EVERY year there’s an influx of tropical pelagic species along the NSW coast. This phenomena is driven by the East Australian Current (EAC), which acts almost like a “superhighway” that transports marine fauna to the sub-tropical waters of the south. The EAC is strongest during the summer months, where its flow can reach 90 centimetres per second. Some of the first warm water pelagic species we begin to see delivered by the EAC along the coast of NSW are baitfish. Schools of frigate mackerel, slimy mackerel and yellowtail scad start to feed on the surface. The increase in water temperature at ..read more

I’VE fished all of my life since I was about 5 years old. It’s a vague memory these days but I do remember fishing for slimey mackerel at Nelson Bay and chasing pike in Port Hacking as a young fella. I graduated to blackfish from the rocks then on to land based game and sportfishing. My father was a mad keen and very talented fisherman so it stood to reason that my brother and I would be introduced to our wonderful sport and follow in his footsteps. Back in the ‘60s it was rangoon or fibreglass rods and nylon monofilament lines. Lure fishing was in it’s infancy so it was usually bait fishing t ..read more

SHIMANO’S Talavera Type J series rods are tailored for a range of species, from bottom-dwelling fish to swift pelagics. Engineered to synchronise with a typical speed-jigging tempo, the Talavera Type J rods boast rapid loading and unloading capabilities, facilitating an ideal jig flick as anglers navigate through the water column. The Type J series exhibits a fast, responsive blank, allowing for a more aggressive pitch of the jig. This versatile series offers both casting and spinning models, ensuring anglers have the flexibility to choose their preferred style. The power spectrum spans from L ..read more

THE NSW Government is delivering on its election commitment by supporting a peak body for the commercial fishing sector. Minister for Agriculture Tara Moriarty announced the NSW Commercial Fishing Industry Association (CFIA) at the Sydney Fish Market Seafood Excellence Awards on Tuesday evening (23 April 2024) and the CFIA appointed inaugural chair, John Wilson. The newly formed CFIA will provide an opportunity for the NSW commercial fishing industry to be represented to Government, key stakeholders and the wider community, through a united voice.  John Wilson, from the Southern Tableland ..read more

BREAKDOWNS can be a minor nuisance or they could lead to an expensive recovery. Worse still, they could lead to a life threatening situation. If you’re close to home or a metropolitan area and you have phone service you can ring for help from friends, family or even a break down road service. You probably don’t want to leave your boat, camper trailer with all your gear aboard abandoned on the side of the road while you go to get help. In the back blocks of Australia, it’s a whole different ball game. If the worst happens and your trailer has succumbed to the horrendous road conditions and the ..read more

​GETTING caught up in timber, weeds, rocks or crevices is part and parcel of fishing. Casting and retrieving baits and lures around structure invariably results in becoming frustratingly snagged. Whilst unavoidable at times, you can minimise the chance of losing your lure or rig by employing a few techniques to snag proof your offering. Shielding hook points is the basic premise behind a snag free offering with a number of variants possible depending on the hook and lure combination being used. Once the inevitable occurs you will need to figure out how to best approach freeing your lure or whe ..read more

GROWING up reading old issues of Fishing World, the stories that made the biggest impression were the pioneering trips to the Coral Sea on the boat, Seafari. The trips were an expedition to the final frontier. These reefs took days to get reach and the fish were large and plentiful. The tackle was destroyed almost as soon as it saw water. A trip like this seemed next to impossible to plan and undertake back in the late ‘80s and ‘90s. Nomad really opened up the outer coral reefs during the turn of the millennium with fully guided trips, while Big Cat Reality is offering a more DIY alternative o ..read more

THESE days, game fishing anglers around the world chasing blue marlin with lures have found that the single hook rig is far better for many reasons. The swift bite from a blue will usually see the hook lodge in the corner of the jaw or in the roof of the mouth, providing the hook is set up correctly in the lure.  Another reason why the single hook is so popular, its far easier and far safer to remove from the marlin’s mouth after tagging. Double hook rigs are usually only successfully for striped marlin and for other game fish species. For the blue and even the black marlin, the double ho ..read more

THESE days, game fishing anglers around the world chasing blue marlin with lures have found that the single hook rig is far better for many reasons. The swift bite from a blue will usually see the hook lodge in the corner of the jaw or in the roof of the mouth, providing the hook is set up correctly in the lure.  Another reason why the single hook is so popular, its far easier and far safer to remove from the marlin’s mouth after tagging. Double hook rigs are usually only successfully for striped marlin and for other game fish species. For the blue and even the black marlin, the double ho ..read more

SHIMANO’S Status Elite Deep Drop range of rods combine the Status bent butt and Tiagra game rod to offer a competitively priced, yet high-performance solution for targeting fish using electric reels. Crafted with a power carbon composite blank that blends E-Glass and graphite, Shimano’s Status Elite Deep Drop rods deliver an exceptional combination of strength and sensitivity. Boasting a substantial hoop strength and durability, these rods maintain a comfortable bending curve, ensuring optimal performance during prolonged offshore adventures. Find out more at fish.shimano.com/en-AU The post S ..read more