Tabla de contenidos para December 2023/January 2024 en Fishing World

THIS is the final print edition of Fishing World under Yaffa Media. From early November, 2023, my own company, Side Mission Pty Ltd, acquired the digital assets of the Fishing World brand. So what does it mean for you? Fishing World will live on with a renewed focus online. And while you won’t see a 10 edition per year print mag – not all is lost – the plan is to publish a premium annual print edition. The 2024 annual edition will take the place of this Summer-long edition you’re reading now. I promise you won’t be disappointed! Over the past 54 years, Fishing World has produced this monthly print edition, and over the past 15 years, an interactive website. More recently we’ve added social media to the mix. As…

RECENTLY it has been claimed by animal rights groups that fish and certainaquatic invertebrates like crabs and squid are “sentient beings” that feelpain. However, a new review paper published in the high ranking scientificjournal Reviews in Fisheries Science and Aquaculture shows these claims ignoreseveral time honoured principles of sound science. The authors of the paper include a global list of eminent fisheries and aquaculture scientists who have worked on aquatic animal welfare for decades. They provide 10 reasons which show these recent claims are fraught withmisconceptions that limit their scientific credibility. So befuddled is the state of play in this field at the moment, with apologies to Winston Churchill,the authors conclude that: “Never before in the field of human food security, has so much been put at risk for so…

MAUI JIM - THE FLATS THE Flats are a new model for well-known sunglass brand, Maui Jim. They feature a rectangular shape and are available in various colours and lenses. According to Maui Jim, they suit a “medium” face. I’m not sure if my face is “medium”, although I have been told it’s only average. Either way, I like this style of sunglasses. The best thing about a brand like Maui Jim is the enormous range. The full range are unisex and there’s literally a style and lens colour for any occasion. When choosing a pair of sunglasses for fishing, there are a few important points to remember – the lens, the shape/style and, depending how vain you are, whether they look good. The best sunglasses for fishing are probably…

Australians are spoilt for choice when it comes to fishing destinations. We live on a giant island and are surrounded by thousands more. And while the fishing locally is something we all enjoy, some of us are always searching for the next destination, a tropical paradise teeming with fish and somewhere to get away from the daily grind. One such destination is the Solomon Islands. With over 900 islands dotted across the country and less than three hours flight from Brisbane, it’s no wonder fishing is one of the most common reasons tourists visit this tropical paradise. Finding a balance between un-spoilt fishing and overdevelopment is tricky. I’ve fished some incredible destinations that are truly off-the-grid and full of fish, yet many of these destinations are incapable of sustaining regular…

WHEN I started in the business of being a fishing journalist there was no Internet and social media did not exist. Articles were typed on A4 paper with an attached collection of slides in slide frames, and were posted down to Yaffa Publishing in Surry Hills, Sydney. The article would come out in print five months later. I have still got thousands of slides of big fish dating back to 1984! It was a very different time. Images became digitised in 2006, email started in around 1998 and communication became faster and easier. There is no point yearning for past times, but it was a different world. Effective communication in the fishing media has changed greatly in recent years. Facebook pages, Instagram, TikTok and other platforms are constantly bombarded with…

“ Most Aussies turn their nose up at the thought of tucking into an Australian Salmon when there is a plethora of other table fish to choose from. Any of these people that tried this dish today would have to eat their words” Ryan Doyle. Where You Got It From is a series that hones in on the best practices to ensure a superior harvest. To respect any fish taken from the water for a feed. For a long time, I was under the influence that the best time to catch a fish was immediately after catching one. Often leading to neglecting the fish that I had just landed and planned on taking home. If your goal is to fish for food, then it is okay to take 5 minutes…

The Blue Mountains has traditionally been considered a marginal trout region. It’s susceptible to drought and the altitude above level and latitude means its prone to hot summers. However, the are plenty of rivers, creeks and dams in the area with rainbow, brown and, more recently, the odd tiger trout. There are tiny creeks that run across farmland, remote mountain streams, larger rivers and a few lakes. Many of the rivers and creeks are accessible via private property, while others have access through state forests and National Parks. Access is probably one of the biggest barriers to fishing the Blue Mountains. It’s the type of place that takes years to “work out”. I’ve been fishing this region since I was a kid and I’m still discovering random streams or areas…

Sydney is not only known for its stunning beaches, iconic landmarks, and vibrant culture, it’s also a haven for anglers of all skill levels and from all walks of life. I grew up fishing the Harbour and Botany Bay and have an affinity for these two urban waterways with many fond memories spent sharing time on the water with my dad. Back then we didn’t have a car, so our fishing adventures revolved around public transport, the odd cab trip and walking to get away from the crowds. As the years progressed my love of fishing Sydney still prevails and I’m still in awe of the fishing we have on our doorstop and am still exploring these vast waterways and unlocking new locations decades after I first cast a line…

Live sonar is the latest development in electronic fish finding technology and can potentially change the way we fish. It’s so effective, some anglers have even suggested a ban on its use in competitions! Most of the major marine electronics manufacturers have this technology and improved features are being released regularly. Like it or not, live sonar is here to stay! What is Live Sonar? Live sonar gives anglers real-time images of fish, structure, and even your lure or bait similar to that of an ultrasound. You can see realistic streamed ??? of fish moving to the point of being able to identify the size and species and defined structure and even target an individual fish and observe it strike the lure presented to it. Traditional sonar shows a historic…

Catching fish in the shallows rewards good fishing skills. Seeing a cruiser before it detects your presence requires keen eyesight and a stealthy approach. Casting accurately and drawing a strike is rarely straightforward and a refusal is always a letdown. When you get a take, it is highly satisfying. As a bonus, the fight is often frantic as the fish seeks the sanctuary of deeper water. Success in shallow water can be elusive because this zone has a way of exposing an angler’s shortcomings. Skinny water teaches hard lessons about what stealth really means. Casting accuracy is tested. On some waters the challenge to hook that elusive species can be extreme, and anglers can spend many sessions working for that first fish. Many species patrol the margins so anglers in…

DAIWA SEAPOWER ELECTRIC REEL THE long-awaited replacement to Tanacom Bull, Daiwa’s Seapower is now available and ready to dominate the deep. Fitted with the same Megatorque motor that features in the popular Seaborg reels, Seapower outputs approximately 1.3 times the power compared to a conventional motor design. The Megatorque delivers smooth start up and excellent durability and is custom designed by Daiwa to emphasise torque over all else. Sporting the same redesigned frame as Tanacom, the motor is now positioned inside the spool for optimum performance and power. This enables a more direct drive system with a redesigned planetary gearset featuring much thicker and stronger gears to deliver all that power efficiently to the spool. The new Seapower range features two models, 800 and 1200, and now gives anglers more…

Life undeniably moves faster and faster the older you get, so much so that you begin to lose track of time and how things used to be not all that long ago. When finding some time to reflect on my fishing exploits over the past decade or two it was surprisingly apparent and hard to fathom just how much has changed over a relatively short period of time with certain fisheries and target species from a recreational angling perspective. One example that stuck out most was easily the yellowtail kingfish, a species that has experienced a fairly rapid increase in tactical and targeted fishing approaches mostly thanks to the technological advancements that have shaped today’s modern fishing scene. It’s probably fair to say that compared to 15 years ago these…

This issue will be the last edition of Fishing World published by Yaffa Publishing. In the future, editor Scott Thomas has bought the brand, and while focusing on growing the digital platforms, will hopefully will be doing some paper editions as well. In this era of online platforms, many monthly-based paper magazines are no longer financially viable. Readers and advertisers want instant access to information, and every time I go into a newsagents the magazine shelves are slowly becoming depleted. For me it is a sad time, I am 64 years old, about to retire and I looked forward to a few more years of writing for this magazine. It has been a major part of my life for over 38 years. In this piece allow me to be retrospective.…

I ALWAYs look forward to school holidays and time spent with my kids and grandkids. The summer holidays especially, as the warmer weather offers so many different opportunities tied to water related activities. Come December and Murray cod season is open. The canoes are packed with lightweight camping gear, an esky of food and drink, and fishing gear, and many pleasurable days can be spent with the kids catching fish throughout the day while paddling along with a gentle flow. Then pitching camp in the late afternoon, a feed around the campfire, before a night time surface session on those big green fish. Living in the shadows of the Blue Mountains I do feel blessed having some of the most magnificent Australian bush at my doorstep. My kids and grandkids…

While South Australia may not be viewed as an enviable sport fishing destination in a global sense, our state is steeped in early game fishing history and still boasts some exceptional sport fishing for those in the know. The likes of Alf Dean, Ern Palmer, Jim Cowell and Jim Veitch helped put SA on the angling map back in the 1950’s with world record captures of great white sharks at locations such as Port Lincoln, Streaky Bay and Ceduna. Alf Deans world record great white of 2664lb taken out from Ceduna in April 1955 still stands today as the heaviest capture ever taken on a rod and reel, and with the species protected across Australia since 1998 this capture looks to be cemented into the record books indefinitely. Bluefin tuna…

Our planet is littered with iconic fishing locations that are renown for outstanding fishing. The Cairns mega marlin fishery. Florida’s flats and tarpon fishing. Hawaii’s blue marlin fishing. Nova Scotia’s bluefin fishery. There are many more and the one thing they all share is a long history of amazing and record breaking captures over many decades. Fishing folklore is written around these places and the fish they produce. Australia has no shortage of iconic fishing locations but most of these all involve fishing from a boat. To find a land based fishing location that consistently produces mind blowing captures is very unique. Land based game fisho’s are a very rare and dedicated breed of angler. As the name suggests, they target gamefish from land based rock platforms and breakwalls. NSW…

I love this style of fishing; it’s exciting and it’s beautiful. Imagine, if you will, standing up on the casting deck and looking through crystal-clear blue water at the coral bombis and sandy gutters that pass underneath the boat as you drift by. Not only will you spot fish as they dart between rocks, green turtles, reef sharks and schools of sting rays are never far away. If you’re really quiet, you might be fortunate enough to spot the striped-back of a cruising Tiger Shark or even a group of Manta Rays … so cool, unless the shark takes a liking to your fish! The life found on coral flats is awesome! After years of visiting The Capricornia Cays National Park, without really spending a lot of time in the shallows,…

SHIMANO CURADO 200 M SHIMANO’S Curado baitcast reels have been around for 30 odd years. Over that time, they have cemented their place as a quality reel with many high end features at a reasonable price and within reach of the average fisho. The latest evolution – the Curado 200 M – is no exception. And it doesn’t disappoint! I first saw this 2023 release at the ICAST trade show in Florida where I caught up with Aussie Carl Jocumsen. Carl gave the Fishing World audience a run-down of the 200 M’s latest features and really sang its praises. A couple of months later and I borrowed a sample reel and took it to the Solomon Islands where I hoped to catch spot tail bass. Unfortunately, while the spot tail…

WELL, it’s that time of the year again. Another year at an end, all the fuss about Christmas and millions of Aussies taking well-earned holidays. The majority of those holidays will be spent somewhere along our expansive coastline which means people like me and many other retirees or “sea changers” will be inundated with tourists. The local tourism industry loves December and January while most locals hate the crowds. As a fisho the influx of out of towners is an annoyance but something I can live with. Our local population starts to grow a week before Xmas and it usually explodes between Xmas and New Year. I do a few days a week in a local fishing and outdoors shop so this is our busiest time of the year. That…

When you think of trout fishing techniques the use of plastics is probably not the first thing that comes to mind, but to be honest, it would be one of the most deadly techniques available. Trout have been in abundance these past few years thanks to unseasonably wet conditions along Australia’s Eastern Seaboard. The nearby hills remained cool and the rivers had plenty of flow. It was perfect conditions for trout. Over the next few pages, let’s look at the gear and tactics needed to target trout using plastics, a deadly technique once mastered. So where to start? A suitable rod in the 6 to 7 foot range is a good option. The action needs to be a fast taper in order to aid in casting lightly weighted lures a…

FISHING World Magazine (originally The Australian Angler and then The Australian Anglers’ Fishing World), has been a part of my life since I was nine years old. My first copies arrived home via my dad’s mate, who would pass them my way when he’d read them. I devoured them and read and reread until I knew articles off by heart. Favourites were the Vic McCristal tropical features, high speed spinning from the rocks, Alex Julius’s River mouth Mulloway bonanza and a bream piece recounting the capture of giant fish from the rocks using small live yellowtail. This was a time when cigarette companies advertised and some tackle companies “enhanced” their product with bikini clad women. Angler’s wore footy shorts, flannelette shirts and terry towelling hats. Pics included dead captures, piles…

Q: Hi Michael, let’s start by introducing yourself. A: My name is Michael Tropiano, also known as “Tropi”. I’m a marine biologist and underwater photographer who lives in Exmouth. I grew up in Mandurah chasing tailor from the beach and pink snapper from the boat. For the past five or six years I’ve been in Exmouth, which has been incredible,. One thing that excites me about Exmouth is just how close the shelf is. Whenever the weather allows, I always try and go out wide to the blue water. From there the days just dictate whatever is thrown at you. If it’s tuna we’ll throw stick baits, if it’s quiet we’ll bring the deep dropping gear and try for some rubies. There are a couple of FADs we like to…

Lowrance recently unveiled its long awaited HDP Pro fishfinder. The Fishing World 535XS Bar Crusher, along with my previous 535XS, and a US-built Scout boat have all had HDS units fitted. From memory it was the 9-inch HDS unit on the Scout and the 12 inch Carbon models on the Bar Crusher. The new Bar Crusher had a HDS LIVE, and now, the brand new HDS Pro. Before we go any further, this is only a preliminary review. Keep an eye out at fishingworld.com.au and youtube.com/fishingworldmag for more details over coming months. Lowrance has made the units easy to swap over. My unit is flush mounted on the boat’s centre console and it was a simple matter of just unclipping the bevel and unscrewing four small bolts. Thankfully, my Bar…