there who will pinch a man's (or woman's) boat and trailer if you don't take security measures and unfortunately with the peak holiday boating season just around the corner, the incidence of boat and trailer theft increases. One of the best and simplest ways to protect yourself is with a trailer lock.

There are various versions of trailer locks on the market,  but one we like is the Australian-designed Hitch Helmet as it has a patented dual locking system that not only deters theft, but doubles as a safety device to prevent trailers from disconnecting while on the move.

Hitch Helmet covers the connecting mechanism between the towbar, towball, and trailer hitch, and simply locks around the trailer hitch when the trailer is not connected to the vehicle.

Manufacturer/distributor and Oceanic Trailers director Phil Peterson reckons the Hitch Helmet is virtually indestructible.
“The locking strength and towing capabilities of Hitch Helmet have been fully tested by numerous automotive authorities and law enforcement bodies, including the Water Police, and received the best results of any trailer lock on the market,” Mr Peterson told FishMax.

Insurance provider Club Marine supports the use of the Hitch Helmet as an anti-theft device and Peterson says individual policies may qualify for a waiver of the trailer boat theft excess, so check with your insurer.

Constructed from anti-corrosive material the Hitch Helmet has an RRP of $149 and is available from selected marine retail outlets or can purchased direct from the manufacturer, Oceanic Trailers – 1300 852 404 or http://www.oceanictrailers.com.au/.

Thursday, December 1, 2011

Win an Amazing Darwin Fishing Holiday for you and 3 mates.

NT and Barramundi: A match made in heaven
Want to fish the NT Runoff for Barra in 2012? This year the Barramundi runoff in the Northern Territory is expected from March to May 2012 and a lot of old hands are saying its expected to be a good one.

Thanks to Travelodge and FishMax you can win an amazing 3 day stay in Darwin for you and three mates valued at over $3000. An ideal base for the NT fishing trip of a lifetime!

Exclusive to FishMax,  Travelodge Hotels is offering one lucky winner three nights accommodation for four people (2 x Guest Room) at Travelodge Mirambeena Resort Darwin  -the ideal base for day fishing trips from Darwin or a few days R&R before a live on board or longer fishing adventure.  Simply complete the entry form below to go in the draw:










Mirambeena Resort Darwin  ideal fishing base
Terms & Conditions
  •  competition closes Midnight Friday December 23, 2011.
  • Prize is not refundable, non- endorsable or non-transferable. 
  • Bookings are subject to availability and seasonal embargo periods apply. Travelodge Hotels prize is for three consecutive nights’accommodation for four adults in two guest rooms at a Travelodge Mirambeena Resort Darwin.
  • Prize does not include any extra charges (ie, mini-bar, in-house movie, telephone usage, etc). Bookings should be made in advance to avoid disappointment. Additional spending money, meals, insurance, taxes, passports, visas, travel to and from the Travelodge Hotel and all other ancillary costs are the responsibility of the winner. Unless expressly stated, all other expenses become the responsibility of the winner.
  • In the event that, for any reason whatsoever, a winner does not take an element of the prize at the time stipulated by Travelodge Hotels, then that element of the prize will be forfeited by the winner and cash will not be awarded in lieu of that element. All accommodation on the voucher must be booked simultaneously.
  • Winners will be issued with a Travelodge Hotel Gift Certificate, valid for 6 months from the date of issue and will not be extended.
  • Free to enter. One entry per person.
  • Winners drawn at random. Judges decision is final.
  • By entering this competition you agree to receive emails from Fishmax including our newsletter, but you may unsubscribe at any time. We take your privacy seriously, we will never send you SPAM or sell your email address or other personal details.
 More about Travelodge
 
Travelodge is proud of consistently offering great value in a friendly environment. Whether it’s for a business trip or leisure, their price per room rates offer comfort and quality at unbeatable value. There are currently 16 Travelodge Hotels across Australia and New Zealand in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Rockhampton, Newcastle, Perth, Darwin, Wellington and Palmerston North.

For more information about Travelodge Hotels or to book, visit: www.travelodge.com.au or www.travelodge.co.nz
Travelodge Hotels – great value, rest assured. www.travelodge.com.au

Travelodge Mirambeena Resort Darwin

Soak up everything that Darwin has to offer from Travelodge Mirambeena Resort Darwin. Located smack bang in the heart of the city’s CBD you’ll be perfectly positioned to explore near-by galleries, markets and watering holes. Rest assured sleep comes easily in Travelodge’s great value resort rooms and self-contained town houses complete with split system air-conditioning, LCD televisions and in-room movies.

The hotel has a tropical vibe, featuring two swimming pools – the perfect place to cool down on a hot day. Other facilities include: 24 hour Reception, two spas, children’s paddling pool, fitness room, parking, tour booking facilities, dry cleaning and laundry service. Peckish? The onsite restaurant, Treetops, features seasonal Australian meals and is the perfect spot for a bite to eat loved by locals and guests alike. Or why not order room service or cook your own in the great outdoors in the self-catering BBQ area.
More About the Northern Territory Runoff

The NT Runoff occurs at the end of the wet season when the water on the flood plains starts receding bringing all sorts of Barramundi food such as frogs tadpoles and small fish etc and the Barramundi congregate at hot run off locations for what is probably the easiest feed they are going to get all year. Timing of the Runoff does depend on the weather but as a general rule the months of March through to Mid May is Run Off time.

NT fishing locations like Shady Camp, South Alligator River, East Alligator River and the Daly River are all great Runoff Barramundi fishing locations. During the Runoff, these rivers produce some great Barramundi fishing with reports of trophy Barramundi being a daily occurrence. 




Images: Tourism NT & Travelodge

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Funny Fishing Photo Contest December 2011

Got a great caption for this funny fishing photo? Send it in for your chance to win a pack containing a FishMax t-shirt valued at $29.95!

(click to enlarge)
 Simply post your funny caption in the comments section of this article or on the FishMax facebook page, to go in the running to  a  FishMax T-Shirt worth $29.95.

Terms and Conditions
  • Entries close on December 30, 2011. Winner will be contacted by us in early January 2012 and will be announced here on FishMax.com.au.
  • You may enter as many times as you want.
  • The winner will receive a FishMax T-Shirt worth $29.95.
  • Only entries posted in the comments section below or on the fishmax.com.au facebook page will be eligible.
  • Entries valid for Australian residents only.
  • The prize is not transferable and not redeemable for cash.
  • A valid email must be left in order for us to contact you if you win. If the winner cannot be contacted, we will award the prize to the runner-up.
  • The best entry will be selected by the FishMax.com.au staff. The judges decision is final and no correspondence will be entered in to. 
Make sure that when you leave your comment below, you use a google ID or other form of ID as shown in the dropdown box, or if you don't have one of those, choose "anonymous" and enter your name and email address in the comments section, so we can contact you if you win (don't worry,  we'll remove you're email address before the comment is published, so no-one else will be able to see it).

Sunday, November 27, 2011

A day of Cod and Flathead - Causeway Lake, CQ

Guest contributor, and Sebile fan, Clayton Nichols talks us through avoiding snags, finding flathead and one of his favourite spots in Central Queensland.

First fish of the day

Bussing down to the sort of local estuary system is a very slow journey but when I got there it was almost low tide, perfect for big cod and nice flathead. My first throw of a placcie landed me a small cod, but they slowly got bigger, all of this in the first few casts in my opinion is a pretty dam good start and landing a fish on the first cast is a great confidence builder for any angler, even a pro.

I changed to one of my favourite lures for fishing the snags, a Sebile Crankster 35Mr, the square shaped bib just bounces over the snags leaving the hooks dangling freely for any cod or flathead sitting next to it which ends in a perfect hook up. This is exactly what my holo greenie coloured Crankster did.


My Big Cod

Every time I cast out there was an eighty percent chance of some nice sized cod, the other twenty precent was flathead and strangely enough moses perch, which my lure hardly appreciated, all three of my holo greenie Cranksters now need new paint jobs thanks to these toothy critters. 
Representing Sebile

The tide started to come back in, slowly covering a yabbie flat and in that water were many small whiting, I had my stradic ci4 1000 reel and my okuma xfactor 1-3kg rod. On my stradic was 6 pound braid, on that 4 pound fluoro leader connected by a surgeon knot. Then tide to the 4 pound fluoro was a Sebile splasher 52. This  perfectly balanced set up enabled me to cast all the way over and float the lure just above the nosey fish keen to forage for anything on the yabbie flat, one little bloop and straight on the lure went a nice blue nosed sand whiting. As fun as this was it only lasted a good 15 minutes before the flat was covered with water.

Flatty attack

Because my mate and I fish here so often we know where all the rocks on the flat are, and next to those rocks are flathead, how do we know that, on a low tide walk around the estuary and you will find flathead holes, like stingray holes but where the flathead lay, waiting to prey on an unsuspecting fish. 

Before I walked over to that side I had a final cast with the Crankster producing a nice kilo and a bit cod, then on the other side, the flathead cam on the chew, with that concluded a very successful day.
Words and pics: Clayton Nicolls. You can read more from Clatyon at his blog.

Friday, November 25, 2011

Girls - Check, Bikinis - Check, Sharks - Hang on one minute!

According to an American TV news show,  in the shark infested waters off the South African coast, women in bikinis are diving with sharks, and its all in the name of science!


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These ladies have been recruited by scientists to show that popular shark myths are mainly bunkem.
According to ABC News (USA) since making it his life's work to demystify sharks, marine biologist Dr. Ryan Johnson has free dived with sharks countless times, he uses bite meters to measure the strength of their jaws and even helped develop silicon "robo-seals" to study the way Great Whites hunt their prey in beautiful Mossel Bay.

But even though dozens of massive sharks spend over half of the year cruising less than a half-mile from some of the most popular beaches in Africa, there has not been a shark attack on humans here in over 20 years.

Johnson is so convinced that sharks are not the mindless man-eaters that he's recruited a small team of "shark angels" to test whether the animals are truly driven into a feeding frenzy by the sight of white flesh, the smell of human blood and urine or the flash of jewelry.

"All of us on this crew are convinced that what we're doing is responsible," Johnson said. "We wouldn't be doing this if we thought we were going to get bit. It's a chance for us to put ourselves on the line and prove our theories."

Thursday, November 24, 2011

Swainston's Fishes of Australia

Oustanding reference guide
Scientist, Artist and Author Roger Swainston says "Over many years I have had the opportunity to see and handle an enormous variety of fishes; always looking at them with one eye as a scientist, the other as an artist… I always return to fishes and remain captivated by their astounding diversity and beauty."

Roger Swainston has taken both his poetic words and his breathtaking artwork in  to print with "Swainston’s Fishes of Australia-the complete illustrated guide" from Penguin. This beautiful book makes an outstanding reference guide to Ausralian fish and provides a fascinating overview of the extraordinary diversity of Australia's marine and freshwater fishes, including describing all 346 fish families currently known to be living in Australian waters, and listing the 4500 species that exist within these families.

The book provides an overview of the amazing diversity of these fishes, and an understanding of each species'place in the interconnecting web of Australia's marine and freshwater ecosystems.

One of the most recognised artists of sea creatures Roger Swainston creates many of his illustrations while underwater, where he spends hours observing, photographing and drawing aquatic life forms in their natural environment. Using graphite and plastic on a specially designed underwater drawing board to capture the scene, his awe-inspiring drawings have a perspective and detail not possible to capture with photography - they are so lifelike they seem ready to swim off the page.

Presenting more than 1500 illustrations, alongside information on taxonomy and biology, Roger’s latest book represents the culmination of his life work to date. Swainston’s Fishes of Australia is much more that a reference book for Australia’s remarkable array of aquatic life forms it is a work of art beautifully executed with minute detail.

To look at an extract of this outstanding Australian fish encyclopedia, click here.

you can buy Swainston's Fishes of Australia at leading book stores or online- RRP$125.

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Great Tailor Off Noosa

Tailor are About Right Now in the Noosa Estuary
We wanted to share this photo of reader Jemma L with her Queensland Tailor, caught in the outer Woods Bay near the mouth of the Noosa River, Qld on the week end. Tackle included whole frogmouth pilchards on ganged hooks which proved ideal to catch this lovely Tailor.

Woods Bay is an areay of settled water near the mouth of the Noosa River, Qld and a good place for fish to come in and find food. Anything can show up in Woods Bay at times, from Jacks to Mackerel but Trevally, Queenfish and Tarpon are the mainstays of flyrodders, usually around dusk. Wandering about the bay with flies and lures can produce some good sport.

Reports are that in the Noosa River estuary this week end, Bream, Flathead, Whiting, Tailor and Trevally were very active on the run-in (especially near the top of the tide) so if you're nearby, you migth want to get yourself out there!

Monday, November 14, 2011

Hook 'Em and Shoot 'Em? Only in America

Rifle or Fishing Rod? It's Both!
We love some of the crazy fishing gear that comes out of the USA. American fishermen just seem to have a knack of coming up with the wackiest and craziest fishing products around. The latest addition to our "only in America" file, is the  Ultralight Rifle and Fishing Rod from Mountain View Machine and Welding in Logan Utah.

These nifty rifle and fishing rod combo weighs less than 500g and contains a .22 caliber single-shot bolt-action rifle but wait, there's more! Simply screw the fishing reel onto the pistol grip, and extend the rod from the stock and you've got yourself a survival tool that would beat the Leatherman or Swiss Army Knife hands down [Ed: at least, it would beat them in a gun fight!]

The fishing rod and rifle combo is apparently light and easy to carry, and being made of aluminum and carbon fiber its weather resistant too. This fishing rod/rifle could be yours for just US$425 package, assuming that customs lets it in to the country that is.

Seen a piece of crazy fishing kit? Let us know at readers@fishmax.com.au

Friday, November 11, 2011

Elanda Point Lake Cootharaba Noosa Everglades

Elanda Point, Qld ideal starting point for the Noosa Everglades
Some of the FishMax team recently took the opportunity for a father and kids week end of camping, boating and a spot of fishing (of course) at the Elanda Point Camp Grounds at Elanda Point, Qld.

Elanda Pt on Lake Cootharaba is at the southern entrance of the Cooloola Section of the Great Sandy National Park and a great gateway to the Noosa Everglades. The Coolooola is at the northern or Noosa end of the Sunshine Coast and is just a couple of hours easy drive from Brisbane but comprises 50,000 hectares of unspoiled tranquility, a coastal wilderness of heathland, everglades and forest watered by streams and dotted by lakes.

Noosa Everglades - home to Australian Bass
Tarpon, Mangrove Jack, Trevally and more
The Elanda Point campgrounds themselves are well maintained, with heaps of space to pitch a tent and plenty of clean showers and toilets and a shop which sells all the essentials in case you arrive without something you need.You can choose to pitch right up close to Lake Cootharaba, but because a wind often picks up across the lake, we'd recommend that, like us, you get one of the sites a little back from the lake behind a stand of trees which provide both privacy and shelter.

The only thing that was perhaps a little disappointing was the fact that open fires are not permitted, so no roasting marshmellows over the open fire. Don't be daunted by what at first appears to be the large number of rules posted about the camp site, as any well behaved and sensible group of campers will have no trouble complying and it's just unfortunate that the operators feel the need to have so many rules. Obviously there have been some selfish and unthinking campers in the past that make this necessary.

Lake Cootharaba itself is ideal for the littlies as it is very shallow and so toddlers and the under tens can enjoy splashing and swimming in safety. The shallow water from the launch site does mean however that you will have to walk your boat out a couple of hundred metres before putting the outboard down and even canoes must be dragged the last 30 or so metres in to shore.

Elanda Point is the ideal place to introduce kids to
canoe and kayak fishing
Canoes, Tinnies and everything else you need can be hired on site from the Elanda Point Canoe Company.

In terms of fishing, Lake Cootharaba itself is nothing special, with bream and mullet being the primary catch, although there are occassional reports of nice flathead. The Noosa Everglades however  are reputedly good bass grounds (one of the historic sites, Harry's Hut, is a former bass fishing camp of a local pharmacist) and also plays host to catfish, trevally, mangrove jack and tarpon and of course mud crabs.

Bookings are not necessary but for camp information and equipment hire, contact Elanda Point Canoe Company Phone (07) 54853165 Fax (07) 54853634.

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Sunscreen Giveaway - Be a Sunsmart Fisherman this Summer

The team over at the Sunsmart want to make sure you're getting the sun smart message loud and clear, and have asked us to remind everyone that you can download the free  SunSmart App (with Sunscreen Calculator) Download from their website.

As an added incentive, be the first to download the the SunSmart App and email us at readers@fishmax.com.au and tell us what you think, and we'll send you a 1L pump pack of Cancer Council Sunscreen valued at $29.95 courtesy of Sunsmart and the Cancer Council.

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

85 Year Old Catches Marlin

ABC today reported on an 85 year old woman who landed a Marlin off Cooktown Qld on the week-end.

85-year-old Connie Laurie caught the 385-kilogram black marlin  during a fishing charter trip in North Queensland.

85 Year Old Fisherwoman Catches Marlin off Cook Town

Mrs Laurie, a great grandmother who has been fishing her whole life said catching the big black marlin is something she will never forget. Mrs Laurie said that "I certainly didn't feel 85 when I was bringing it in, I was too busy concentrating on keeping it on and getting it into the boat,".

While this is the first time she has caught a marlin, Mrs Laurie is a keen fisherwoman and plans to continue fishing for many years to come.

Connie Laurie shows you're never to old to catch big black marlin

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Amazing Fishing Stories

Full of Great Fishing Stories
One of the great bonds the word wide brotherhood of fishermen share is the love of a cracking good fishing yarn. Many of these fishing stories are passed around by word of mouth, but occassionally a writer collects some of the best and writes these fishing stories down in a book, and Amazing Fishing Stories: Incredible Tales from Stream to Open Sea by Paul Knight is the latest of these.

Knight is an Englishman and the stories in this fishing yarns book are written from that perspective, but it's a rivetting read for the Aussie fisherman none the less. There’s stories from every style of fishing, from the magic touch of the fly to blood and thunder battles with monsters of the deep.

The publisher's blurb summarises the stories - "Shiver at ghostly tales from the river bank and marvel at incredible exploits with rod and line. There are stories of the ones that got away as well as catches that set records. Discover the macabre ground bait used in some corners of the world and relive the excitement of that first thrilling tug on the line. Encounter the wide array of wildlife that can come between you and your catch, including bears, birds of prey and killer whales. The adventures of fishermen young and old, novice and experienced are shared, ensuring there is an anecdote for everyone."

There’s a wonderfully broad array of sport covered by Amazing Fishing Adventures by Paul Knight including:

·         Salmon
·         Sea Trout
·         Conger
·         Shark
·         Mahseer
·         Tuna
·         Permit
·         Tarpon
·         Marlin
·         Bonefish


 And even though he is English, the locations for these fishing adventures range right around the world, with destinations such as:
·         Australia
·         Nova Scotia
·         Great Britain
·         Venezuela
·         Russia
·         Caribbean
·         Alaska
·         India
·         Florida
·         Africa

In this collection of fishing stories,
Paul Knight has brought together a treasure trove of stories from a wide array of sources and invested them with a drama and excitement that makes this great reading for all fishermen, everywhere. and it would make a great gift, particularly for the older fisherman.

Knight himself is a lifelong fishing enthusiast and has worked within the sport all his life. He is Chief Executive of the Salmon and Trout Association and has written for a range of fishing magazines for more than 20 years.
Thanks to the publishers, Wiley Nautical, we have 5 copies of Amazing Fishing Stories: Incredible Tales from Stream to Open Sea by Paul Knight to give away. Simply send an email to readers@fishmax.com.au with the book's title in the subject line before 5.00pm 15 November 2011 to go in the draw.

Amazing Fishing Adventures: Incredible Tales from Stream to Open Sea
By Paul Knight Published by Wiley Nautical, November 2011ISBN: 978-1-1199-7033-0, Hardback, AU$27.95