Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Should you buy an electric motor for your boat?

Recent advances in electric boat motors and a drop in prices has really moved them on the "must have" list for many Australian fishermen who enjoy stealth fishing.

For lots of us though, electric motors for your boat are still something of a novelty and while we're keen to give them a try, we're not really sure how, where or when.




Take a look at this great short youtube video from Jarvis Walker & Watersnake. In this fishing video Pat Brennan gives some answers to the common questions about Australian electric boat motors. Brennan covers a number of models of boat electric motor including transom mounted models, bow mounted electric boat motors and some great tips on controlling electric boat motors with foot controls.

Thursday, January 26, 2012

FishMax.com.au's global reach

Casey Stoner childhood fishing photo published first at FishMax
It might be shallow but we're really stoked that our exclusive interview last year with Casey Stoner has been picked up by the European press.

 It's great to see an Aussie succeeding in the world stage in any sport, and even more exciting when he or she is also a keen fisherman like Casey.

It was also kind of nice to be called "one of the best Australian Fishing Webzines specialising in fishing" by one Belgian mob.

To read the full interview with Casey Stoner, exclusive to FishMax, click here.

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Bar Catch from Bar Crusher Makes it Easy

Bar Catch makes trailering your boat simple
For those of you who haven't tried it, you'll be interested to hear that Bar Crusher's Bar Catch™ trailer system, which makes single-handed launching and retrieving a breeze, now comes standard on all factory-packaged trailors from Bar Crusher.

It's constructed to a standard that's as heavy-duty as the Bar Crusher boats themselves and its simple to use. To launch, simply back the the boat  into the water and the winch strap is loosened, allowing the boat to slide back so it's retained by the Bar Catch. The elastic strap is then moved to the rear position. When the skipper powers the boat forward slightly, the Bar Catch will be free to drop down and the boat can be reversed off the trailer.

To retrieve,with the elastic strap attached to the rear of the Bar Catch, the skipper drives the boat onto the trailer so the hook eye on the front of the boat rides over the Bar Catch. The system automatically clicks into position, retaining the boat.

Designed for use only when the trailer is backed into the water, Bar Catch is never to be used for towing. Remember – always ensure the safety chain and winch strap are secure before driving the boat/trailer out of the water.

Further information: Bar Crusher Boats – (03) 9792 2999 or visit: http://www.barcrusher.com.au/

Monday, January 23, 2012

How to Hypnotise a Shark

For those of you of a certain age, you'll remember Max Walker's "How to Hynotise Chooks and other Great Yarns " but how about hypnotising sharks? Well that's exactly what model Cristina Zenato appears to do in this clip filmed by Joe Romeiro.


Christina Zenato is a renowned shark expert who works in the shark-infested waters of the Bahamas and she is known as 'the Shark Whisperer' and puts the ocean's fiercest predators in a trance simply by rubbing their noses.

When a shark is under her spell, Zenato can lift it up and manipulate it into whatever position she wants in the almost weightless environment. She can even make the shark stand on its nose!But for Zenato, hypnotizing sharks is not just a clever trick; she actually uses her powers to give medical aid to the sharks.

Growing up in and around the water, Joe Romeiro developed a love for the ocean at a young age. After seeing his first shark when he was just 5 years old, he has been captivated by them ever since. A self-taught filmmaker, he founded 333 Productions in 2007 with fellow producer & shark conservationist Bill Fisher. Since then, 333 Productions has created four award-winning films, "Silent Requiem", "Death of a Deity", "A Lateral Line" and "Shark Culture". For more great shark video clips from Romeiro, visit his website.

Saturday, January 21, 2012

Hot Tips for Catching Australian Bass

Considered by many as one of Australia's mostoutstanding freshwater sports fish,  and the Australian native fisherman's answer to trout, Bass will respond to angling methods used by trout fishermen and will easily outfight trout of a similar size, . The  species is now becoming extremely popular amongst the angling community especially in inland dams.

What's the best bait for Australian Bass? Well according to BCF's Bass Fact Sheet, it's shrimp, yabbies and worms but at least one old timer we know swears that the best bait for Australian Bass is black crickets and of course there are many of us who have our favourite bass lure.

And of course, its not just wait bait you use, but when you use it. Bass will become active when their main food source is active. In our experience the best feeding times usually occurs in low light situations because Australian Bass do not like the sun, and of course, most insect activity is at night.

Australian Bass, also known as Freshwater Perch, can be found in coastal rivers and streams along the Eastern seaboard from Tin Can Bay in Queensland, south through New South Wales and into eastern Victoria although according to the Australian Native Fish Association, they have not been  recorded west of Wilson's Promontory.

Australian Bass are reportedly most prolific in the waters of remote streams in the far south coast of New South Wales and eastern Gippsland in Victoria.


Thursday, January 19, 2012

2012 Green Valley Yellowbelly Classic

Heralded as one of the best fishing locations and Australia’s biggest Murray cod fishery, Lake Eildon’s Delatite Arm is an idyllic setting for the angler eager to catch a redfin; or even a trout, cod or yellowbelly.

Coe & Stix.jpg

A CRACKER OF A START AND FISH!
In November 2011, fellow fishing enthusiasts and big-hearted sponsors got together and hosted the inaugural Green Valley Yellowbelly Classic. A fun catch and release fishing tournament on the Delatite Arm of Lake Eildon, 15 kilometres from Mansfield. The winning fish was a 16lb, 60cm yellowbelly!

 The success of the event and the combination of raising funds for local not for profit organisations such as the local kindergarten was the catalyst to present another fishing tournament; the 2012 Green Valley Redfin Classic.

The family friendly Redfin fishing tournament is being staged on the Delatite Arm and Howes Creek Inlet of Lake Eildon, 15 kilometres from Mansfield on the shores of the lake and is expected to attract a crowd of junior and senior anglers competing for a host of rod and reel tackle prizes and cash. The event is open to all age groups so tell your friends and family.
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EVENT DETAILS
Date:
Saturday 10th and Sunday 11th March 2012

Fishing Times: Saturday 8am to 4pm and Sunday 8am to 12 noon

Registration: to register email jamie@delatitesportfishingadventures.com.au

Cost: $50 per adult and $20 per child (under 14 years of age)

Inclusions:

§ Cooked breakfast Saturday

§ Cooked breakfast Sunday

§ Dinner Saturday night

§ FREE onsite lakeside camping

§ Prizes including fishing gear, camping goods and cash


For more details visit with website here.

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Fishing still a favourite pastime – even 42,000 years later

According to a report printed in the latest issue of the journal Science,  people have been deep sea fishing around or near Australia for a very long time. At least 42,000 years in fact according to Professor Sue O'Connor, Dr Chris Clarkson and other Australian archeologists who  made the discovery at Jerimalai cave in East Timor. They also found the earliest known example of a fishhook.

Dr Clarkson said the findings made by the team from the Jerimalai site demonstrated that 42,000 years ago, our regional ancestors had high-level maritime skills, and by implication the technology needed to make the ocean crossings to reach Australia.

The study found more than 38,000 fish bones from 2843 individual fish dating back 42,000 years from the site, implying that the inhabitants were indeed fishing in the deep sea.

The shell fish hook found by Professor O'Connor dates to between 23,000 and 16,000 years ago, showing that early human colonists were skilled crafts' people as well as fishers.

The article states there is no evidence of hook-and-line fishing of this antiquity anywhere else in the world. The fact that it first appeared on our doorstep made it “extremely exciting and significant” Dr Clarkson said.

"It appears people had already been reliant on fish at the site for more than 20,000 years by the time these shell fish hooks appeared. We also know that the earliest colonists of our region were capable of long-distance sea voyaging," he said.

"Essentially, what Professor O'Connor found at Jerimalai is evidence of an innovative, marine-adapted population engaged in very sophisticated subsistence at around the time many higher latitude populations were forced into glacial refugia."

What is still unclear however is how ancient people were able to catch these fast-moving deep-ocean fish.

"Fisherman today say it is certainly possible to catch tuna and other pelagic species from the shore from time to time, but the team think it is unlikely that this would explain the high proportion of pelagic fish bone found in the lowest layers at the site," Dr Clarkson said.

The study found that more than half the very abundant fish bone at the site is from these difficult-to-catch pelagic species. This suggests systematic targeting of these species, possibly involving capture from boats, the use of nets, or some means of attracting the fish.

"It would be nice to think a sophisticated technology was in use, but we just don't know what it was yet. We're hopeful that new excavations at the site will help reveal that."

The recent findings from Jerimalai cave have brought researchers a step closer to solving the mystery of how Australia's ancient ancestors arrived at least 50,000 years ago.

"Boats were probably necessary for people to cross from Island Southeast Asia into Australia before 50,000 years ago. Even greater voyages were made out to islands of New Guinea and the Solomon Islands more than 40,000 years ago," Dr Clarkson said.

"The evidence from Jerimalai is the first to conclusively demonstrate that early colonists in this region had the technical capacities to exist on marine foods and plan voyages into the open ocean at this time. I'm hoping the stone tools will also help reveal more about the technological skills and activities of the early colonists of SE Asia."

Dr Clarkson and his colleagues have published their findings in the latest issue of Science.

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

You paid how much for a lure?

Is this the ultimate in hard bodied lures?
Like most fishermen, we here at FishMax have been known to pay a little more than perhaps we should for a lure, but over $400!?! That's how much a hard bodied lure called the "Mother Triple" from Japanese lure maker "Roman Made" will cost you [Ed: US$415.99 to be exact]. and no, it's not some sort of gimick or display lure, it's an actual lure designed to catch Large Mouthed Bass.

According to leading US tackle seller Tacklewarehouse.com, "Offering an additional jointed segment, the Roman Made Mother Triple Swimbait features the same beautifully crafted body design and key characteristics as the original Mother swimbait - now with a more lifelike and fluid swimming motion. Handmade and handcrafted one-by-one in Roman Made’s facility near Lake Biwa in Japan, each bait takes approximately 12 hours to create. Tried and tested on the waters of Lake Biwa, its a true big fish bait designed for catching bass 30-inches and bigger. As proof, world record holder Manabu Kurita hooked into a bass he estimated to be 28-pounds on a version of the Mother swimbait, but lost her during the fight, and also landed the previous Lake Biwa record (prior to his world-record tying bass) on a Mother swimbait. Extremely difficult to find,  the Roman Made Mother Triple Swimbait is a true work-of-art."

Even for crazy fishermen like us, $400 + is pretty hard to justify for a lure, no matter how many fish you catch with it. As one punter said "this thing would want to gut and fillet your fish for you once you caught it at that price".


Sunday, January 15, 2012

Catching Squid - Ideal Kingfish Bait

If you want to catch large Kingfish you're going to need good bait, so catching fresh squid (calamari)  is a must have skill.


In this Rapala video, Anthony Raco from Band of Brothers runs through how you can succesfully locate and succesfully catch squid using a Rapala Ikado SWS Squid Jig.

This is a very useful and easy to follow youtube how to fishing clip for anyone seriously chasing Kingfish or of course,  squid either as its own reward or as bait for other species like Jewfish or Snapper.

 Band of Brothers Productions was established by Dennis Minuti and Anthony Raco to film and produce Fishing and Adventure DVDs.

Thursday, January 12, 2012

Barra on the Fly

According to their website, the guys from Mad Food Fishing believe there is an easy way and a hard way to do most things, and that it's often more fun to do it the hard way! Best of all these guys have released a film showing them doing it the hardway!
Up the Creek is a film about big fish, impossible country, and the search for a new challenge. When you think you’ve seen it all before, take a ride with five mad Aussies as they dive into the devil’s lair, in pursuit of monster Barramundi.

Fly fishing usually conjures romantic images of light lines, tiny flies and delicate trout. But add float tubes and huge Barramundi, brutal snags and the very real chance of bumping into a crocodile and it's no wonder it hasn't been tried before.



The film follows five avid fly fishers using helmet cameras to capture their adventure on float tubes chasing massive barramundi with fly rods. The resulting film is unlike anything you have seen before. It's raw and honest. It's not 3D, hell, it’s not even HD, but it captures a realism that's not often seen in fishing films. All the agony and the ecstasy is laid bare and you get to experience what it's really like. For more information or to buy the DVD, visit the website.

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Strange Things Happen at Sea

Most of us have seen some pretty odd things drifting by while we fish, but while a dog might not be the oddest sight, this story sure is one of the saddest we've heard.

Imagine the surprise of this Kayak fisherman in the Gulf of Mexico near Sarasota in the USA when a  dog is spotted drifing near by. The fisherman, who wants to remain nameless, rescued the distressed dog and pulled him aboard.






A visit to a vet confirmed that the dog was in reasonable health and had a microchip. This is when what would otherwise be a happy story of a lost dog found, revealed a sad twist. The dog, called Barney was out being walked by his owner, a 53 year old local woman, when she was hit and killed by a drunk driver. Barney ran away, and appears to have entered the water in his distress.

The accident scene was about a mile from where Barney was found swimming.

The positive news is that Barney is now re-united with his family, and they are helping each other cope with the terrible situation.

Monday, January 9, 2012

The Luck of the Irish

At FishMax we get fishing reports from all over the world, but not many from Ireland. That's until we saw these pictures from a  charter run by Hamish Currie called "Predator Ireland".

 Based in Cushendall, north of Belfast, Northern Ireland and specialising   in fishing in the  Irish Sea for big predator fish including Shark, Cod, Pollack, Mackerel, Whiting, Gurnard, Herring, Coalfish, Haddock, Wrasse, Dabs, Plaice, Turbot, Blond Ray, Thornback Ray, Cuckoo Ray, Spotted Ray, Skate, Dogfish, Conger.

2011was a very big year for the Predator team recording a total of 155 irish specimen fish (11 different species) 3 new Irish records and 1 still to be ratified. Here are some of photos of the great Irish fish this guys have landed (catch and release of course!).








Visit the Predator Ireland website for more photos or details of chartering the boat if you are looking for an Irish Sea Fishing Adventure.

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

SPOT X PNG

Big Bad Black Bass Action at a new New Britian Spot
In August this year, Fish Max contributor Mal McCully was one of the first guests to fish an exciting new fishing destination organised by Riccard Reimann from Baia Sports Fishing Lodge in PNG. The spot is so new that it didn’t have a name.
Riccard is looking to establish a permanent base in the area, but for this first trip, accommodation was organised in a private house on a picture postcard tropical island.
The spot is located to the west of Kimbe, the opposite direction to the Baia Lodge. Getting to the spot was no easy feat for Mal, who lives in the south east of South Australia. It took Mal three days to get there, having to first drive four hours to Adelaide, board a flight to Brisbane, followed by another to Cairns. From Cairns, a flight to Port Moresby and then yet another to Hoskins situated on the north coast of West New Britian Province PNG. From there, a four wheel drive trip to the Liamo Reef resort in Kimbe, where they overnighted in relative luxury.
The next morning a short 4WD trip of less than an hour, took the small group of five anglers to the fibreglass dinghy’s for a 2 hour trip to the small tropical island camp where they would call home for the next 7 days. Accommodation was in traditional thatched house with an outside cooking hut. The camp only had rudimentary facilities but did include a generator and a fridge/freezer. Plans are underway to upgrade the level of comfort with showers, fans and more refrigeration. They fished 6 different rivers to the west of the island. The 2 boats were owned and operated by the traditional local people. Each boat held 2 anglers, a fishing guide, a local driver and another local who spotted up front. A boat trip of between three quarters and one and a half hours, had the fisherman at the mouth of various rivers, where they proceeded to fish from there to a further 20 to 30 kilometres upstream.
The Papuan Black Bass is considered one of the most powerful fish ‘pound for pound’ that exist. When they strike, in spite of locked drags and spools thumbed hard, line still peeled off as if no drag was applied at all. Many have described the experience to hooking up to a speeding freight train. Mal had around one second to turn a fish once hit, otherwise all was lost, as they thundered towards snag or mangrove to break off the line as if it were thin cotton. Many rigs were busted by these notoriously hard fighting fish.
The Spot Tail Bass were found upstream in fast flowing, clearer water were they tended to like a little white water flowing fast over logs, rocks or other obstructions. The black bass were mainly found downstream in the saltier water and at the river mouth.
The fishing comprised of flicking lures towards structure and trolling. Forty five black and spot tail Bass were landed by Mal and his fishing buddy, Ivan New over the next seven days, as well as 4 monster mangrove jack around 6.5 kg and a handful of GT’s to 14kg. Most bass were around the 4 to 5 kg mark, with one monster going to 14 kg. Recent reports from this same spot, talks of fish to 20 kg being caught! All fish landed were carefully released to fight another day.
Fish like these need beefed up gear. Mal’s tackle including custom made Ian Miller 10-20kg Papuan Black bass rod, custom Ian Miller 10 kg Barra rods, a two Daiwa Zillion 100 HLC Baitcaster reels, a Shimano Calcutta 200 TE and a 200 TE DC reel. All reels had their drags upgraded to around 9 kg. Line was 50lb Power Pro braid with 80lb Schneider leader. Lures were a mixture of Roosta poppers, Reidy’s B-52s, Killalure River Rats, Rapala X-raps, Halco Hammas, Halco Scorpians, Bomber’s and Barra Classic hard bodied lures, from 105 mm to 125 mm in length, with most diving around 3 to 5 metres deep. All rings and trebles were upgraded, the hooks to Owner 6X trebles. Popular lure colours included Elton Johns, fluoro greens, silver and black, classic gold, and plain silvers.
One time, when Mal had a GT at the side of the boat, the biggest Black Tail Bass he had ever seen, rose from the depths and hammered the hooked fish. This fish, twice as big as any they had caught, made short work of the 6 kg trevally and rig. Going by the weight of the others they had caught, Mal estimated this fish to be over 20kg, maybe even closer to the 25kg mark!
As you can probably imagine Mal and Ivan are as keen as ever to get back there again next year, though Ivan is threatening to upgrade to 20kg rods, 80lb braid with 100lb leader. With fish like the one Mal saw, we think he might want to go even heavier!

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Are these the hardest fishermen alive?

Aussie fishermen like to think of themselves as hard men, and there is very little we Aussies won't brave in our quest for the next fish. However, after seeing this video we just had to tip our hats to what might be two of the hardest fishermen there are - two crazy ice-fishermen from Northern Ontario Canada.


Sunday, January 1, 2012

Hotest Fishing Spots 2012?

Goodbye 2011 Hello 2012
Well 2011 is over and there has been a lot of water under the bridge (literally and metaphorically). We're really hoping that 2012 is going to be something special in terms of Australian fishing and we're going to be working hard to bring you the best fishing spots in 2012 as well as more tips on how to catch the big fish as well as interesting stories, fun contests, 2012 fishing freebies and giveaways and of course fishing interviews and more.