Friday 15th January 2016

Tackle specials and angling politics

from Downrigger Shop

Early January reports pouring in from the fruited plain to the cobalt blue and some seriously good fish being boated. Paul Johnston, on the NSW north coast:

 

​

 

Andy. My daughter scored this nice dolphinfish at Hat Head today. The fish was lit up nicely as you can see.

 

Beautiful fish Paul, and haven’t you caught a few of those over the years. Damian finding some good ones too, off his downrigger:

 

​

 

I’m spreading the word about your gear mate. Awesome

 

Too kind, Damian! Busting to downrig some dollies myself next week. South to Port Phillip Bay and how’s this, for a brace of reds? Well done, Paul O’Brien:

 

​

 

Some Snapper pics attached that will get the Sydney siders frothing, most fish caught within the space of an hour before I go to work.

 

I’m frothing like a cappuccino spiked with PCP, Paul. Ben Greentree at Jervis Bay. Holiday kingz is best kingz:

 

​

 

John Klapsis fishing JB over the break too:

 

​

 

Snapper from inside Jervis Bay. Middle ground, 31m depth

 

Dan Abadir mostly restricted to Sydney over the hols, but that didn’t keep him off the water. Here he is on a light tackle king in Middle Harbour:

 

​

 

Then backing up with a nice Teraglin from The Peak:

 

​

 

Hey Andy went fishing last night and all day today. Lost a massive jew and fad 19 was dead as a door nail. But a few people caught kings on micro jigs at the 12.

 

Mate you are an inspiration, the way you keep getting out there despite your work and family responsibilities. It’s sad, the way many good blokes have fallen by the wayside. Here’s another good bloke who’s still out there doing it – Michael Gates:

 

​

 

… tossed in some unweighted livies we had with us and was rewarded with a couple more kings and 2 nice sized bonnies (also on 15lb).  The small Bonito in the picture was 44cm, my mate didn’t measure his one but it was a very healthy good size.

 

Looks like it. James Mulholland on the freshwater:

 

​

 

Hey Andy, just a quick report/photo of a few bass we caught west of Port Macquarie in the last few days

 

​

 

Good wild fish and your sneaky spot is picture postcard stuff, James. Callum on the river too, last weekend. The good ol’ short finned eel pretty tasty if you cook them correctly:

 

​

 

Bevan Jones’ report has made not just my day, but the whole week:

 

​

 

Wow! what a couple of trips we have had since receiving the Downrigger and Head starts. I couldn't be happier. The Downrigger worked a treat straight out of the box. It was easy to set up and fitted straight into the rod holder on our boat without any dramas. Before hitting the hot spots I did a few trial set ups to get used to the new system, we followed the instructions and video and they were very helpful. Before long we looked like we had been using it for years.

 

​

 

It was easy to use and the results were great. 2 out of the 3  Spanish Mackerel we caught were taken on the Downrigger. The downrigger will be a essential bit of kit on the boat from now on and the results speak for themselves.

 

​

 

 The Head Starts are worth every cent we paid for them. They are so easy to use and have transformed the use of bait on our boat. Rigging them is simple and easy. Before the trip we rigged and froze the 8 Head starts that we purchased and then fished them with ease. They swim very well and troll in a Marlin spread of lures with ease at 6kts. We had very good results on Spanish Mackerel on the inner reefs (fished with the Downrigger) and they also worked a treat out wide on Mahi Mahi. The Mahi Mahi strikes where hard and spectacular and we picked up 4 very nice fish. Once the hot bite had used up our pre rigged gars, it was easy to quickly re rig and get back into the action. Thanks for your great information and service, I would definitely recommend these two products to other fishos.

 

Well mate I am over the moon about your generous review and super grateful for the pics you’ve sent. Please – keep this gold coming! Jason Hotop is one of those blokes who fishes hard and gets excellent results. It’s funny how often those two are related:

 

​

 

Hey mate, been a while but now getting back into fishing as the water warms up. Had a good weekend, raised and hooked 5 striped marlin but only managed to land one. Also a good dollie and a good Albacore (in 24 deg water??? Think he was lost)

 

​

 

To boats, and what to do when you’re a mad keen fisho who’s posted to a remote location where it’s almost impossible to get out on  the water? If you’re the resourceful type, like Adam M on Nauru, you find something no-one wants anymore and get to work. From this:

 

​

 

The McGeorge Clan on Nauru had a good year fishing. We got a "new to us" 4.9m/16ft old aluminium Clark Commodore Hull, that we sourced on island under a Pandanus tree…not much to look at. Every time I clean the boat out I get more junk out from under the bench seats where rats had nested with pandanus leaves, crab skeletons etc ;)

 

To this:

 

​

 

That’s a credit to you cobber, especially considering the difficulty of finding parts and materials on a remote Pacific island. Gatesy saying his mate’s new boat is one hell of a ride:

 

​

 

Will tell you how it handles the offshore chop once we try it in something a bit rougher.

Harbour chop is eaten up and spat out

 

But really, when we’re talking about boating, the story over the last week or so has been disaster after disaster. Wednesday January 6th and the Maritime boat at Newcastle sinks in its berth during heavy rain:

 

​

 

After an appeal on our Facebook page Chad Kelly generously went down to the harbour and sent me a pic of the recovery:

 

​

 

 

Then on Saturday 9th a chap tried to cut inside the starboard marker at Fig Tree Point in Middle Harbour. That didn’t work out:

 

​

 

To top it all off, on the same day – Saturday – a police boat got into trouble at Queenscliff while recovering a suicide victim:

 

​

 

Stay safe out there lads, we need every one of you. Just by the way I missed a bullet on Monday:

 

​

 

So I always park the boat across the road from the driveway - on the bush edge, where neighbours and ourselves can see it clearly. But when I got back on Monday  was too tired from a tough day’s fishing, and too depressed about David Bowie, to put it in the usual place. On Tuesday a big gum tree crashed down - right on the spot where I always park it!

 

​

 

To tackle, and a lady client wants a GPS Tracker on the boat trailer at the ramp, when she and her husband are overnighting on the boat. In case someone pinches the trailer while they’re away.  I reckon under the plastic mudguards a good option, out of view and out of the weather. Double sided tape for attaching. The pic above shows the Tracker stuck to the outside of the guard, so you can see the proportions. Email inquiries always inbound (and please keep them coming!):

 

Hi Andy. I love your Lesson 3000 reel. I want to get one as a presi for a mates son. Could I get a price off you for the reel and line.

 

​

 

$58 for the reel, carbontex drags, comfortable handle, ten ball bearings, your choice of three or six kilo colour change braid, *delivery included.*

Hoping you’re pleased, Andy

 

Hi Andrew, thanks, received today. Will give them a shot next time we are at Eucumbene. I have also noticed the rod pod and bite alarm on your site. I’m assuming that they do not come with the stand but can you please confirm if they come with (3) complete sets of rod rests and alarms all with individual extendable posts?

 

​

 

Better than that! Here’s what’s included in the rod pod package:

  • Rod pod itself, with legs and alarm posts all adjustable for height, made from polished aluminium;
  • 3 x bite alarms with flashing LEDs and adjustable tone and volume;
  • Alarm batteries included;
  • Zippered canvas carry bag with handles;
  • All for $110

 

Readers know my appreciation for those who selflessly contribute to this sport we love. Chris Wallis is in the forefront of that effort:

 

​

 

We keep saying the future of recreational fishing is in the hands of our children. Hat Head Fishing Club has worked continuously over many years to encourage junior participation in our sport. The weekend just gone 2nd 3rd Jan  saw not only a record number of entries for our January OPEN competition but for the first time juniors outnumbered the seniors.

 

​

 

Further afield and with our readers travelling far and wide at this time of year some great reports from areas we don’t usually here much about. Damian Murfitt on the central Queensland coast:

 

​

 

Hey Andy another fish on the downrigger and head start combo! Lost a second one and it took one of my head starts bugger of a thing!

 

So good Damian! Can’t tell you what a buzz I get when I see you’ve sent a PM. Dan sends some crazy beach sharking pics from South Australia:

 

​

 

​

 

Jay Barker back from a blistering trip to Norfolk Island:

 

​

 

I went to Norfolk Island last month and caught a whole heap of kings, as well as hapuka, blue eye trevalla, sweetlip emperor, yellowfin tuna and more sharks than I'd care to admit. First drop of the trip and I hooked onto a very cranky bar cod one wind from the bottom using your 420g knife jig.

 

​

 

The next day I snapped my tcurve on something much crankier...there's definitely some big fish getting around over there. I'm heading back over at the end of the month and I've been asked to make sure I bring some of your jigs with me.

 

​

 

Hoping to deliver them personally Jay!

 

To politics, and finally a marine scientist has been busted by Federal Police – not because he’s a con artist, that goes with the job description – but because he ripped off $556,000 in bogus expenses. Tip of the iceberg, my friends:

 

​

 

From The Townsville Bulletin:

 

A climate scientist who did research on the Great Barrier Reef for the Federal Government is accused of ripping off taxpayers to the tune of $556,508 by claiming bogus expenses related to his research – for seven years.

 

Authorities have frozen the superannuation and long-service leave of former career public servant Daniel Alongi pending a trial. …

 

Alongi, who was well regarded in the science industry, allegedly pretended he was paying for “radioisotopes” imported from the US and to have samples analysed in US laboratories for his Great Barrier Reef research. …

 

He has admitted to police that he made false invoices, credit card statements and created fake email trails to claim expenses over seven years, court documents state.

 

​

 

Imagine how many of his co workers at the Australian Institute of Marine Science knew what he was up to. This is what you get when science programs are funded not to expand our knowledge of the natural world, but to advance a political agenda. In closing I would like to apologise for not sending a report out in December. With readership now approaching five thousand our internet service provider complained about bandwidth usage, forcing a change to Mailchimp. Back on track now and apologies for testing readers’ patience,

 

Andrew Hestelow

Managing Director

Early January reports pouring in from the fruited plain to the cobalt blue and some seriously good fish being boated. Paul Johnston, on the NSW north coast:

 

​

 

Andy. My daughter scored this nice dolphinfish at Hat Head today. The fish was lit up nicely as you can see.

 

Beautiful fish Paul, and haven’t you caught a few of those over the years. Damian finding some good ones too, off his downrigger:

 

​

 

I’m spreading the word about your gear mate. Awesome

 

Too kind, Damian! Busting to downrig some dollies myself next week. South to Port Phillip Bay and how’s this, for a brace of reds? Well done, Paul O’Brien:

 

​

 

Some Snapper pics attached that will get the Sydney siders frothing, most fish caught within the space of an hour before I go to work.

 

I’m frothing like a cappuccino spiked with PCP, Paul. Ben Greentree at Jervis Bay. Holiday kingz is best kingz:

 

​

 

John Klapsis fishing JB over the break too:

 

​

 

Snapper from inside Jervis Bay. Middle ground, 31m depth

 

Dan Abadir mostly restricted to Sydney over the hols, but that didn’t keep him off the water. Here he is on a light tackle king in Middle Harbour:

 

​

 

Then backing up with a nice Teraglin from The Peak:

 

​

 

Hey Andy went fishing last night and all day today. Lost a massive jew and fad 19 was dead as a door nail. But a few people caught kings on micro jigs at the 12.

 

Mate you are an inspiration, the way you keep getting out there despite your work and family responsibilities. It’s sad, the way many good blokes have fallen by the wayside. Here’s another good bloke who’s still out there doing it – Michael Gates:

 

​

 

… tossed in some unweighted livies we had with us and was rewarded with a couple more kings and 2 nice sized bonnies (also on 15lb).  The small Bonito in the picture was 44cm, my mate didn’t measure his one but it was a very healthy good size.

 

Looks like it. James Mulholland on the freshwater:

 

​

 

Hey Andy, just a quick report/photo of a few bass we caught west of Port Macquarie in the last few days

 

​

 

Good wild fish and your sneaky spot is picture postcard stuff, James. Callum on the river too, last weekend. The good ol’ short finned eel pretty tasty if you cook them correctly:

 

​

 

Bevan Jones’ report has made not just my day, but the whole week:

 

​

 

Wow! what a couple of trips we have had since receiving the Downrigger and Head starts. I couldn't be happier. The Downrigger worked a treat straight out of the box. It was easy to set up and fitted straight into the rod holder on our boat without any dramas. Before hitting the hot spots I did a few trial set ups to get used to the new system, we followed the instructions and video and they were very helpful. Before long we looked like we had been using it for years.

 

​

 

It was easy to use and the results were great. 2 out of the 3  Spanish Mackerel we caught were taken on the Downrigger. The downrigger will be a essential bit of kit on the boat from now on and the results speak for themselves.

 

​

 

 The Head Starts are worth every cent we paid for them. They are so easy to use and have transformed the use of bait on our boat. Rigging them is simple and easy. Before the trip we rigged and froze the 8 Head starts that we purchased and then fished them with ease. They swim very well and troll in a Marlin spread of lures with ease at 6kts. We had very good results on Spanish Mackerel on the inner reefs (fished with the Downrigger) and they also worked a treat out wide on Mahi Mahi. The Mahi Mahi strikes where hard and spectacular and we picked up 4 very nice fish. Once the hot bite had used up our pre rigged gars, it was easy to quickly re rig and get back into the action. Thanks for your great information and service, I would definitely recommend these two products to other fishos.

 

Well mate I am over the moon about your generous review and super grateful for the pics you’ve sent. Please – keep this gold coming! Jason Hotop is one of those blokes who fishes hard and gets excellent results. It’s funny how often those two are related:

 

​

 

Hey mate, been a while but now getting back into fishing as the water warms up. Had a good weekend, raised and hooked 5 striped marlin but only managed to land one. Also a good dollie and a good Albacore (in 24 deg water??? Think he was lost)

 

​

 

To boats, and what to do when you’re a mad keen fisho who’s posted to a remote location where it’s almost impossible to get out on  the water? If you’re the resourceful type, like Adam M on Nauru, you find something no-one wants anymore and get to work. From this:

 

​

 

The McGeorge Clan on Nauru had a good year fishing. We got a "new to us" 4.9m/16ft old aluminium Clark Commodore Hull, that we sourced on island under a Pandanus tree…not much to look at. Every time I clean the boat out I get more junk out from under the bench seats where rats had nested with pandanus leaves, crab skeletons etc ;)

 

To this:

 

​

 

That’s a credit to you cobber, especially considering the difficulty of finding parts and materials on a remote Pacific island. Gatesy saying his mate’s new boat is one hell of a ride:

 

​

 

Will tell you how it handles the offshore chop once we try it in something a bit rougher.

Harbour chop is eaten up and spat out

 

But really, when we’re talking about boating, the story over the last week or so has been disaster after disaster. Wednesday January 6th and the Maritime boat at Newcastle sinks in its berth during heavy rain:

 

​

 

After an appeal on our Facebook page Chad Kelly generously went down to the harbour and sent me a pic of the recovery:

 

​

 

 

Then on Saturday 9th a chap tried to cut inside the starboard marker at Fig Tree Point in Middle Harbour. That didn’t work out:

 

​

 

To top it all off, on the same day – Saturday – a police boat got into trouble at Queenscliff while recovering a suicide victim:

 

​

 

Stay safe out there lads, we need every one of you. Just by the way I missed a bullet on Monday:

 

​

 

So I always park the boat across the road from the driveway - on the bush edge, where neighbours and ourselves can see it clearly. But when I got back on Monday  was too tired from a tough day’s fishing, and too depressed about David Bowie, to put it in the usual place. On Tuesday a big gum tree crashed down - right on the spot where I always park it!

 

​

 

To tackle, and a lady client wants a GPS Tracker on the boat trailer at the ramp, when she and her husband are overnighting on the boat. In case someone pinches the trailer while they’re away.  I reckon under the plastic mudguards a good option, out of view and out of the weather. Double sided tape for attaching. The pic above shows the Tracker stuck to the outside of the guard, so you can see the proportions. Email inquiries always inbound (and please keep them coming!):

 

Hi Andy. I love your Lesson 3000 reel. I want to get one as a presi for a mates son. Could I get a price off you for the reel and line.

 

​

 

$58 for the reel, carbontex drags, comfortable handle, ten ball bearings, your choice of three or six kilo colour change braid, *delivery included.*

Hoping you’re pleased, Andy

 

Hi Andrew, thanks, received today. Will give them a shot next time we are at Eucumbene. I have also noticed the rod pod and bite alarm on your site. I’m assuming that they do not come with the stand but can you please confirm if they come with (3) complete sets of rod rests and alarms all with individual extendable posts?

 

​

 

Better than that! Here’s what’s included in the rod pod package:

  • Rod pod itself, with legs and alarm posts all adjustable for height, made from polished aluminium;
  • 3 x bite alarms with flashing LEDs and adjustable tone and volume;
  • Alarm batteries included;
  • Zippered canvas carry bag with handles;
  • All for $110

 

Readers know my appreciation for those who selflessly contribute to this sport we love. Chris Wallis is in the forefront of that effort:

 

​

 

We keep saying the future of recreational fishing is in the hands of our children. Hat Head Fishing Club has worked continuously over many years to encourage junior participation in our sport. The weekend just gone 2nd 3rd Jan  saw not only a record number of entries for our January OPEN competition but for the first time juniors outnumbered the seniors.

 

​

 

Further afield and with our readers travelling far and wide at this time of year some great reports from areas we don’t usually here much about. Damian Murfitt on the central Queensland coast:

 

​

 

Hey Andy another fish on the downrigger and head start combo! Lost a second one and it took one of my head starts bugger of a thing!

 

So good Damian! Can’t tell you what a buzz I get when I see you’ve sent a PM. Dan sends some crazy beach sharking pics from South Australia:

 

​

 

​

 

Jay Barker back from a blistering trip to Norfolk Island:

 

​

 

I went to Norfolk Island last month and caught a whole heap of kings, as well as hapuka, blue eye trevalla, sweetlip emperor, yellowfin tuna and more sharks than I'd care to admit. First drop of the trip and I hooked onto a very cranky bar cod one wind from the bottom using your 420g knife jig.

 

​

 

The next day I snapped my tcurve on something much crankier...there's definitely some big fish getting around over there. I'm heading back over at the end of the month and I've been asked to make sure I bring some of your jigs with me.

 

​

 

Hoping to deliver them personally Jay!

 

To politics, and finally a marine scientist has been busted by Federal Police – not because he’s a con artist, that goes with the job description – but because he ripped off $556,000 in bogus expenses. Tip of the iceberg, my friends:

 

​

 

From The Townsville Bulletin:

 

A climate scientist who did research on the Great Barrier Reef for the Federal Government is accused of ripping off taxpayers to the tune of $556,508 by claiming bogus expenses related to his research – for seven years.

 

Authorities have frozen the superannuation and long-service leave of former career public servant Daniel Alongi pending a trial. …

 

Alongi, who was well regarded in the science industry, allegedly pretended he was paying for “radioisotopes” imported from the US and to have samples analysed in US laboratories for his Great Barrier Reef research. …

 

He has admitted to police that he made false invoices, credit card statements and created fake email trails to claim expenses over seven years, court documents state.

 

​

 

Imagine how many of his co workers at the Australian Institute of Marine Science knew what he was up to. This is what you get when science programs are funded not to expand our knowledge of the natural world, but to advance a political agenda. In closing I would like to apologise for not sending a report out in December. With readership now approaching five thousand our internet service provider complained about bandwidth usage, forcing a change to Mailchimp. Back on track now and apologies for testing readers’ patience,

 

Andrew Hestelow

Managing Director