Friday, October 26, 2012

Tasty and Easy Lemon Fish Recipe


We're always looking for easy great tasting fish recipes, and here is another great Aussie fish recipe from Annette Sym's "Symply Too Good To Be True" series. Annette's been kind enough to let us reproduce some of these great Australian fish recipes - she's even given us copies of her latest cookbook to give away, so read on to find out how you could win one of these great books.


Ingredients

1 tablespoon (15g) Flora Light® margarine
¼ teaspoon crushed garlic (in jar)
1 tablespoon plain flour
½ cup skim milk
½ teaspoon chicken stock powder
1 tablespoon white wine
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon fresh coriander chopped
pepper to taste
4 x 125g fish fillets
cooking spray

SERVES: 4


Method

In a non-stick saucepan melt margarine with garlic, add flour and combine. Slowly add in milk, using a whisk to avoid lumps, until boiling. Add stock powder, wine, lemon juice, coriander, pepper to taste. 

Cook fish fillets in a non-stick frypan that has been generously coated with cooking spray, turning once. Pour sauce over fillets and serve.

Variations: You can replace the fish fillets with 400g of green prawns




Annette’s cookbooks SYMPLY TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE 1-6 are sold in all good newsagencies. Visit Annette’s website www.symplytoogood.com.au for more tips and recipes and to check out her new SYMPLY SLIM & HEALTHY MENTORING PROGRAM. You can also join Annette’s page at Symply Too Good FACEBOOK

For your chance to win one of these great cookbooks simply email reader@fishmax.com.au before 31 October 2012 with the subject line "Anette Sym Cookbook" to go in the draw (5 to be won).

Monday, October 22, 2012

Black Marlin Jumps on Deck

The media is buzzing with reports about a Cairns Black Marlin jumping on the deck of the sports fishing boat Little Audrey just last week.

For those of you who haven't yet seen the amazing video of a 600 lb (250kg) Black Marlin launching itself on to the deck of the Little Audrey, you can see it right here:



According to the Cairns Post, the amazing black marlin video was shot when seven friends on a six-day catch-and-release fishing trip off Cooktown hooked the huge fish.

Little Audrey skipper Daniel Carlson said the crew was lucky to walk away unharmed when the marlin's spear-like snout came straight at them. "We were out there heavy tackle fishing up the Reef when this 600-pound marlin latched on and was fighting for about five minutes and started backing down," he said.

"But then it's done the big U-bolt, spun around and jumped into the boat and just missed a few people.
"It was thrashing about for a few seconds but jumped back out and swam away."

The incredible marlin jumping on to boat video was taken by onboard cameras and shows the action from several angles.


For more information, visit www.littleaudrey.com.au


Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Testing the Ripple Fisher Blue Current

Guest contributor,  Clayton Nichols tests the Blue Current 74.
The Blue Current 74 proved to be a very strong light gear rod, able to stretch to its max and handle any fish thrown at it if fished right. the solid tip allowed small lures to be cast a mile, and surface lures worked extremely well. The rest of the rod loaded up parabolicly creating a clean bend throughout the entire blank as if the 2 peice join't doesnt even exist.

The 74 Blue current itself is 99 percent carbon making it a crisp graphite rod. The small split grip ultra hard EVA handles let any bite, hit, take or tapping on pieces of structure can be felt through the entire rod. Fishing with the rod is not only pleasurable but practicle for all day fishing.

The 99 percent carbon blank, limited split grip sectioning and small real seat make the rod very light, the EVA grip marks for a comfortable area to hold onto with the same sensitivity as cork without the wear and tear on your hands. perfectly matched with the light Stradic ci4, 6 pound sunlight super PE and fished with the Sebile mini series lures this combo is a fish hunting machine.

The 74 picking up one of many tarpon in the few hour session


the blue current capturing yet anther flathead


perfectly camo'd up againt the mangroves this flatty was still
pulled out from the smooth and reiable power in the rod


tarpon slamming the perfectly worked plastics



stoked on the effort from this flathead darting from snag
to snag then into the fast current.


Sunday, October 14, 2012

Barra Burger Hits the Spot!


We're always looking for easy great tasting fish recipes, and here is another great Aussie fish recipe from Annette Sym's "Symply Too Good To Be True" series. Annette's been kind enough to let us reproduce some of these great Australian fish recipes  from book 6 - she's even given us copies of her cookbook to give away, so read on to find out how you could win one of these great books.


BARRAMUNDI
1 teaspoon crushed ginger (in jar)
1 teaspoon crushed garlic (in jar)
4 x 125g boneless barramundi fillets
cooking spray

DRESSING
⅓ cup 97% fat-free mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Pad Thai paste
½ teaspoon red curry paste
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

BURGER
4 x 50g multigrain bread rolls
4 cups mixed salad (lettuce, tomato, cucumber etc)
80g sliced avocado (optional)

SERVES: 4

To cook fish: Rub ginger and garlic over top side of fish fillets. Spray over top of fillets with cooking spray then place coated side down into a non-stick frypan that has been generously coated with cooking spray. Cook for 3-4 minutes. Spray fish with cooking spray before turning to cook other side for a further 3-4 minutes. If fish fillets are thick they may require further time to cook. To know when fish is cooked through, check if the inside of the fish is white. If you see pink, this means the fish is not cooked through.

To make dressing: In a small bowl combine mayonnaise, Pad Thai Paste, red curry paste and lemon juice.

To assemble burger: Cut bread rolls in half and place under griller until toasted and browned. Place salad on base of buns then top with fish. Pour a quarter of dressing over the top of each piece of fish. Divide avocado into 4 servings and place on each piece of fish then place remaining bread lid on top.

Variation:
Omit avocado to lower fat count by 4.5g. Replace fish with 4 x 100g slices firm tofu or 4 x 100g of skinless chicken breast.

Not suitable to be frozen.

Annette’s cookbooks SYMPLY TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE 1-6 are sold in all good newsagencies. Visit Annette’s website www.symplytoogood.com.au for more tips and recipes and to check out her new SYMPLY SLIM & HEALTHY MENTORING PROGRAM. You can also join Annette’s page at Symply Too Good FACEBOOK

For your chance to win one of these great cookbooks simply email reader@fishmax.com.au before 31 October 2012 with the subject line "Anette Sym Cookbook" to go in the draw (5 to be won).

Friday, October 12, 2012

Rapala X-Rap Countdown


Regular guest contributor Rhett Thorne from Mad Keen Yak Angling  looks at the X-Rap Countdown!


This pikey bream fell for the rainbow trout colour XRCD
Over my last few yak fishing trips, in the local estuary systems, I have had an increasing success with slow sinking hardbody lures. These lures, namely the Rapala Countdowns, Mini Fat Raps and the Rapala Ultra Light lures excel when targeting a variety of species with a more finesse approach. While floating lures are the most conventional technique for fishing the structure, sinking lures bring a new dimension to the game of snag bashing.


The Rapala X-Rap Countdown is a new addition to the Rapala range, being introduced for the end of 2012. By incorporating a negative buoyancy into the aesthetic finish of the Rapala X-Rap, this new little lure swims with a seductive body roll, but then on the pause, falls with an attractive flutter to entice hungry fish into a bite. With the added weight the Rapala XRCD casts like a bullet making it an accurate casting lure, even in windy conditions.

The day after the Rapala X-Rap Countdown hit the shelves I was testing these lures out from the kayak. In about 3 minutes after launching the kayak I had already hooked up on a nice yellowfin bream by just trolling and twitching the lure over the flats. With a quick change of tactics I began casting the lure deep into the mangrove overhanging banks now I was further away from the boat ramp. Once the lure lands in the snags, it pays to take it slow and give it a few sharp twitches then give it a pause, so that the lure flutters down to the bottom and imitates an injured fish.

Bream arn't the only predators in these waters. This mangrove jack smashed the lure as soon as it hit the water.
After only one day of testing out this lure I had landed 2 yellowfin bream, 2 black/pikey bream, 2 mangrove jacks and even a couple little moses perch. This little lure has really impressed me and I can’t wait to see what fish it will pull out of the snags next time.
A solid yellowfin bream tagged and ready for release.
Words and Pics: Rhett Thorne - reproduced with permission. Read more from Rhett's at Mad Keen Yak Angling.

Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Celebrity Fishing Interview Al McGlashan


In our latest celebrity interview, professional angler & fishing journalist/photographer, Al McGlashan and host of Big Fish, Small Boats takes some time to talk fishing with us.


Al McGlashan loves catching Big Fish from Small Boats!

FM: What’s your earliest fishing memory?
AM: Fishing in Port Phillip Bay with a ridiculously heavy handline and catching a flathead. The moment the line came alive in my hand is something I will never forget  and I have been hooked ever since!

FM: Where is your favourite fishing spot?
AM: No single spot but I love the NSW coastline you can catch just about anything from marlin to monster bluefin, hoodlum sized kings to knobby headed snapper and its all within a few hours of Sydney!

FM: Your best fishing story?
AM: Man I have a few of those. Jumping in to film a marlin only to have a huge mako shark crash the party and eat my subject all on camera or catching the biggest  bluefin tuna on 24kg tackle after a marathon 7 hour battle. This season I jumped in and swam with 70-90kg bluefin which you will see on the new series which is nothing short of insane.

FM: Favourite fish recipe (either describe the dish or give the recipe if you prefer)?
AM: With Rach my better half writing cookbooks I get a lot of choice but fresh beer battered flathead tails or gummy shark is awesome or fresh grilled kingfish or sashimi tuna are all up there

FM: What’s the biggest fish you’ve caught?
AM: I was there to photograph the largest marlin (a 1280 pound black marlin) ever landed in a tournament worldwide out of Cairns. Seeing that massive fish come out of the water is something I will never forget. However catching the big bluefin in Victoria was probably the most memorable all seven hours of it!

FM: Where is the most exotic place you’ve been fishing?
AM: There are heaps New Britain, Midway Atoll, Christmas Island (both), Africa and I am going to Samoa in a few weeks which is pretty exciting.

FM: You’re obviously excited about “Big Fish, Small Boats” – other than safety gear, what’s your “must have” item when out on your boat? 
AM:You must have confidence in your vessel and most importantly know yours and your boats limits. A small boat can go miles to sea with a good skipper but  but someone with no experience should stay tied to the wharf!

Watch and understand the weather and always be in contact so someone knows exactly what you are doing and where you are going.





Big Fish, Small Boats is scheduled to air on ONE at 6pm each Sunday, beginning THIS SUNDAY 16 September. For more, refer to your local television guides or visit: bfsb.com.au

Monday, October 8, 2012

Most fishos know that the NT Times is a terrific source of entertaining news stories (particularly croc stories!) but here is one that recently caught our eye.

According to the NT Timesten Indonesian fishermen were recently arrested for "blast fishing" in Australian waters near the Tiwi Islands and another ten were caught using the same dangerous method off the coast of Broome, WA.

According to the report illegal foreign fishing activity in Australian waters has  reportedly dropped from 367 vessels and 2961 people in 2005-06 to just 12 vessels and 68 fishers in 2011-2012 but its still a problem. The boat in question was caught near Evans Shoal - north of the Tiwi Islands and contained explosive detonators and 200kg of fish, mainly red snapper while the boat captured off the coast of WA contained more than 320kg of dried and fresh fish, sea cucumbers, shark flesh and fins, and sea snails.
Fishing with explosives might seem funny, but unfortunately, it is serious business causing untold environmental damage and of course, it's down right dangerous!

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

Caption Contest - October

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!


Simply post your funny caption in the comments section of this article to go in the running to  a  FishMax T-Shirt worth $29.95.

Terms and Conditions
  • Entries close on 31 October 2012. Winner will be contacted by us in Nov 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 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).