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