The post Episode 596: Five Days On The Clarence River With Curtis Parker appeared first on Doc Lures.

https://traffic.libsyn.com/doclures/596-clarence-river-bass-curtis-parker.mp3Curtis ParkerSponsored Angler, Bass Enthusiast

Curtis’ first passion is drift fishing the rivers and creeks of the Clarence system and casting for Australian bass, which he’s been doing for decades. He’s pretty accomplished on a few species though and has previously been on the ALF podcast talking Murray cod and barramundi, his two other passions!

Curtis’ Show Notes Are In Preparation.Meanwhile, why not enjoy the audio, and download the bass tackle cheat sheet we’ve prepared for ALF listeners?

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The post Episode 594: Tournament Breaming With Grayson Fong appeared first on Doc Lures.

https://traffic.libsyn.com/doclures/594-bream-tournaments-grayson-fong.mp3Grayson FongTournament Bream Gun

Grayson has been on the tournament bream scene for many years and has competed as a non-boater, boater and kayak competitor. He’s fiercely competitive and passionate about being open minded and responsive to conditions whilst he’s fishing, learning from every trip, even when the fish aren’t cooperating.

Grayson’s Tips For Bream Fishing* Grayson’s bream fishing journey started with a trip where he lost a lot gear with not much being caught. On the same trip he watched Steve and Tim Morgan will the Queensland open, catching their bag with ease.. The event inspired him to get serious about fishing for bream with lures. * For those who don’t own boats, entering a tournament will see you paired up randomly to compete with a boating angler. It’s an amazing way to meet and fish with some of the top anglers in the country. * Being willing to keep an open mind, learn and adapt to the day’s conditions is critical, as is experimenting with different techniques and lures to find what works best. * Grayson’s technique for hard body fishing bream involve a very slow retreieve with no twitches, just wind, stop. Wind, stop. He prefers a 4.8:1 ratio reel in a 2500 size, as it allows him to cast farther and retrieve the lure at a slower pace, maximising bites and minimising spooked fish. * Rig several rods with lures that run at different depths lures of different depths. For example, a Spike 44 EXDR to cover deep water a Spike 44 mid-runner or deep rolling crank, plus a mid-rolling crank. This approach covers all the water columns and allows the angler to work lures up and over bottom structure and then down the other side. * To cover more area when fishing, consider using deeper diving lures that cover the water column from shallow to deep. This approach allows you to cover more horizontal area and as a beginner, having one of each type of lure rigged up can help you work out what the fish are doing faster. * There is always a debate about the ideal leader size, but Grayson has concluded that 6lb leader works best for his style of fishing. It may seem heavy, but the number of lost fish on four-pound leaders outweighs the additional bite received. An FG knot is the ultimate line and leader connector. * When it comes to line J-Braid in eight pound is great, as is Saltiga EX braid. The latter is expensive but very durable and has a long life. * If you’re having a tough day fishing, the weather conditions are your first sign of where to fish. On a calm day, fish structure, such as bridges or pylons, as they provide shade. On a windy day, pick a wind-swept bank or flat and make the longest casts you can with the wind. Casting with the wind is advantageous for covering a lot of water in a short time and getting away from the boat. A glass-out day is a tougher challenge, so it’s best to go to structure, such as bridges or jetties, where fish may be hiding.

Grayson’s Bream Lures* The Cranka Crab is a must-have lure for anywhere near structure, but even on flats. Grayson prefers the UV colour and believes it is more effective than the olive colour he previously favoured. * The Daiwa Infeet Spike 44 or 53 SP. The latter is a bigger lure for bream, and the profile is the same as the OSP Dunk, which has been a popular lure for years. It has a slow rise in saltwater when paused and a big bib that helps it get down fairly deep. The bib also acts as a bumper bar when rolling over rocks or rubbing on the bottom. Go to colours when using Daiwa Infeet Spikes are the brown suji shrimp and the matt prawn. The matt prawn is a solid, dark color with great silhouette in both clear and dirty water. Brown suji shrimp was made famous by the old Jackall Chubby. * The Daiwa Infeet Rollin Crank is available in both mid-runner and deep-runner varieties. The mid-runner can dive down to about three feet. It’s best used on weed flats or rubble bottoms where fish may be feeding in packs. The deep-runner can be used in shallow or deep water and can be rolled through rocks or rubble bottoms, using the bib as a bumper bar. On weed flats it’s better to go back to the mid-runner. * Bait Junkies Bloodworm Grub G Hit on a 1/16 oz jighead. A lighter jighead (1/20 oz) is great for fishing edges where a slower sink rate is required, whilst a 1/12th oz head is perfect on the flats when slow rolling grubs. For a paddletail soft plastic, such as the two and a half inch Bait Junkie Minnow, a similar technique can be used, and the bream seem to love it. * The Jackall Chubby is a favourite lure for bream fishing, and has a slow rise in saltwater if you pause, plus and a big bib to get the lure down quite deep. Subscribe To ALFApple | Stitcher | Google | Spotify | iHeart | MP3

Download Notes (pdf)Grayson’s SponsorsDaiwa Australia

Mako Eyewear

Episode 594: Tournament Breaming With Grayson FongGrayson Fong is a long-time, keen tournament angler who has competed as a boater, non-boater and kayaker over the years. In today’s episode he shares tons of great tips for anyone wanting to catch more bream.

Episode 582: Botany Bay Bream With Karl Stait And Andrew DeathKarl Stait is a long time kayak and tournament bream fisher and a fierce competitor. In todays episode he and Deathy drill down on some tips for targeting bream, plus using electronics to maximum advantage.

Episode 574: Andrew Death’s “Aha!” Bream Moments In 2022Andrew Death has become part of the furniture here at the ALF podcast and has interviewed multiple big names in bream fishing circles over the past 12 months. Today he shares the top things he’s learned from each conversation.

Episode 569: Lake Macquarie On Lures With Dan Guilfoyle. Part 1: Summer.Lake Macquarie might cop a lot of fishing pressure over the summer months, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t some great opportunities on offer for those in the know about how, when and where to fish! Dan Guilfoyle shares a lifetime of local knowledge for those keen to hit the water in the coming months.

Episode 565: Jamie Mckeown and Andrew Death On All Things Bream FishingIf you love your bream fishing then this is a must-listen! Deathy and Jamie Mckeown chat for an hour about strategies, tips and techniques that have brought Jamie massive success on the tournament bream scene. But it really doesn’t matter whether you’re a tournament fisher or just target bream for yourself, this is an incredibly informative and helpful interview.

Episode 563: [Featured Guide] Mallacoota Bream With Chris JordanMallacoota offers exceptional southern estuary fishing opportunities and as the area’s only sportfishing guide Chris Jordan is looking forward to introducing more and more anglers to everything the area has to offer!

Episode 594: Tournament Breaming With Grayson FongGrayson Fong is a long-time, keen tournament angler who has competed as a boater, non-boater and kayaker over the years. In today’s episode he shares tons of great tips for anyone wanting to catch more bream.

Episode 582: Botany Bay Bream With Karl Stait And Andrew DeathKarl Stait is a long time kayak and tournament bream fisher and a fierce competitor. In todays episode he and Deathy drill down on some tips for targeting bream, plus using electronics to maximum advantage.

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The post Episode 593: Great Sandy Straits Autumn Fishing With Ryan Holdsworth appeared first on Doc Lures.

https://traffic.libsyn.com/doclures/593-great-sandy-straits-ryan-holdswoth.mp3Ryan HoldsworthLong-time Great Sandy Straits Lure Fisher

Ryan has been fishing the Great Sandy Straits area for over twenty years and has spent a lot of time in pursuit of barramundi, mangrove jack and threadfin in the creeks and channels of the Straits.

The post Episode 593: Great Sandy Straits Autumn Fishing With Ryan Holdsworth appeared first on Doc Lures.

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The post Episode 591: Mackay Headlands Barramundi With Jono Clark appeared first on Doc Lures.

https://traffic.libsyn.com/doclures/591-mackay-headlands-barramundi-jono-clark.mp3Jono ClarkTournament Barra Gun

Jono has been a tournament barra enthusiast for years but also fishes the headlands of the Mackay area recreationally and socially. He’s spent a fair bit of time snorkeling and spearfishing these areas, observing the fish communities and it’s helped him figure out the rod and line strategy.

Jono’s Show Notes are still in prep……* While you’re waiting, please enjoy the audio, or maybe check out my Ultimate Guide to Barramundi Lures. Check Out The ULTIMATE GUIDE TO BARRAMUNDI LURESDownload Notes (pdf)Subscribe To ALFApple | Stitcher | Google | Spotify | iHeart | MP3

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The post Episode 590: Lake Moogerah Bass with Barry Oxford appeared first on Doc Lures.

https://traffic.libsyn.com/doclures/590-moogerah-bass-barry-oxford.mp3Barry OxfordVeteran Bass Tagger

Barry has tagged almost 15000 bass over the years, has personally mapped 120,000 acres of storage for Lowrance C-Map Genesis mapping. He fished the inaugural ABT event in 2000 and continued to fish ABT until 2006. He also fished the Bass Electric circuit from 2000 to 2011 and when he retired held the record for the most tournament podium appearances with 9 wins and multiple placings (now superceded).

Barry’s Lake Moogerah Fishing Tips* Tournaments are an amazing way to improve your skills and get the benefit of shared knowledge from other skilled anglers. * Bass regularly return to the same areas around the same time each year. Be aware that water levels change between years, so look for the same depth of water as you found them at the same time last year. * It is super valuable to keep a dairy of your catches so that you can review your techniques and results over the years and finds patterns. Barry records weather, water temps, lures, conditions and so on, plus he tags the fish. * Be prepared to change lures until you find what they want. Sometimes their preferences will change 3-4 times in a day. If the fish go quiet but you can still see them on the electronics that’s a good sign it’s time to change lures. * Social media is your friend. A few social media posts by a few people will cause the masses to crowd out the spot. Barry heads to places other than where the social media pundits are posting and usually finds he has the location and the fish to himself. * Barry also points out that plenty of misdirection occurs on social media. He personally doesn’t post photos until some weeks or months after they’re caught, to throw people off the scent! * Bass can be particularly hard during the winter months. At these times Barry finds it best to slow the retrieve down, use lures that make less vibration and downsize the lures. Also keep an eye on your sounder to whether your lures are driving the bass away – a good sign the lure you’re using creates too much vibration. Small blades, ice jigs and plastics are good. * Moogerah has few shore-based options. * During late summer it’s worth fishing the edges of the lake over the first hour using soft vibes like Jackalls or lipless crankbaits. Later in the year jerkbaits, blades and spinnerbaits are good. * Later in the day it’s worth using your sounder to explore the old creek beds where bass love to hang out. Once you find a school the technique depends whether the fish are sitting on the bottom or midwater. * Surface bites are quite rare in Lake Moogerah. * Buy the best electronics that you can afford. It’s important to have a unit that can display the contour maps for the impoundments. Colour coding your contours can help when you know fish are at a particular depth and you’re looking for other areas on the lake to fish.

Barry’s Bass Fishing Tackle* Barry uses both baitcast and spin gear for bass fishing. He’ll usually use baitcast gear when fishing the edges, except when he’s fishing jerkbaits. * For the mainline, 10lb braid is sufficient. Leader sizes vary depending on the country you’re fishing. To get a lure deeper might require a switch to a lighter leader, whilst fishing in heavy timber requires a heavier leader, maybe 20lb. In pressured fisheris you may need to go down to 6lb leaders at times. * Daiwa Certates for 1000-2500 size are perfect. 2500 gives longer casting, whilst 1000 size reels are great for slow retrieving.

Working spinnerbaits effectively* Recently blades have been deadly on Moogerah. They can be hopped a couple of times and then slow rolled back for good success. If fish are suspended you can count the bade down to the correct depth and then slow roll it through the school. * Jerkbaits are also very successful on Moogerah. These can be cast over shallow weed and worked with the rod tip high without driving them down. Once over the shallow weed they can be driven down and worked deeper. Allowing plenty of pauses in the retrieve is important – most bites happen on the pause. Mix it up though, in summer it can sometimes pay to have minimal pauses and in winter the pause might be 10 seconds or more. * Spinnerbaits are great in the timbered areas of the dam. Barry is a Bassman fan and likes the Shorty Spinnerbaits. When fishing them through timber count them down to depth or allow them to drop back to bottom now and then to stay in touch with structure. In weeded areas, cast them over the shallow weed and burn them across the surface. Once you reach the edge of the weed, stop retrieving and let the lure sink down the face. Bite usually come when the retrieve recommences. * Ecogear ZX35 Rip Blades are great in winter as the carbon fibre body gives them extra flutter. Gentle lifts and then allowing the lure to sink back to bottom works very well. Download Notes (pdf)Subscribe To ALFApple | Stitcher | Google | Spotify | iHeart | MP3

Episode 590: Lake Moogerah Bass with Barry OxfordBarry Oxford Veteran Bass Tagger Barry has tagged almost 15000 bass over the years, has personally mapped 120,000 acres of storage for Lowrance C-Map Genesis mapping. He fished the inaugural ABT event in 2000 and continued to fish ABT until 2006. He also fished the...

Episode 571: Glenbawn Dam Bass With Dane PryceGlenbawn Dam is well known for punching above it’s weight for trophy bass. Dane Pryce is a relatively new tournament angler who has notched up some impressive wins and loves to hit the Glenbawn bass popular on a regular basis.

Episode 559: Clarence River Bass With Andy MooreThe Clarence River system is a massive expanse of water that is famous for its bass fishing. However, there is such a diversity of habitat that anglers need to really understand the bass and their movements to maximise their catch. Andy Moore has spent a lifetime fishing this system and doesn’t mind sharing his knowledge!

Episode 550: Best Spring Bass Fishing Spots With Keeghan PainterSpring bass fishing can be challenging but rewarding, with fishing moving back and forth between deeper and shallower environments. This means they can be taken on everything from blades and jigs through to soft plastics and jerkbaits. Tournament Gun Keeghan Painter spends todays episode going through five of his favourite spring bass fishing haunts, helping us to understand how each one fishes as the weather starts to warm.

Episode 545: Best Hervey Bay Fishing Spots In Spring With Scotto MitchellSpring is a great time to fish the Hervey Bay area land-based or from a small boat or kayak. In today’s ALF episode local personality Scotto Mitchell helpsput us onto some awesome fish with simple tackle and techniques.

Episode 532: Top Brisbane Landbased Fishing Spots In Winter With Beau RixonBrisbane offers an astonishing range of land based fishing options to suit anglers of all skill levels, ranging from the hunble flathead right through to tailor, squid, bass and jewfish. Local fishing tutor and land-based guide Beau Rixon spends a lot of time fishing the area from the shore and teaching others to do the same, so for today’s episode I invited Bea to jump onboard and share some of his favourite land based spots.

Episode 590: Lake Moogerah Bass with Barry OxfordBarry Oxford Veteran Bass Tagger Barry has tagged almost 15000 bass over the years, has personally mapped 120,000 acres of storage for Lowrance C-Map Genesis mapping. He fished the inaugural ABT event in 2000 and continued to fish ABT until 2006. He also fished the...

Episode 571: Glenbawn Dam Bass With Dane PryceGlenbawn Dam is well known for punching above it’s weight for trophy bass. Dane Pryce is a relatively new tournament angler who has notched up some impressive wins and loves to hit the Glenbawn bass popular on a regular basis.

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The post Episode 588: Spinnerbait Masterclass With Glen Casey And Caitlin Berecry-Brooks appeared first on Doc Lures.

https://traffic.libsyn.com/doclures/588-spinnerbaits-glen-casey-caitlin-berecry-brooks.mp3Glen CaseyBassman Spinnerbaits Co-Owner

Glen has been the face behind one of Australia’s iconic lure brands “Bassman Lures”. Apart from their famous spinnerbaits, Bassman produces a range of mumblers, jig heads and more. Glen loves his Australian freshwater native fish, but also targets barra and a range of other species.

Glen’s Spinnerbait Fishing Tips* Key considerations when choosing a spinnerbait include whether there is current, and if so, how strong it is, what the water depth is and whether the water is clear or coloured. * In current a single or double willow blade lure is a great choice, with the weight chosen to suit the water depth. This could range from 5/8 to 1 ounce in deeper water. * In slower flows a tandem arrangement is perfect. These have a Colorado blade for vibration at the back and a willow blade for flash at the front. * In still or very slow flow it’s possible to switch to a single or double Colorado, which can be worked much slower than a willow and will create massive vibration for fish to home in on. * Spinnerbaits are relatively snag resistant, so bang them off the snags any way that you can. Cast well past the structure, let the lure sink and then roll it back in, crashing it into structure. The trick it to wind the lure over the structure, let it sink back down and then start winding again. * On the first cast, count how long it takes for the lure to hit bottom. On subsequent casts you can start the retrieve a second or two before it hits bottom. * The current side of snags are great because the fish are facing into the current. * In impoundment the fish tend to be more active and move around a lot more. Glen focuses on points in dams and impoundments and like to think about what the wind has been doing the past few days to identify places where fish might be holding. * Land-based spinnerbait fishing is very much the same as boat or kayak fishing, except you need to be aware that the fish often take the lure right at your feet. Glen feels that the last-minute change of line angle stimulates the bite. * Spinnerbaits can be used at any time of day or any time of year. During summer and early autumn if the water temperatures get too high the fish might move to the thermocline and you’ll want to count your spinnerbaits down to the appropriate depth. * The dams fish very well for Murray cod through winter because they come up the water column to the top 3-4m. In summer they stay deeper. * Spinnerbaits are often thought of as a springtime reaction-bite lure, but this is more of a mindset thing and intelligent lure selection and use will make spinnerbaits productive at any time. * Bassman’s Codman and DT ranges are a great starting point for cod (obviously) and there was about 18 months invested in the development of this range. * The Compact Spinnerbaits were developed in response to anglers wanting to throw spinnerbaits at bass in water depths of 30-35ft. * The TW series are bass lures and were developed and redesigned for the US market to enable fish to be landed without a net and without braking wires.

Tackle for Spinnerbaiting* For bass, single grip, lightweight baitcast rods are perfect if that’s your preference, but light spin gear can work fine too. A 2-3kg line class rod is fine, although you’ll sometimes come unstuck if a cod eats your spinnerbait. Choose the slowest retrieve reels you can find for spinnerbaiting and load them with 10-20lb braid. * For cod fishing, a 6kg rod for smaller fish to 8kg for the bigger fish, 50lb braid and a 60lb leader. * Glen prefers fluorocarbon leaders and connects them to the mainline with an FG knot. He prefers to tie his leader to the lure rather than use a clip, reasoning that by tying on a clip you’ve mentally decided that the lure you’ve chosen won’t work and will need to be switched. With that mindset your focus is on choosing the next lure you’ll use, rather than working the one you already have on to full potential. Glen simply attaches his spinnerbait to the leader with a blood knot.

Working spinnerbaits effectively* The technique for working spinnerbaits through snags is the opposite of that used with hard bodies. When a hard body hits a snag it’s normal to stop reeling, drop the rod tip and let it float back up, then lift the rod tip and start winding again. When a spinnerbait hits a snag it’s best to lift the rod tip and continue winding until it comes up over the snag and then drop the rod tip and let it flutter back down. * On the first cast after arriving at a spot, run the lure as close to the bottom as possible. The next cast, count the lure half down and the following cast work it close to the surface. The key is over several casts to cover all depths. * Putting half second pauses into the retrieve can help to encourage a following fish to open its mouth and take the lure. Keep mixing up the retrieve. * Glen finds that fish usually hit a lure early if they’re going to take it at all. He puts in 6-8 casts on a likely snag, then moves to the next one. * Glen likes to hold his rod to the side, as this provides a little bit of give to enable a fish to inhale the lure. Pointing the rod at the fish reduces the chance for the lure to be sucked back into the fish’s mouth. * Trolling is a very effective technique for using spinnerbaits and bladed jigs (such as mumblers and chatterbaits). Adjust weight and trolling speed to suit conditions. * Regardless of what lure you’re fishing, use it correctly and use it with confidence. Too many people switch lures too often and don’t stick to using the one thy have tied on for long enough. Download Notes (pdf)Subscribe To ALFApple | Stitcher | Google | Spotify | iHeart | MP3

Episode 581: Chambers Bay Runoff Barramundi With Tristan SloanThe barra fishing in NT during the runoff period is legendary and today’s guest has had plenty of opportunity to experience it. Tristan Sloan shares his tips and advice for one of his favourite runoff barra haunts – Chambers Bay!

Episode 577: Lake Tinaroo Barramundi With Brodie QuaasLake Tinaroo is famous for producing some if the largest impoundment barra you’ll find anywhere, and our guest in Episode 577 is fast developing a reputation for putting his clients onto some massive specimens!

Episode 571: Glenbawn Dam Bass With Dane PryceGlenbawn Dam is well known for punching above it’s weight for trophy bass. Dane Pryce is a relatively new tournament angler who has notched up some impressive wins and loves to hit the Glenbawn bass popular on a regular basis.

Episode 559: Clarence River Bass With Andy MooreThe Clarence River system is a massive expanse of water that is famous for its bass fishing. However, there is such a diversity of habitat that anglers need to really understand the bass and their movements to maximise their catch. Andy Moore has spent a lifetime fishing this system and doesn’t mind sharing his knowledge!

Episode 557: Corio Bay & Geelong Fishing Spots With John DidgeJohn Didge Radio Personality, Sponsored Angler John has over 40 years experience fishing Corio Bay. He's co-hosted various fishing radio shows for the Geelong region for over 30 years, written articles and presented fishing from stage. John is a soft plastic lure...

Episode 550: Best Spring Bass Fishing Spots With Keeghan PainterSpring bass fishing can be challenging but rewarding, with fishing moving back and forth between deeper and shallower environments. This means they can be taken on everything from blades and jigs through to soft plastics and jerkbaits. Tournament Gun Keeghan Painter spends todays episode going through five of his favourite spring bass fishing haunts, helping us to understand how each one fishes as the weather starts to warm.

Episode 545: Best Hervey Bay Fishing Spots In Spring With Scotto MitchellSpring is a great time to fish the Hervey Bay area land-based or from a small boat or kayak. In today’s ALF episode local personality Scotto Mitchell helpsput us onto some awesome fish with simple tackle and techniques.

Episode 539: Top Fishing Spots In NE Victoria During Spring With Robbie AlexanderNE Victoria starts to fire up during the spring period and Robbie Alexander wastes no time taking advantage of the yellowbelly, cod, redfin and trout opportunities that become available. In today’s interview Robbie shares his best advice for top spring time fishing spots.

Episode 532: Top Brisbane Landbased Fishing Spots In Winter With Beau RixonBrisbane offers an astonishing range of land based fishing options to suit anglers of all skill levels, ranging from the hunble flathead right through to tailor, squid, bass and jewfish. Local fishing tutor and land-based guide Beau Rixon spends a lot of time fishing the area from the shore and teaching others to do the same, so for today’s episode I invited Bea to jump onboard and share some of his favourite land based spots.

Episode 581: Chambers Bay Runoff Barramundi With Tristan SloanThe barra fishing in NT during the runoff period is legendary and today’s guest has had plenty of opportunity to experience it. Tristan Sloan shares his tips and advice for one of his favourite runoff barra haunts – Chambers Bay!

Episode 577: Lake Tinaroo Barramundi With Brodie QuaasLake Tinaroo is famous for producing some if the largest impoundment barra you’ll find anywhere, and our guest in Episode 577 is fast developing a reputation for putting his clients onto some massive specimens!

The post Episode 588: Spinnerbait Masterclass With Glen Casey And Caitlin Berecry-Brooks appeared first on Doc Lures.

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The post Episode 587: Port Stephens Topwater Flathead With Shane Porter appeared first on Doc Lures.

https://traffic.libsyn.com/doclures/587-newcastle-flathead-shane-porter-reg.mp3Shane PorterTopwater Flathead Addict

Shane has been a passionate fisherman for over 40 years but over the past few years has been particularly focussed on targeting flathead on topwater lures in the Port Stephens area.

Shane’s Tips For Port Stephens Flathead* On the NSW Central Coast the flathead cop plenty of fishing pressure, and with the trophy fish being 13 plus years old they’ve seen a lot of lures. They know it’s best to feed during periods when they are less likely to be hunted. Shane finds that it’s best to be on the water before first light and he usually leaves 30 minutes or so after first light. * Research is super important. Make the effort to walk around the flats during daylight at low tide. Shane often does this at the end of his fishing session and makes a note of where the tell-tale “lies” that flathead leave in the sand are found. Fresh lies are obvious from the different sand colour and lack of debris. Older lies have usually collected more pieces of weed and other floating materials. * Pelicans are a great sign of where there are flathead, don’t be afraid that they might be scaring the fish. * Surface feeding flathead make a distinctive noise when they are eating whiting prawns and other items. Often when one starts it will trigger other nearby fish to feed. The pitch of the sound can give a clue to the size of the fish. * It’s smart to stand in the water for 20 minutes or so and just listen for the distinctive kissing sound of whiting and the noise of flathead feeding on them. Once a larger flathead is heard the angler knows where to cast – making casts away from where the fish is believed to be and making each successive cast closer and closer to the fish. * Any sandbank that has current pushing onto it is a good place to start, particularly if the tide is nearing the top and there is a dropoff, weedbed, log or other structure nearby. On extensive sand flats Shane usually finds the fish will stay close to edges where they can retreat to deeper water. * On the runout tide the drop-offs and edges can fish well, but for topwater it’s the last of the run in tide that fishes best. * The warmer months are the most productive for Shane and he doesn’t find that lunar phases make too much difference. Shane has caught a few fish on lures at night on a full moon, but feels the dangers of wading with stingrays need to be weighed up. * Long casts are super important, so days when there is a little bit of breeze are great provided you can position yourself to cast with the wind. Southerly winds tend to help encourage a bite. * Missed bites and hookups outside of the mouth are common with topwater lures. That’s just part of chasing them on the surface. * Shane recalls instances when he’s stood in the one spot catching fish and when the bite went quiet he’s switched lures and started picking up fish again. * Love the journey. You’re going to have quiet days at time, so take the opportunity to figure out if there’s a lesson to be taken away. What were the fish feeding on, and how can you imitate it better?

Shane’s Flathead Fishing Tackle* An Atomic Arrowz Medium-Light rod coupled with a Shimano Vanford reel in 2500 size, 8lb Tasline and 50cm of 25lb fluorocarbon leader. In low light the flathead are not leader shy so the heavier leader prevents lost fish through abrasion, keeping the leader short means there is no knot going through the rod guides, which helps with casting.

Shanes Flathead Lure Options* The Duo Realis pencil 130 is like a bullet to cast and contains a good rattle that sounds like a whiting feeding. Twitching down with the rod will make it bounce forward about 4”, which can be effective, but a standards walk the dog retrieve can work very well also. Flathead usually hit the lure on the pause and fish are often lost by not pausing long enough. Sometimes if Shane is confident there are flathead where he’s fishing he’ll make 4-5 casts and burn the lure past the fish at high speed. The next cast he’ll work the jig with lots of pauses. This has the effect of exciting the fish and makes it likely they’ll smash the lure when it’s worked more slowly. * The Bassday Sugar Pen 120mm is a more subtle option for topwater flathead and is a good selection when the fish are a little more shy. HM Lures Bent Minnows (130mm) are also more subtle than the Duo Realis. * A 4” soft plastic, Shane likes the paddletails made locally by 1st Cast Lures, particularly the Olive Back colour, which looks much like a whiting. A thin gauge hook such as the TT Tournament range in 1/4oz, size 3/0 is perfect for this style of fishing. Start casting well away from the edge, otherwise you risk spooking the flathead. Once you’re at the edge, make casts to either side along the bank and then finally fish the deeper water. * Shallow running hard bodies can be really effective on these flats too. Download Notes (pdf)Subscribe To ALFApple | Stitcher | Google | Spotify | iHeart | MP3

Episode 587: Port Stephens Topwater Flathead With Shane PorterFishing for flathead on topwater lures is a phenomenally fun way to target the species. Today’s guest Shane Porter is somewhat addicted to taking crocs off the surface and explains his techniques in detail in this interview.

Episode 569: Lake Macquarie On Lures With Dan Guilfoyle. Part 1: Summer.Lake Macquarie might cop a lot of fishing pressure over the summer months, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t some great opportunities on offer for those in the know about how, when and where to fish! Dan Guilfoyle shares a lifetime of local knowledge for those keen to hit the water in the coming months.

Episode 567: Gold Coast Flathead with Ryan VinesRyan is a lifelong Gold Coast Fishing fanatic and winner of the 2022 Flathead Classic. His business Capn’s Charters specialises in lure fishing for flathead, among other species, on the northern Gold Coast.

Episode 563: [Featured Guide] Mallacoota Bream With Chris JordanMallacoota offers exceptional southern estuary fishing opportunities and as the area’s only sportfishing guide Chris Jordan is looking forward to introducing more and more anglers to everything the area has to offer!

Episode 557: Corio Bay & Geelong Fishing Spots With John DidgeJohn Didge Radio Personality, Sponsored Angler John has over 40 years experience fishing Corio Bay. He's co-hosted various fishing radio shows for the Geelong region for over 30 years, written articles and presented fishing from stage. John is a soft plastic lure...

Episode 545: Best Hervey Bay Fishing Spots In Spring With Scotto MitchellSpring is a great time to fish the Hervey Bay area land-based or from a small boat or kayak. In today’s ALF episode local personality Scotto Mitchell helpsput us onto some awesome fish with simple tackle and techniques.

Episode 587: Port Stephens Topwater Flathead With Shane PorterFishing for flathead on topwater lures is a phenomenally fun way to target the species. Today’s guest Shane Porter is somewhat addicted to taking crocs off the surface and explains his techniques in detail in this interview.

Episode 569: Lake Macquarie On Lures With Dan Guilfoyle. Part 1: Summer.Lake Macquarie might cop a lot of fishing pressure over the summer months, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t some great opportunities on offer for those in the know about how, when and where to fish! Dan Guilfoyle shares a lifetime of local knowledge for those keen to hit the water in the coming months.

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The post Episode 584: Trolling Moreton Bay Squid With Greg Lamprecht appeared first on Doc Lures.

https://traffic.libsyn.com/doclures/584-trolling-squid-greg-lamprecht.mp3Greg LamprechtSEQ Fishing Identity

Greg has been a regular writer, videographer and fishing educator in South East Queensland for over 25 years. He’s well known for his offshore exploits, having spent years figuring out and sharing the secrets to chasing red emperor from trailerboats. More recently he’s been perfecting offshore deep dropping and long-range trailerboat fishing. An “outside of the box thinker, Greg has refined techniques for trolling squid in Moreton Bay that can be used anywhere you might want to target squid.

Greg’s Tips For Trolling Squid* Understanding the habits of squid resulted in Greg thinking about how to be more effective at catching them. He questioned why nobody was trolling for them and set about perfecting the technique. * When the tide is high squid tend to spread across a large area of flats and seagrass beds. Greg noticed that as the tide fell the squid would retreat to the main channel in places where there was patchy weed. Around the bottom of the tide this concentrated them in trollable habitat. * Squid are plentiful in Moreton Bay in winter, but over summer become less abundant. Trolling is an efficient way to find the squid during summer. Once they’re found the angler can continue to troll or can switch to drift jigging or casting. * In Moreton Bay, trolling the edges of Rainbow Channel, Rous Channel, the Moreton Island shoreline and the reef edges from Mud to Peel Island is a good strategy. * Wherever in Australia you’re trolling for squid, work along the drop-offs from flats and weedbeds. Clean water of around 1.5 to 2.5m (up to 3m) deep with patches of weed is perfect – you’re looking for areas where there are signs of prawns or baitfish. * Squid look for places where they can get out of the current. Neap tides give the best opportunity, but squid can be caught when the current is running by using a heavier jig and working with the current where possible. * A paternoster rig with a small jig on the top dropper and a larger one on the bottom dropper is one of the more successful rigging techniques for squid, but is prone to tangling. An advantage of this rig is that floating weed tends to get caught on the knots rather than fouling the jigs. * Ideally, troll as slow as possible and select the jig weight so that the lure is within half a metre of the bottom. Squid use weed clumps like other species use reef. They’ll sit in the pressure point where there is little current, and they can see prey approaching. * Any part of the day can work, but wind can create issues with managing boat speed and therefore jig depth. * When you hook a squid, turn around and troll back. If you don’t catch one on the return trip, turn around and troll back over. There’s a chance that the lure is swimming deeper or shallower when you motor in the opposite direction. * If you’re having a quiet day, persist! Sometimes you’ll go for hours without a touch and then suddenly come upon a school and catch a bunch of squid in a short time.

Greg’s Squidding Tackle* A 7’ long, fast tapered, soft tipped rod will help reduce the likelihood of the jig tearing from the squid’s tentacles. Otherwise, run a lighter drag to help compensate. * 6-10lb line with a mono or fluorocarbon leader. Greg likes fluoro for casting but reckons mono is fine when trolling.

Greg’s Preferred Squid Jigs* Squid are less fussy when trolling as they have less time to inspect a jig that is moving relatively quickly, compared to one that is cast and worked back. * Colour can be important. On bright, sunny days Greg prefers light brown or orange jigs (or grey). In low light conditions or on an overcast day he prefers bright colours such as purples, whites, bright orange/pink or green. Mix it up though, squid have a habit of changing the rules. * You can use reasonably light jigs if you’re employing the paternoster rig. If you’re not using a paternoster then go for heavier jigs (#3.5 or #4). * Greg finds it doesn’t make much of a difference what brand of jig is used when you’re trolling, with one exception. The Duo D squid jig is heavier than the others, lacks the feathers on the side and has a line tie on top of the head. These characteristics make it a deadly trolling jig. * Sometimes small jigs will catch smaller squid and often the bigger jigs will take bigger squid, but not always. It’s not unusual for a squid to be caught on a jig bigger than itself. Download Notes (pdf)Subscribe To ALFApple | Stitcher | Google | Spotify | iHeart | MP3

Greg’s SponsorsWilson Fishing Australia
Suzuki Outboards
Furuno Electronics
Tonic Eyewear

Episode 584: Trolling Moreton Bay Squid With Greg LamprechtUsually trolling isn’t the first technique that comes to mind when we talk about catching squid, but for Greg Lamprecht it’s proven to be a deadly technique.

Episode 557: Corio Bay & Geelong Fishing Spots With John DidgeJohn Didge Radio Personality, Sponsored Angler John has over 40 years experience fishing Corio Bay. He's co-hosted various fishing radio shows for the Geelong region for over 30 years, written articles and presented fishing from stage. John is a soft plastic lure...

Episode 543: Gold Coast Squid With Clint AnsellThe biomass of squid on the Gold Coast is extraordinary, so for anyone keen on pleasant a day out on the water with a tasty seafood treat at the end is in for a treat! Clinton Ansell is a GC based fishing guide who really knows his way around the squid – and so will you after listening to his interview!

Episode 532: Top Brisbane Landbased Fishing Spots In Winter With Beau RixonBrisbane offers an astonishing range of land based fishing options to suit anglers of all skill levels, ranging from the hunble flathead right through to tailor, squid, bass and jewfish. Local fishing tutor and land-based guide Beau Rixon spends a lot of time fishing the area from the shore and teaching others to do the same, so for today’s episode I invited Bea to jump onboard and share some of his favourite land based spots.

Episode 530: Phillip Island Squid With Nev HayesSquid are a great target at Phillip Island at any time of year, but today’s guest, Nev Hayes, reckons the winter months are when the really big squid come out to play. To qualify this statement, he caught a 50cm hood length squid just a week before this interview!

Episode 527: Best Botany Bay Winter Fishing Spots With Gary BrownBotany Bay is an incredibly productive system and in the winter months the crowds thin out and the fishing goes off! Gary Brown has written numerous books and articles on fishing Botany Bay and in today’s ALF episode he shares his favourite winter fishing spots.

Episode 513: Five Best Winter Fishing Options For Melbourne With Lee RaynerLooking for winter fishing options around Melbourne? Lee Rayner reckons southern fishing can be spectacular in the cooler months.

Episode 584: Trolling Moreton Bay Squid With Greg LamprechtUsually trolling isn’t the first technique that comes to mind when we talk about catching squid, but for Greg Lamprecht it’s proven to be a deadly technique.

Episode 557: Corio Bay & Geelong Fishing Spots With John DidgeJohn Didge Radio Personality, Sponsored Angler John has over 40 years experience fishing Corio Bay. He's co-hosted various fishing radio shows for the Geelong region for over 30 years, written articles and presented fishing from stage. John is a soft plastic lure...

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The post Episode 582: Botany Bay Bream With Karl Stait And Andrew Death appeared first on Doc Lures.

Joe BlogsGun Fisho

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Guest’s Advice For * Tips!

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Key BusinessesThe post Episode 582: Botany Bay Bream With Karl Stait And Andrew Death appeared first on Doc Lures.

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The post Episode 581: Chambers Bay Runoff Barramundi With Tristan Sloan appeared first on Doc Lures.

Tristan SloanFishing Writer And Rec Fishing Advocate

Tristan started fishing as a kid in the Ballina area, eventually writing for Bush and Beach magazine. His passion for fishing led to his employment in a range of rec fishing advocacy, advisory and policy roles, much of it based in Darwin. In his time there Tristan took full advantage of the legendary runoff barramundi fishing and fell in love with fishing the Chambers Bay area whenever he could.

Tristan’s Best Tips For Chambers Bay Barramundi Fishing* The Mary River system (Sampan Creek) flows to sea at Chambers and Finke Bays. The boat ramp at Shady Camp is the launching point to access this area. Once out of the river mouth there are small coastal creek systems to both the left and right of the river that pump water out directly to sea and hold massive barra. * April is the prime month, but March can fish well if you time it right and May can be good too, but is at the tail-end of the runoff. In a very good wet season, the opportunity can sometimes extend into June. * Metre-plus threadfin are in huge numbers and can actually become a nuisance when you’re targeting barra. * It’s super important to watch the river heights as barramundi behaviour is closely linked to hydrology. Smart barramundi fishers look for times when the water level is below “bank full” as this causes water to run out of the wetlands and floodplains. The result is food being brought to the main channel and barra congregating at the mouths of feeder creeks to feed. * When river heights in the Mary and Daly are below 6m (and falling) the conditions are good for barra fishing. If the river has dropped below 5m you’ll often get a hot bite just as the water starts to rise. It’s not something that can be planned, you must be lucky to be in the right place at the right time. * Prime fishing opportunities at the creeks emptying into Chambers and Finke Bays come during the runoff season on the big 7-8m spring tides around the full or new moon. Under these conditions massive amounts of runoff water discharge into the bays during the runout tide and carry all kinds of baitfish to the barra that have gathered on the flats to either side of the main channel. * It’s important to anchor your boat along the edges of the main channel prior to the turn of the tide and be ready to fish by the time the water starts to run out. This means leaving Shady Camp early in the morning for the 45-minute run down to the bay. Be sure to arrive at Shady on the last of the run in tide or you may miss the launch window. It can be a busy ramp during the runoff, so get there extra early! * Fan casts out all over the flats at the top of the tide as the barra and bait will be moving around the whole area. As the tide falls, concentrate more on the edges of the main channel and on the channel itself as the fish retreat to the deeper water when the flats dry out. * The decision whether to go left or right at the mouth of Sampan Creek depends on wind and condition. Make sure you plot a course through the mouth of Sampan Creek on your GPS before leaving home so you can navigate back on the lower tide. * WARNING: watch the water depth, because if you get distracted by the fishing and stay just a little too long you might find yourself stranded and waiting 12 hours for the next run-in tide. * When you leave the spot as the water gets too shallow, use the electric motor to troll your way back along the channel and you’ll often pick up some fish when everyone else is tearing away at high speed. * Wind is not your friend in this scenario. Usually the barra are in the clear, tannin-stained water that comes from the creeks, but wind stirs up the bottom and turns the water to mud. The fishing is usually poor in these conditions, but switching to a noisy, rattling lure in black colour can often save the day.

Tristan’s Barramundi Tackle* It’s fine to use either baitcast or spin tackle, but Tristan finds that spin tackle allows for longer casts, which is super important. Long casts keep lures in the water longer, and also take advantage of the stealth factor. * 4500 size Penn Spinfisher reels are great for this style of fishing and have 17kg of drag and a fast retrieve, which is plenty for barra. Tristan couples these reels with Offshore spin sticks from Frogley’s Offshore, which are 7’ long and 10-25lb line class. Casting a soft plastic 50m is no problem with this gear. * Fine 8 wrap braids are good as they are thin and allow for long casts.

Tristan’s Barramundi Lures* The Zerek Skittish Dog (120mm) is a great surface lure to throw around early in the runout tide when the popeye mullet first get washed from the system. It’s not a high percentage lure but is fun to fish because of the spectacle of a surface lure getting crashed by a big barra. * The most productive and consistent fishing comes by slow rolling big soft plastics and Tristan likes the 130mm Atomic Real Baitz. It’s important to remove the treble hook and replace it with a 4X Gamakatsu, plus upgrade the split ring. The Real Baits are well set up for jewfish but the hooks aren’t suitable for barra fishing. Varying the retrieve speed enables the lure to be worked at all depths as the water is usually only 2.5m deep, and sometimes a “burn and kill” approach will do the trick. * When the fish are super aggressive at Bomber 16A in chartreuse or lime green is a good option. Download Notes (pdf)Subscribe To ALFApple | Stitcher | Google | Spotify | iHeart | MP3

Tristan’s SponsorsFrogleys Offshore

Episode 581: Chambers Bay Runoff Barramundi With Tristan SloanThe barra fishing in NT during the runoff period is legendary and today’s guest has had plenty of opportunity to experience it. Tristan Sloan shares his tips and advice for one of his favourite runoff barra haunts – Chambers Bay!

Episode 577: Lake Tinaroo Barramundi With Brodie QuaasLake Tinaroo is famous for producing some if the largest impoundment barra you’ll find anywhere, and our guest in Episode 577 is fast developing a reputation for putting his clients onto some massive specimens!

Episode 511: Five Best Winter Fishing Spots In The Wet Tropics With Kim AndersonThe wet tropics rivers and estuaries are often thought of as wet season options, but long time local guide Kim Anderson dispells that myth!

Episode 505: Koombooloomba Dam Sooties And Barra With Riley WardKoombooloomba Dam isn’t even on the radar for most northern impoundment fishos….. But it should be! Riley Ward explains how to catch football sized sooty grunter and metery barramundi from this stunning dam system.

Episode 504: Five Best Winter Fishing Spots Around HinchinbrookJimmy Falkenberg Far North Queensland Fishing Identity Jimmy is a Townsville based angler and social media personality who reckons winter should be all about sight fishing to Hinchinbrook barramundi, jacks and trevally in shallow, crystal clear water. Or battling with...

Episode 501: Cape York Barramundi Fishing Spots With Dave Donald“Barra Dave” Donald shares his top 5 barramundi fishing destinations on Cape York!

Episode 496: Daly River Barramundi With Glenn WattThe Daly River is famous for spectacular runoff barramundi fishing and today’s guest Glenn Watt is well known for guiding anglers to their trophy barra dreams.

Episode 581: Chambers Bay Runoff Barramundi With Tristan SloanThe barra fishing in NT during the runoff period is legendary and today’s guest has had plenty of opportunity to experience it. Tristan Sloan shares his tips and advice for one of his favourite runoff barra haunts – Chambers Bay!

Episode 577: Lake Tinaroo Barramundi With Brodie QuaasLake Tinaroo is famous for producing some if the largest impoundment barra you’ll find anywhere, and our guest in Episode 577 is fast developing a reputation for putting his clients onto some massive specimens!

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The post Episode 580: Mangrove Jack Roundup With Greg Vinall appeared first on Doc Lures.

https://traffic.libsyn.com/doclures/580-mangrove-jack-roundup.mp3Greg "Doc Lures" VinallPodcast Host, Lure Maker, Scientist, Educator

Greg has hosted the Australian Lure Fishing Podcast since the very first episode in January 2019, being the interviewer for every one of the first 500 episodes. When he’s not interviewing top notch lure fishers he’s making wooden lures, chasing northern estuary species or dropping slow pitch jigs on the reef.

Episode 580: Mangrove Jack Roundup With Greg Vinallby DocLuresFishing | Jan 22, 2023 | Mangrove Jack, Masterclass

Mangrove jack are a popular North Australian specie, but how much do you know about their habits and behaviours?

Episode 547: Fishing Around Exmouth In Spring With Steve Rileyby DocLuresFishing | Aug 30, 2022 | Coral Trout, Giant Herring Fishing, Giant Trevally, Longtail Tuna, Mangrove Jack, Mixed Species, Queenfish, Spangled Emperor, Top-Rated, Western Australia

Every time I interview Steve Riley about fishing the Exmouth area I get blown away by the opportunities on offer, but I think this interview could be my favourite so far. Steve spills the beans on five land-based fishing spots that are available to visiting anglers during spring. In the course of the conversation we cover everything from bream and whiting to tuna, reef species and pelagics including monster GT from the beach. What a destination!

Episode 537: Hinchinbrook Winter Mangrove Jack With Adam Royleby DocLuresFishing | Jul 27, 2022 | Mangrove Jack, Queensland

They might be considered a “warm-months” species, but Adam Royle fishes for Hinchinbrook mangrove jack right through the winter months with good success – even on topwater lures! In this episode he does a great job of explaining exactly how he achieves good catches of red dogs when the water is a little on the cooler side.

Episode 525: Five Best Queensland Sportfishing Destinations With Damon Olsenby DocLuresFishing | Jun 20, 2022 | Coral Trout, Dogtooth Tuna, Giant Trevally, Mangrove Jack, Queensland, Spangled Emperor, Top-Rated, Wahoo

Damon Olsen has spent over 20 years exploring every corner of every reef between Fraser Island and the tip Of Cape York. In today’s episode he walks us through the five destinations he’d really like to go back and fish all over again!

Episode 511: Five Best Winter Fishing Spots In The Wet Tropics With Kim Andersonby DocLuresFishing | May 11, 2022 | Barramundi Fishing, Flathead Fishing, Jungle Perch Fishing, Mangrove Jack, Queensland, Sooty Grunter Fishing

The wet tropics rivers and estuaries are often thought of as wet season options, but long time local guide Kim Anderson dispells that myth!

Episode 506: Nigel Webster’s Top 5 Winter Fishing Spots On The Sunshine Coastby DocLuresFishing | Apr 29, 2022 | Australian Bass, Bream Fishing, Golden Trevally, Mangrove Jack, Queensland, Snapper, Tailor

Nigel Webster is a long-term Sunshine Coast resident, fishing journalist and TV presenter. In this episode he shares his five favourite places to fish the Sunshine Coast during the winter months, complete with lure list!

Episode 504: Five Best Winter Fishing Spots Around Hinchinbrookby DocLuresFishing | Apr 25, 2022 | Barramundi Fishing, Giant Trevally, Golden Trevally, Grunter, Mangrove Jack, Queenfish, Queensland

Jimmy Falkenberg Far North Queensland Fishing Identity Jimmy is a Townsville based angler and social media personality who reckons winter should be all about sight fishing to Hinchinbrook barramundi, jacks and trevally in shallow, crystal clear water. Or battling with...

Episode 481: Gold Coast Mangrove Jack With Owen McPaulby DocLuresFishing | Feb 7, 2022 | Mangrove Jack, Queensland

The Gold Coast area is famous for stonking, horse jacks, and today’s guest Owen McPaul catches his share of trophies!

Episode 440: Gladstone Mangrove Jack With Bryce Rodgersby DocLuresFishing | Oct 29, 2021 | Mangrove Jack, Queensland

Gladstone anglers are spoilt for choice when it comes to mangrove jack fishing, so today’s ALF podcast guest Bryce Rogers shares some tips for those wanting to take advantage of the opportunities!

Episode 432: Hinchinbrook Channel Mangrove Jack With Jeff Wiltonby DocLuresFishing | Oct 11, 2021 | Mangrove Jack, Queensland

Hinchinbrook has a well-earned reputation for being a Mangrove Jack hotspot and today’s guest Jeff Wilton is amply qualified to talk us through how to catch them.

Episode 429: Gold Coast Mangrove Jack With Alex Watsonby DocLuresFishing | Oct 4, 2021 | Mangrove Jack, Queensland, Top-Rated

Spring is when mangrove jacks on the Gold Coast pontoons start coming to life and today’s guest Alex Watson sure knows how to catch them!

Episode 406: Bundaberg Mangrove Jack With Daniel Robsonby DocLuresFishing | Aug 11, 2021 | Mangrove Jack, Queensland

Mangrove Jacks in winter? That’s very doable on the Queensland central coast and Jack specialist Daniel Robson is just the one to tell us how it’s done!

Episode 365: Hinchinbrook Mangrove Jack With Ben Westonby DocLuresFishing | Apr 30, 2021 | Mangrove Jack, Queensland

The Hinchinbrook Channel is mangrove jack heaven, with it’s myriad of snaggy, jack infested waters. Ben Weston is a local fishing guide who loves targeting this species in the Hinchinbrook area.

Episode 332: Townsville Mangrove Jack With Hodgieby DocLuresFishing | Feb 12, 2021 | Mangrove Jack, Queensland, Top-Rated

Hodgie is a celebrated and much loved Australian fishing personality who has become known for his jack fishing prowess since relocating to Townsville.

Episode 326: Maroochy River Mangrove Jack With Luke Opeltby DocLuresFishing | Jan 29, 2021 | Mangrove Jack, Queensland

The Sunshine coast can be a top place to chase jacks….. but that doesn’t mean they’re easy! Luke Opelt fishes them often and fishes them hard, and in todays episode he shares his strategies.

Episode 293: Coffs Harbour Mangrove Jack With Shane Holdingby DocLuresFishing | Nov 13, 2020 | Mangrove Jack, New South Wales

The mangrove jacks in rivers around Coffs Harbour are feisty, but fish quite differently to those further north. Our guest for Episode 293 is Shane Holding, who took a decade of jack fishing experience to Coffs Harbour only to find he was on a steep learning curve!

Episode 288: Sunshine Coast Skinny Water Mangrove Jack With Dean Jacksonby DocLuresFishing | Nov 2, 2020 | Mangrove Jack, Queensland

Dean Jackson of SCF Australia takes us in search of Mangrove jack in his home waters around the Sunshine Coast.

Episode 257: Cairns Mangrove Jack With Phil Laycockby DocLuresFishing | Aug 19, 2020 | Mangrove Jack, Queensland

Cairn’s Trinity Inlet is coming of age since the implementation of a net free zone in 2015. Local jack specialist Phil Laycock shares his tips for fishing what he rates as the premier jack destination in Far North Queensland.

Episode 255: Gladstone Mangrove Jack With Daniel Cookby DocLuresFishing | Aug 14, 2020 | Mangrove Jack, Queensland

Gladstone boasts numerous estuaries, creeks and inlets that are home to plenty of big, fat jacks. And Gladstone-based kayak angler Daniel Cook has a reputation for knowing how to tame them.

Episode 234: Hinchinbrook Mangrove Jack With Arnie Josephby DocLuresFishing | Jun 26, 2020 | Mangrove Jack, Queensland

The Hinchinbrook area in Far North Queensland is mangrove jack fishing paradise! Local resident and jack obsessed lure fisho Arnie Joseph shares some great tips in Episode 234!

Episode 198: Gold Coast Mangrove Jack With Shaggy Seghersby DocLuresFishing | Apr 3, 2020 | Mangrove Jack, Queensland

The Gold Coast is famous for turning out some amazing mangrove jack fishing and Shaggy Seghers has made a fine art of catching them. In this episode we get some great tips for fishing the southern estuaries of the Gold Coast for the tenacious red dogs.

Episode 194: Exmouth Mangrove Jack With Ben Svensonby DocLuresFishing | Mar 23, 2020 | Mangrove Jack, Western Australia

When it comes to fishing the Exmouth area, most anglers think of reefies or pelagics. Few realise there’s an exciting mangrove jack opportunity that east coast anglers would give their right arm for! Ben Svenson enlightens us in this podcast.

Episode 184: Noosa River Mangrove Jack With Phippsyby DocLuresFishing | Feb 28, 2020 | Mangrove Jack, Queensland

Mangrove jack are the thugs of the northern estuary systems and in this episode Noosa fishing personality Andy “Phippsy” Phipps shares his tips and tricks for targeting this great sporting fish.

Episode 155: Hinchinbrook Mangrove Jack With Jimmy Falkenbergby DocLuresFishing | Dec 23, 2019 | Mangrove Jack, Queensland

Mangrove jack fishing is usually a heavy tackle, locked drag affair. But North Queensland angler Jimmy Falkenberg catches quality red dogs on 4lb string. In this episode he explains how.

Episode 138: Gold Coast Mangrove Jacks With John Costelloby DocLuresFishing | Nov 13, 2019 | Mangrove Jack, Queensland, Top-Rated

Fishing for mangrove jacks on Queensland’s Gold Coast is white knuckle, nail biting stuff, but local fishing identity John Costello knows more than just a few secrets for taming the red dogs!

Episode 122: Baffle Creek Mangrove Jack With Jason Medcalfby DocLuresFishing | Oct 7, 2019 | Mangrove Jack, Queensland

Baffle creek is mangrove jack heaven, their only real worry is Jason Medcalf! Fortunately for us Jase doesn’t mind spilling a few secrets 😉

Episode 33: Bowen Mangrove Jack With Dan Kaggelisby DocLuresFishing | Mar 13, 2019 | Mangrove Jack, Queensland

Bowen is a well-kept secret when it comes to mangrove jack fishing. Or it was, until Dan Kaggelis spilled the beans in tis episode on how good the jack fishing can really be – and how you can get in on the act!

Episode 26: Tweed River Mangrove Jack With Brad Smithby DocLuresFishing | Feb 25, 2019 | Mangrove Jack, New South Wales

The Tweed river offers exceptional fishing for oversized mangrove jacks, and who better to tell us how to catch them than Brad Smith? Brad’s been guiding clients to catch jacks and other species in this area for 25 years and proves he’s a wealth of knowledge.

Episode 18: Nerang River Mangrove Jack With Mick Hornby DocLuresFishing | Feb 6, 2019 | Mangrove Jack, Queensland

Mangrove Jack are legendary for their speed, power and aggressive nature. Gold Coast jack guru Mick Horn shares his secrets for targeting this tough sporting species.

The post Episode 580: Mangrove Jack Roundup With Greg Vinall appeared first on Doc Lures.

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The post Episode 578: Why Soft Plastic Prawns Trump Real Prawns appeared first on Doc Lures.

https://traffic.libsyn.com/doclures/578-soft-plastic-prawns.mp3Why Do Soft Plastic Prawn Lures Outfish Real, Live Prawns?Can soft plastic prawns outfish live prawns (or other live baits)? I reckon they do, consistently, when anglers take the time to learn how to use them. Maybe other people are more skilled at collecting and using live baits than I am, but for me, casting lures is just so efficient. And since nearly everything eats those tasty little crustaceans it’s often a “no brainer” to rig a soft plastic prawn.

Get The Extended Members Version Of This Episode At Team Doc LuresDownload Notes (pdf)Squidgies Prawn PaddletailZerek Live ShrimpZerek Live CherabinSamaki Live Shrimp#1 You Spend More Time Actually Fishing With Lures Than BaitTaking the time to collect live prawns to use for bait may be therapeutic for some people, but I’d personally rather spend that time actually fishing. Even in places where cast netting is allowed, you still need to head to the bait collecting grounds and get yourself all wet and muddy for an hour or two to gather enough live prawns (or baitfish) to get you through a session.

That’s why it always amazes me when I hear people say “we didn’t catch much, bait was really tough to get”. Why not just switch to lures? I think many people who grew up using live baits are convinced that soft plastic prawns are more difficult to use and are less effective than live prawns.

I’m not against using bait and accept that there are times when it will outfish lures. But my personal experience suggests that a soft plastic prawn will not only catch more, but will catch a better quality of fish than live prawns.

Lures save a fair bit of time in other areas, too. You don’t need to stow, clean or maintain cast nets, lights or prawning gear, for example. You also don’t need to clean the cast net mud from your boat, nor do you need to clean or maintain a livewell of aerated bucket.

Once you’ve put them on your hook live prawns are on a short timeline. You’re doing well if you get a few casts in with them, they deteriorate quickly and then you’re no longer fishing a live bait. Maybe not a problem if you cast them in the right place and they get eaten quickly, I suppose! With lures you can just keep casting and you can make them as lively as you want them to be.

You also know that your lures is still on the end of the line. How often does a live prawn get plucked off the hook without the anger knowing about it until they “check their bait”? That line might have been out there for ten minutes or so without any bait on it….. You could put ten casts of a lure into a bunch of nooks and crannies in that time!

2 You’ll Catch A Better Class Of Fish On Soft Plastic PrawnsYep, I agree that sometimes baits have the edge. If 140cm jewfish are your target you’ll probably get more consistent results with baits from the right beach than you’ll get with lures. Or some bluewater fishing scenarios, inshore trolling, clifftop fishing and so on. Horses for courses – and like I said I don’t have a problem with bait fishing.

But when it comes to fishing prawns in estuaries or coastal areas it’s a different ballgame. I recently listened to a local complaining that he couldn’t catch a decent barra from a local waterway. Apparently the whole place is so full of catfish, small grunter, trevally, small pikey bream, cod and other nuisance fish that his prawns get picked off the hook pretty quickly.

That was news to the lure fishos, who had caught very few of those species but picked up some nice barra. Sure, nuisance fish will sometimes pick at a soft plastic prawn. But they can’t really damage it or pick it off the hook. In fact, the activity of small pickers around the lure can attract the attention of a bigger fish. Occasionally they’ll get hooked but are quickly released and the lure is flicked straight back out. No rebaiting, no undersized fish damaged by hooks in the gills or gut and minimal time wasted.

Get The Extended Members Version Of This Episode At Team Doc LuresEpisode 578: Why Soft Plastic Prawns Trump Real PrawnsWhy Do Soft Plastic Prawn Lures Outfish Real, Live Prawns? Can soft plastic prawns outfish live prawns (or other live baits)? I reckon they do, consistently, when anglers take the time to learn how to use them. Maybe other people are more skilled at collecting and...

Bonus Episode: Great Sandy Marine Park Proposed RezoningScotto Mitchell Hervey Bay Fishing Personality Scotto chairs the Fraser Coast Fishing Alliance and has been at the forefront of lobbying for improved zoning of the Sandy Straits Marine Park for many years. He's also written for pretty much every major Australian...

Episode 553: Adventure Fishing And YouTubing With Rodney PacittiRodney Pacitti isn’t so much a hard-core sportfisher, but an adventure fisher who island hopes in small boats, fished offshore from kayaks and does solo survival trips where lure-caught fish are his main food source. In todays episode we talk through this, but also spend some time exploring the success factors for fishing YouTubers.

Episode 534: The 2022 Lure Fly & Outdoors Expo With Garry Fitz And Joey UrquhartThe 2022 Australian Lure, Fly and Outdoors Expo is an amazing showcase of Aussie lure making talent. This year’s expo will be held at the Fernvale Showgrounds with gates opening at 9am on Saturday July 30, 2022. In today’s ALF episode we chat with expo founder and lure industry icon Garry Fitzgerald as well as up and coming professional lure maker and expo exhibitor Joey Urquhart of Jollip Lures.

Episode 529: Mackay Slow Pitch Jigging With Mick HassettMy Slow Pitch Jigging technique is something I’ve been working on lately – I’m on a steep curve. Not Mick Hassett though, he’s a machine with the SPJ and in today’s interview he shares a ton of pro tips.

Episode 517: The Quest For Really Big Bream With Andrew DeathGun kayak bream angler Andrew Death is on a mission for increase the number of seriously big bream he catches. Join him as he interviews Australias best bream anglers.

Episode 512: Five Best Lures For Winter Estuary FishingGreg Vinall shares some thoughts on the lures you should definitely take with you for estuary fisnhing in the winter months.

Episode 508: Land Based Fishing With LuresGreg "Doc Lures" Vinall Mad Scientist, Lure Maker, Podcast Host Greg has hosted the Australian Lure Fishing Podcast since it started in January 2019.He’s a qualified environmental scientist, lure making educator and tragic lure fisher. 1. Planning Your Land...

Squidgies Prawn PaddletailSamaki Live ShrimpChase Baits Flick PrawnBerkley Gulp Shrimp#3 Soft Plastic Prawns Find The Active FishWhen you soak a bait you’re essentially waiting for the fish to come to you (unless you’re trolling or drifting baits). If they’re feeding and you’ve chosen your fishing spot well that might not take too long. But if they are not feeding….. zzzzzzz.

With lure fishing you’ll cover ground either casting or trolling, which means you’ll increase your chances of finding fish. It’s one of the reasons why lures can be so much more deadly at catching flathead than baits.

You can very quickly prospect an area with lures by making a bunch of casts at all of the key structures and then moving on, if no fish show up. Make a bunch of casts with live baits and you’ll go through your supply of baits pretty quick. Live prawns quickly die or fall off the hook if you are constantly winding and casting them.

Also when you’re using lures it isn’t always necessary for them to be actively feeding to eat what you cast at them. You can target inactive fish with various techniques aimed at getting a reaction bite. Or you can smash a lure through structure, making it collide with objects and annoying fish into biting.

And that’s another great point. Have you ever tried to skip cast a live prawn under a mangrove curtain, pontoon, undercut bank or laydown? You can’t do it. And even if you could, a live, unweighted prawn with or without any small amount of flow would quickly wrap your line around a snag. No problem for a weedless rigged soft prawn though – and those are the sorts of places that bass, perch, jacks, jewfish, threadfin, bream and a host of other species actively hunt for a feed of prawns!

4 Soft Plastic Prawns Are Awesome When You’re Fishing With KidsI hear people say that it’s better to use bait when you’re fishing with kids. I tend to disagree. For the one thing, if you have a bunch of younger kids they’ll be losing baits faster than you can re-bait them. Either that or they’ll get bored waiting for a bite.

Kids want to be doing something, and whilst it’s handy to be constantly pulling up a mixed variety of smaller species, I’d rather they were honing their skills.

Live prawns don’t handle getting reeled in and cast out constantly, but that’s what kids want to do. But soft plastic lures will take that kind of treatment all day. Getting the kids casting and working their lures back is good practice and stops them getting bored. A piece of bread floating on the water surface is perfect for target practice and a small sized soft plastic prawn should keep enough fish coming to keep them interested. Rig them weedless and you might even get some casts in for yourself.

Find Out How To Choose, Rig And Fish With Soft Plastic Prawns!Get The Full Members-Only Plastic Prawn Audio Masterclass At Team Doc LuresEpisode 500: Reflections And Aspirations With Greg Vinall500 Episodes of the Australian Lure Fishing Podcast is a great opportunity to reflect and refocus.

Episode 487: The Biggest Mistake Anglers Make With Greg VinallIn fishing, “X” rarely marks the spot, yet that’s the #1 Mistake most anglers make. In this episode I spend some time exploring why we make this simple mistake and what we should be doing instead.

Episode 482: Introduction To Jet Ski Fishing With Paul HayesJet ski fishing is increasing in popularity and today’s guest Paul Hayes is using these small watercraft to great effect to get amongst some quality fish.

Episode 476: Lure Fishing In Wind With Greg VinallWind is the anglers friend. So in this audio masterclass Greg shares some tips for using it to full advantage.

Episode 471: Skirted Trolling Lures With Peter PakulaPeter Pakula is an undisputed heavyweight of the bluewater trolling lure industry and in todays interview he shares his thoughts on where the industry is headed and how to get the best from trolling lures.

Squidgies Prawn PaddletailSamaki Live ShrimpChase Baits Flick PrawnBerkley Gulp Shrimp#5 Soft Plastic Prawns Are Better For The FishYep, ok. Plastic isn’t great for the environment, so losing a few soft plastic lures isn’t great. Neither is indiscriminate cast netting though, I’ve seen plenty of ripped up cast nets wrapped around mangrove roots and left to kill whatever swims by.

Bait collection can be both damaging to bait stocks (yes, I know there are lots of prawns – but there are lots of cast netters, too) and can transfer disease if you are carting bait species from one waterway to another. For fear of running out, too many anglers collect far more bait than they need, then discard a bunch of prawns or baitfish that are dead, or have little chance of surviving.

Soft plastic prawns leave more real prawns in the system to feed up the fish and that’s much more sustainable, in my eye at least! Plus, you’ll find nearly all lure-caught fish will be hooked in the mouth and can be released easily with minimal damage, which isn’t always the case when bait fishing.

Find Out How To Choose, Rig And Fish With Soft Plastic Prawns!Get The Full Members-Only Plastic Prawn Audio Masterclass At Team Doc LuresEpisode 415: Long Rod Lure Fishing With Mark BantichUsing extra long 13-15′ rods for shore-based luring can open up awesome opportunities that standard gear can’t access..

Episode 398: A Full On Rant About Fish CommunicationLure fishing is about understanding how fish behave and communicate. The better we understand the quarry, the easier we’ll catch it!

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The post Weipa Sailfish With Ben “Notso” Bright appeared first on Doc Lures.

https://traffic.libsyn.com/doclures/579-weipa-sailfish-ben-bright.mp3Ben “Notso” BrightWeipa Sportfishing Guide

Ben has been in the sport and gamefishing industry forever, starting his career as a full-time gameboat deckie on the east coast and having spent more than a decade now guiding clients on a massive number of species out of Weipa. Over the last 4-5 years he’s been operating his own charter business “Last Cast Guiding”.

Weipa Sailfish With Ben “Notso” BrightBen "Notso" Bright Weipa Sportfishing Guide Ben has been in the sport and gamefishing industry forever, starting his career as a full-time gameboat deckie on the east coast and having spent more than a decade now guiding clients on a massive number of species out of...

Episode 418: Groote Eylandt Sailfish With Bomber FarrellGroote Eylandt has only recently become recognised as a top-notch sailfish destination – and today’s guest Bomber Farrell has been at the forefront of figuring the fishery out.

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The post Episode 577: Lake Tinaroo Barramundi With Brodie Quaas appeared first on Doc Lures.

https://traffic.libsyn.com/doclures/577-tinaroo-barramundi-brodie-quaas.mp3Brodie QuaasFar North Queensland Fishing Guide

Brodie is a former NSW tournament angler who relocated to Far North Queensland some time back and recently started a guiding business “Tropics Barra Adventures” helping clients target barramundi at Lake Tinaroo, as well as the rivers and estuaries from Daintree to Hinchinbrook.

Brodie’s Best Tips For Tinaroo Barramundi* It’s important to spend some serious time looking for fish before you actually start fishing. Brodie will often spend most of the first day of a 3-day trip just concentrating on finding where they’ll be.

There are definite bite periods with barra, such as dawn and dusk, but it’s possible to catch barra that aren’t feeding if you know how to create a reaction bite.
Over the last half of summer and into autumn many people will focus on the wind-blown banks, which isn’t a bad strategy. However, in summer the windblown banks can become too warm. Whilst many people fish the eastern banks in what Brodie refers to as the “community holes”, the western banks can have slightly cooler water but also get a lot less boat traffic and see far fewer lures.
It’s worth fishing anywhere that there is an incoming creek bringing both cooler, oxygenated water and also ample food in the form of bony bream, mouth almighty and other baitfish. Often the barra are not right up in the inflowing creek, but back a little in the eddies and mixing zone.
For the night time fishers or those on the water at first light the muddy water line caused by water skiers around the main basin are worth fishing.
Brodie is largely a daytime fisherman and doesn’t focus too much on bite windows, but finds that the sunrise and sunset are by far the peak times when barra feed. These are the times to be at a prime location, on the anchor, ready to fish.
Points are a restaurant or highway for barra, but the ones that are close to the old river bed and have a flat associated with them are definitely places where barra congregate for extended periods of time.
When you’re finding fish that won’t bite it’s important to avoid falling into the trap of just continuing to cast and repeat what’s not working. Think about where your lure is in the water column, is it in the barra’s face? Stop fishing and think about what you might be doing wrong.
Stealth is super important. Brodie uses a flats pole to move his boat silently and anchors with a “plonk” rather than spot locking his electric motor on the spot.

Brodie’s Barra Fishing Tackle* As a guide targeting big fish Brodie often has novice anglers on the boat and the odd rod gets broken through enthusiastic high sticking. He needs quality but affordable gear for this reason and favours the Shimano Snapper Raider 732 5-10kg rod with a 3000-4000 size spin reel. The long rod is super important for making very long casts to reach fish that are not spooked. A braided mainline of around 30lb and a leader of 80lb and up to 120lb complete the outfit. Brodie finds he needs to drop down to a 50lb leader when fishing soft vibes as the heavier leaders impeded lure action. * Baitcast gear has a place too and the Shimano Curado or Curado DC is a good option, once again with 30lb braid and a 7ft baitcast rod.

Brodies Tinaroo Barra Lures* The Squidgies Slick Rig remains the number 1 lure for impoundment barramundi. If you keep casting these things long enough you’ll eventually get hit by a barra. It’s important to upgrade the hook in the Slickrig, Brodie uses the Bassman Jason Wilhelm slick rig hooks in 3/4 and 1oz weights with an ST66 treble stinger. It’s also important to prepare your Slick Rigs before fishing them and Brodie suggests you watch this video for info on how best to do that. This lure works everywhere in the lake and can be burned through the thermocline, slow rolled near the bottom or fished in any number of other ways. In summer the fish are often down around 20ft, so the 1oz jig head is the most commonly used size. * Tinaroo is famous for barra on soft vibes and Brodie favours either the Jackall Transam or the Zerek Fishtrap, finding the Transam a little more durable. The great thing about vibes is that they spend a lot of time in the barra’s zone, especially if they’re hard to the bottom. Cast the lure out and let it sit on the bottom for a bit, then give it 2-3 strong rips to attract attention, then bring it back with double or triple hops, allowing the lure to hit bottom between hops. * A topwater frog, burned fast through shallow water has been both incredibly successful and very spectacular for Brodie and his clients. There is a lot to this technique and there is a lot of misinformation about how to do it well. Topwater frogs are good at any time of day, but Brodie especially loves fishing them during the middle of the day. If there is a northerly wind blowing, it’s definitely time to put on the soft frog. Tinaroo doesn’t have the extensive weedbeds of Faust or Kinchant, but flooded grass along the edges of the dam are perfect for frogging. Download Notes (pdf)Subscribe To ALFApple | Stitcher | Google | Spotify | iHeart | MP3

Tropic Barra AdventuresBrodie takes clients on tailored barra fishing adventures not only at Lake Tinaroo, but all over the Wet Tropics region. For more information, give him a call on 0434045088 or visit https://tropicbarraadventures.com.au/