Reel Talk. Bluff Creek Convoy. Bluff Creek Fishers

Transcription

1 Reel Talk Bluff Creek Convoy Bluff Creek Fishers Surf Casting and Angling Club of WA Inc May 2017

2 Acknowledgement of Donors The club gratefully acknowledges the support from companies, organisations, club members and families for the donations towards our Presentation night and prizes for winners of our fishing and dry casting competitions. Donors of prizes and giveaways for 2015/16 Club Members: George Belin, Peter Butland, Bob Henderson, Alan Jones, Peter Osborne, Gary Parkinson, Michael Pisano, Victor Schilo, Shane Wignell And Sandra Wessels for the ladies gifts Special Thanks John Curtis Company Sponsors: Alvey Australia Australian Monofil (Platypus lines) Barron Lures (Eric Parker) Belmont City Medical Centre (Dr Sri Srigandan) Bladon WA (Martin Wearmouth) Central Seafoods Halco Tackle J M Gillies Agencies Recfishwest Western Angler Magazine Thank you all. Logos or details of Company sponsors for 2015/16 are shown on the back cover of the Reel Talk. =======================================================

3 Surf Casting and Angling Club of WA (Inc.) PO Box 2834, Malaga WA 6944 ABN Club Web page: May 2017 : Reel Talk Contents Topic Page number Bluff Creek Cover Inside front cover Acknowledgement of Donors May 2017 Reel Talk Contents. 3 Club Committee for 2016/ Life Members President s Report Thought for the month 5 Social / Membership Report... 6 May Activity... 6 Bluff Field Day Report Recorder s Report. 13 Dry casting Report & Results 15 Fishing Field Days May Birthdays 17 How to use Circle Hooks 18 Letters to the Editor 21 Kalbarri House for Rent.. 22 Club Sponsors 23 Field Day Calendar for 2017/

4 May 2017 Reel Talk Page 4

5 President s Report May 2017 Firstly, my apologies for my absence from the April General Meeting. I had a domestic commitment that only a fool would not attend to and thus I had to entrust our Vice President with the role of chairing the meeting. From my reading of the minutes it was a very efficient meeting with highlights being the unanimous acceptance of the field day selections for next season and the continuing healthy financial report and in particular, the performance of the Kalbarri property. Thankyou Victor. Whilst on the topic of Kalbarri we have the upcoming long weekend field day in the Kalbarri area and to the committee`s knowledge only 1 member is looking at staying at the house. Others have preferred to book accommodation further south rather than use the club`s facility. This would most likely reflect the relative fishing merits of the areas as well as convenience. It does, however, give further support to the belief that the Kalbarri property is more of a financial investment for the club rather than an asset for club member`s personal use. Things are now starting to get busy with regards to the social side of the club. We have the night cast at Garvey Park on Saturday 29 April, which we hope many members will attend. Our Social Organiser, Pat McKeown, is now turning his attention to the Presentation Night. Those who attended last year will recall, our new venue at the Croatia Club proved to be an excellent choice. We had over 50 people attend last year and will be looking for similar this time around. Please start to think about organising yourselves to attend as well as considering inviting family members, friends etc who may be interested. Pat and Ron Thomas, are also trying to finalise a date and venue for the Bunnings Fundraiser for late in the year. The workload for this is significant and this year we will be looking at finding a couple of other members to help shoulder the burden of organising this. At the last committee meeting we spent time floating ideas about our fishing competitions and how we could improve and modernise the way we do things. We have seen over last year or so a trend towards members releasing fish and accepting an average weight for point allocation in the competition. This is more in keeping with the modern approach to fishing. There are many other areas we could look at and we would ask members think about suggestions and float them at meetings, discuss with other members etc. My personal suggestion is to look at ways we could move more towards trying to involve more lure fishing in to our program. I haven`t got past the initial thought stage yet but maybe someone out there might have a similar thought with a workable suggestion. At the end of the day, most of us joined the club to improve our fishing and this involves not only improving what we now do but also exploring other ways to obtain the maximum enjoyment from what is a wonderful past time. Thought for the month: Shane Wignell President You always need committees, because that s where people share their knowledge and intensions. But when committees replace individuals then productivity begins to decline. Nothing stands still in this world. I like to go duck hunting, where constant movement and change are facts of life. You can aim at a duck and get it in your sights, but the duck is always moving. In order to hit the duck, you have to move your gun. But a committee can t always move as quickly as the events it s trying to respond to. By the time the committee is ready to shoot, the duck has flown away. Saying by Lee Iacocca May 2017 Reel Talk Page 5

6 Social Organisers Report April Another report for the editor He does such a good job we have to look after him. The last Month has been rather quiet with not a lot happening. Don t forget about the night cast at Garvey Park Belmont. Start time 5pm until 8pm on Saturday the 29 th April. BBq s are available this is a good family event lets all make the effort to attend. Don t forget to bring along your glow sticks and Have a good weekend Spray repellent as there could be mozzies. The next big event is your very own Presentation night. So dust of those glad rags and let s enjoy the night see you there or be square. The club raffle is still going strong well done members. Must be due for a pizza night soon. We will be looking for somebody to organise the Bunning s annual fundraiser. Please step forward you will receive all the help and guidance required. We are looking to hold it a the Balcatta Store during December. Membership Co-ordinators Report Hello to all fellow club members hope this finds you all well. The Grapevine has reported that George Holman is not feeling well. Get well soon George. Anybody else feeling out of sorts get well soon. Tight Lines Social Organiser Pat McKeown A good dose of fishing fixes a lot of ailments ask your doctor for a leave pass and taken regularly will cure all sorts of complaints. Hopefully all the membership pamphlets handed out at the last meeting will result in some enquires. Remember Shane has a box full of Hats and shirts show you are proud to be a surfcaster and wear the colours. We have a lot of members with a lot of skills to assist with fishing just ask and you will be directed to the best person to assist. Rod repairs, reel servicing, sinkers and burley cages to name a few. Don t forget support Dry-casting on the 7 th May Enjoy Life Membership Coordinator Pat McKeown May Dry-Casting When SUNDAY 7 May: Competition casting starts at 8:30am Where Fees Events Mirrabooka Regional Open Space. $10 per person, $12 per family. May General Meeting When Where Double handed accuracy, Single handed accuracy, 56 gram distance, Artificial Bait distance, 112 gram distance. Wednesday 10 May commencing at 7.30pm Coolbinia West Perth Amateur Football and Sporting Club room May Committee Meeting When Wednesday 17 May, Commencing at new time of 7.00pm Where Coolbinia West Perth Amateur Football and Sporting Club room. Club members who wish to see what s involved in Committee work may attend Committee meetings by invitation as visitors and observers and at the discretion of the President or Vice Chairman. Please contact the President or the Secretary well before the meeting to arrange your invitation. May 2017 Reel Talk Page 6

7 SCAC Field Day Report: Bluff Creek April 2017 Synopsis The April 2017 field day was an away safari, incorporating a major drive to Bluff Creek east of Albany. Cloudy weather underpinned an enjoyable weekend, of socializing, 4WD driving experiences and topped off with mixed bags of fish captures, including some with Salmon.. When we started to pack up on early Monday morning the weather deteriorated giving some light misty rain. The Trip. The trip down to Bluff creek is about a 7 to 8 hour drive including an allowance for fuel and food stop overs. A total of 11 Surfcaster Anglers and 2 Visitors came to the away safari. - i.e. Pat McKeown, Dean Stewart, Martin Wearmouth, Vincent Tomazin, Mark Hansen, Gary Parkinson, Peet and Sandra Wessels, Theo Van Niekerk, Peter Osborne, & his grandson Sam Reilly, and visitors, Sam s mother and Peter s daughter Heather and her partner Simmo Some early enthusiasts, including Pat McKeown & Dean Stewart went down early on Wednesday shortly followed by Peet & Sandra Wessels, the second group (Peter Osborne & Sam Reilly, Heather Osborne and partner Simmo together with Martin Wearmouth, Vince Tomazin, and Gary Parkinson, had camp set up by midafternoon. Later on, Mark Hansen (with Mark camping in a different location with his other friends) and Theo Van Niekerk arrived separately. The track in was in the usual conditions, i.e. narrow, parts heavily overgrown - so some vehicle scratches - with some steep dunes to climb over and soft sand spots. The run along the beach was again on soft sand with many vehicles already cutting up the sand, then over a small dune and into the usual camping area just on the west side of the creek. All set up their tents with Martin setting up his gazebo, (for communal gatherings) Vince dropped off the club generator for hooking up freezers, lights etc. Peet had already set up the communal toilet on top of a nearby small hill. A month ago, after the committee decision, Peet did a Google search and came up with a very user friendly type of small tent type of cubicle with a portable thunder box. This facility was good choice and a great club asset for remote away trips. Thanks Peet from all of us. A bit of luxury for a remote location Setting up It involves digging a 1 metre deep hole, placing a plastic bag liner in the hole and the thunder box sitting over this hole and then erecting the cubicle. It is noted that for future trips a lottery selection of toilet dismantling, and hole filling, will be put in place. The Fishing Fishing sessions were generally in reasonable weather conditions, with a bit of swell. The sessions for fishing started on 6:00 am on Saturday through to Sunday evening with weigh-in at 8:00 am on Monday morning hence fish captures were spread across these periods. This was a new timing format with an early morning start on Saturday with an early Monday morning weigh-in that allowed subsequent packing up and returning to Perth by late afternoon. No one fished on Monday morning prior to the weigh-in. All agreed this was a better format for such away trips. While a couple of times it looked a bit threatening with heavy cloud, no rain, except on Monday morning during camp dismantling some fine rain and drizzle. Pat and Dean had decided to stay over until Tuesday for some extra fishing time and to miss heavy traffic on the Albany highway. However rain and more rain spoilt this plan Peter signed all at the camp site on Friday night, with Mark signing on at the April general meeting. For Saturday, most groups generally tried fishing along the stretch of beach stretching from in front of the camp from adjacent to the creek to less than a km further east. Some did try fishing beside the west end exposed reef; however a very strong current flow around the reef precluded staying at this spot. Tides were too high with swell May 2017 Reel Talk Page 7

8 precluding fishing off this reef. The South African group went down to their favourite reef area well to the east down a very soft beach track. One of the highlights of the weekend for Peter, was Sam going with his mother and Simmo, well east into some shallow water just east of the creek near the arrival/departure entrance to the beach. Sam waded out a little way and with limited casting skills managed to get far enough out to hook up to a good Salmon where he did a catch and release - his first ever Salmon. This area also produced some flathead, (some undersize) for Heather and Simmo For those of us that concentrated on the beach strip east of the camp/creek, we all had various mixed bags mainly with Herring and Skippy, and some miscellaneous. At times the Herring were in plague numbers, with salmon trout (undersize Salmon) being more prolific than Herring. Peter reckons he caught and released some 40 odd salmon trout Theo, Peet and Sandra fished some of the time at the reef area well east of our campsite and beside the odd Salmon, and the usual Skippy and Herring, some of them caught additional species including Tailor, Banded Sweep, Western Rock Blackfish, Wrasse and Flathead. On hearing this info on Saturday, some of us tried fishing this adjacent to reef area on Sunday afternoon. We fished some reefs half a km further west of the Wessels hot spot. We didn t find the Tailor but some of us landed a Tarwhine, Cod (Wirrah) some Banded Sweep, Western Rock Blackfish, and Flathead. Mark fished using his usual plastics in lieu of bait and fished even further east of the Wessels. He had a mixed bag of species but no Salmon. For individual catches see the spreadsheet elsewhere in the Reel Talk magazine. This tabulation also incorporates the SCAC scoring system, fish capture results The Section winners update and the top ten fisher persons, the results are listed below in this issue of Reel Talk. Peter and Martin looked anxiously at the results, with Vince and Gary doing the same to see where they ended up in the top ten While catches did have a hit and miss component or better luck for some, bag sizes were generally similar our recent Reef Beach weigh-in. Hence most were pleased that they had a feed of fish to take home. Of note: more people are undertaking catch and release. It makes the scoring calculations a bit more complicated, but reiterating the rule, for that species the average weight is calculated from the fish weighed in and this average weigh is assigned to those same species that were nominated as catch and release. It is also good to see that people with fish greater than their needs, handing them to people with low catches that s what club fishing is about. May 2017 Reel Talk Page 8

9 Again take on board the following and remember for future such trips. - As noted above, the beach section had very soft sand. Early arrivals including non-fishers had already torn up and down the beach where some did not have tires down to 15 psi, resulting in sand being very cut up with deep tracks wandering all over. Tires down to at least 15 psi, and trying with care to stay in existing tracks and driving at a steady slow speed allowed one to successfully get from point A to point B. On entering the beach, use the plan of going in convoy (i.e. at least a second vehicle) with access to shovels, snatch straps and max tracks being the order of the day. Club members avoided getting bogged throughout the weekend but assisted others in extracting themselves from wheels buried down to the axles. Local Fishing No Surfcaster fished locally. Hope to see you at our May field day at Rottnest expectations for this venue are always high. (e.g. Yellowtail Kingfish, large Skippy, odd Salmon and Tailor and if very luck, some may get a size Jewfish, or Breaksea Cod, or misc. demersal. This field day is on at the last weekend in May. Cost for accommodation, bus service to and from West end and ferry crates generally work out to be $200. To this add your own car park costs, ferry ticket costs and food and bait. Tight lines, Peter Osborne; Field Day officer May 2017 Reel Talk Page 9

10 May not be big but we had more fun than those who did not go Martin does it again This is how to catch fish May 2017 Reel Talk Page 10

11 BLUFF CREEK Field day April 2017 Species Species Species Species Species Species Species Species Species Species Species Attendance ANGLER Tailor Herring, Australian Salmon Australian Wrasse (all species) 1 only Skipjack Trevally Whiting (other than listed) Tarwhine Banded Sweep Flathead (all species) Western Rock Blackfish Cod (other than listed) Total weight No. of Species No. of fish F.D. points Field Day Local General Meeting Total points Mark Hansen Martin Wearmouth Vincent Tomazin Gary Parkinson Sandra Wessels Peet Wessels Pat McKeown Dean Stewart Theo Van Niekerk Sam Reilly Peter Osborne Number Total weight Weight of best Number Total weight Weight of best Number Total weight Weight of best 2.96 Number Total weight Weight of best Number Total weight Weight of best Number Total weight Weight of best Number 3 1 Total weight Weight of best 0.13 Number 3 3 Total weight Weight of best Number Total weight Weight of best Number 1 Total weight 2.98 Weight of best Number Total weight Weight of best May 2017 Reel Talk Page 11

12 Field Day Sections up to and including April 2017 Section Angler Species Weight 1 A Best scale fish (1st six months) Justin Rose Mulloway B Best scale fish (2nd six months) Martin Wearmouth Samson fish Most meritorious fish Best shark (4.5kg min) Best mulloway (2kg min) Justin Rose Mixed bag Best tailor (1kg min) Justin Rose Tailor Best salmon (3kg min) Lee Yongli Salmon Australian Best skipjack trevally (0.5 kg min) Shane Wignell Skipjack Trevally Best mackerel (2kg min) Best yellowtail kingfish, samson or amberjack (4kg min) Sandra Wessels Yellowtail Kingfish Best scale fish (Other than above) Shane Wignell Cod (other than listed) Best bag of scale fish Mark Nurse Mixed bag Best bag of mulloway (2 fish min) Justin Rose Mulloway Best bag of tailor (2 fish min) Justin Rose Tailor 6.20 Martin 14 Best fish on single handed rod (max 4kg line) Wearmouth Salmon Australian Best fish caught on fly rod Best fish on single handed rod, soft plastic lure (max 4kg 16 line) Mark Hansen Banded Sweep Best fish on single handed rod, hard body lure (max 4kg line) Martin Wearmouth Salmon Australian 2.36 Sportsperson of the year sections for April 2017 Best scale fish Best bag of scale fish Section Angler Species Weight Martin Salmon Wearmouth Australian 3.79 Martin Wearmouth Mixed bag Field day prizes for April 2017 Best scale fish Section Angler Species Weight Martin Salmon Wearmouth Australian 3.79 Best bag of scale fish Peet Wessels Mixed bag Best shark Best bag including sharks We have a field day at Kalbarri for the long weekend beginning of June Please advise if you intend to use the Kalbarri Club house as your accommodation or Use another location such as Port Gregory Please advise the FDO Peter Osborne, mob. ph ptosbo@bigpond.net.au May 2017 Reel Talk Page 12

13 Flathead Herring Mulloway Pink Snapper Salmon Snook or Pike Tailor Trevally Whiting Wrasse Banded Sweep Western Rock Blackfish Yellowtail Kingfish Number caught Completed (date these records updated) Recorder s Report Top scores up to April Rank Angler Total points 1 Martin Wearmouth Peter Osborne Peet Wessels Sandra Wessels Mark Hansen Theo Van Niekirk Gary Parkinson Vincent Tomazin Mark Nurse Shane Wignell As the competition year draws to an end for 2016/17 on the 30 th of April I can say that this has been another successful year for many club members with some great captures along the way. Some will receive recognition and prizes at the awards night and others have been chipping away at various badges to be achieved maybe next competition year, well done to all who participated in fishing and dry casting and I look forward to another great upcoming year. From the recent Bluff Creek field trip Vince Tomazin added a flathead and Western rock Blackfish to his species badge taking him to 9, only 1 more Vince so surely this isn t far away, well done! Garry Parkinson went one better with a Banded Sweep taking his species badge total to 10 so well done on achieving this Badge Garry! The Open Competition had another entry from Martin Wearmouth who on light tackle and with lure caught a thumping 5.7Kg salmon at Reef Beach prior to competition, this is eligible for sections 4 & 18 and has also been added to his Grandmasters badge taking him to the total of 2, Martin has caught some great fish this year Well Done! Just a reminder to all, from the 1 st of May the open competition resets to zero entries to kick off the new competition year. 2016/17 Recorder, Justin Rose Species Badge Name Gary Parkinson Apr-17 Vincent Tomazin Grand Masters Salmon Minimum Weight 4.5kg Pink Snapper 3.5kg Martin Wearmouth 5.7kg 17 March 6.7kg 16 July May 2017 Reel Talk Page 13

14 Section Minimum weight Open fishing competition 2016/17 The Open Competition is for fish caught between 1 May 2016 and 30 April 2017, other than on Club gazetted Field days, but not in any other AAA affiliated club event on the same dates. Entries for the Open competition close 30 days after capture. See Competition Rules Section 4. For Entry 1 Most meritorious capture None To be awarded by Committee 2 Best shark 4.5 kg Ray Walker, 25Kg Lemon Shark, Giralia Bay August Best mulloway 5 kg Justin Rose, 9.2Kg, Kalbarri October Best salmon 3.5kg Martin Wearmouth, 5.7 Kg, Reef Beach, March Best flathead 0.5 kg Geoff Raftis, 0.8 Kg, Kwinana May Best tailor 1.5 kg James Rielly, 1.99Kg, S Bend September Best samson fish 5 kg 8 Best fish on single handed rod maximum 4kg line class (Bait) Legal size 9 Best pink snapper 2 kg Martin Wearmouth,6.7 Kg, Preston Beach July Best tarwhine 0.5 kg Justin Rose, 1.03 Kg, Kalbarri October Best mackerel 4 kg 12 Best skipjack trevally (southern) 1 kg 13 Best trevally (northern) 2 kg 14 Best snook or pike 0.5 kg 15 Best black or yellow finned bream 0.6 kg Rob Pekaar, 1.17Kg, Black Bream, Kaglan River 28 th December 16 Best scale fish other than sections kg Ray Walker, Barramundi 6.2 kg, May Best fish caught on fly rod. Legal size 18 Best fish caught using a soft plastic or hard body lure on a single handed rod (4kg line max.) Legal size Martin Wearmouth, 5.7 Kg, Salmon, Reef Beach, 4 th March Barron Lure Competition 2016/2017 The Barron Lure competition is sponsored by Eric Parker, who donates the trophies. Try Eric s Poppers, you will not be disappointed. The rules for this competition are the same as for the clubs open fishing competition, plus the fish must be caught on a popper lure and a single fish cannot win more than one Barron lure section Heaviest Tailor on lure Justin Rose 0.9 kg, Wilbinga, 6/5/2016 Heaviest Salmon on Lure Justin Rose 4.7 kg, Wilbinga, 6/5/2016 Heaviest Scale fish on lure No Entry May 2017 Reel Talk Page 14

15 Total Total Total Total Total Dry Casting Report 12 March 2017 Hoping to see you all next month. Dry-casting Officer Ron Thomas Drycasting results - 2nd April gram Artificial Bait 112gram Cast Cast Cast Cast Cast Cast Veterans 1 2 % 1 2 % 1 2 % ALAN JONES MAL HEAD BOB HENDERON OUT PETER OSBORNE RON THOMAS B/O JOHN CROMPTON Seniors MARK HANSON O/B Dry-Casting Results 2 April 2017 Double Handed Accuracy Single Handed Accuracy Target number Target distance Total Attendanc e D/Casting Total Points Veterans % L S L S % % Alan Jones Mal Head Bob Henderson Peter Osborne # Ron Thomas John Crompton Seniors Mark Hanson Veterans: Best Casts for the year Longest 56 Gram 150.8M Ron Thomas Longest Artificial Bait M Ron Thomas Longest 112 Gram M Ron Thomas Highest Double Handed Accuracy 161 Ron Thomas Highest Single Handed Accuracy 33 Ron Thomas May 2017 Reel Talk Page 15

16 Seniors: Best Casts for the year Longest 56 Gram M Rob Pekaar Longest Artificial Bait M Peter Pekaar Longest 112 Gram M Peter Pekaar Highest Double Handed Accuracy 155 Rob Pekaar Highest Single Handed Accuracy 22 Mark Hansen Away Field Day ROTTNEST Query from the Field Day Officer Re: Field Day at Rottnest 27 / 28 May Field Days The FDO has booked two bungalows for Rottnest Each has accommodation for 6 persons (ie 12 people) Persons confirmed as going Sandra and Peet Wessels, Theo Van Niekerk, Peter Osborne, Ian Taggart, Paul Terpkos Martin Wearmouth Possible participants yet to Confirm Brad Zaknich, Sri Srigandan, Any others? Please advise the FDO Peter Osborne, mob. ph ptosbo@bigpond.net.au Local Field Day for May 27/28 When Lines in Lines Out: Weigh in Boundaries Saturday/Sunday Saturday 1.00pm Sunday 7.00pm TBA May Meeting Floreat to Preston Beach SOLUNAR PREDICTIONS, SUN RISE / SUNSET TIMES AND TIDES FOR SATURDAY 27 TH AND SUNDAY 28 TH MAY 2017 FOR ROTTNEST AND PRESTON TO FLOREAT FIELD DAY Please Note: Due to there being minimal variation in these times they have been calculated on Perth times. Don t become a statistic wear a life jacket. SOLUNAR PREDICTIONS DAY / DATE PREDICTION PREDICTED PRIME TIMES MOON PHASE Sat 27/05 BEST 11:39-13:39 00:10 02:10 NEW MOON + 1 DAY Sun 28/05 BEST 12:41 14:41 01:12 03:12 NEW MOON + 2 DAYS These are the predicted MAJOR Solunar periods this week, adjusted to Perth time. For minor periods add approximately 6 hours 45 minutes. SUNRISE AND SUNSET TIMES FOR PERTH: DAY / DATE SUNRISE SUNSET MOONRISE MOONSET Sat 27/05 07:06 17:22 08:17 19:04 Sun 28/05 07:06 17:22 09:22 20:06 PREDICTED TIDES FOR FREMANTLE DAY / DATE TIME AND PREDICTED HEIGHT Sat 27/05 10: : Sun 28/05 10: : NOTE: These are the predicted tides for Fremantle.There may be some variation due to wind strength and direction. May 2017 Reel Talk Page 16

17 Fishing Field Days General Local sign on Late sign on Please SMS Club sign off Club fees FDO Fish Local boundaries Local w eigh in Fish together At General meeting or phone Field Day Officer before 8pm on Thursday. Phone the Field Day Organiser. The club will assume you will not be fishing if you haven't signed on at the sign on place or phoned. Peter Osborne (The Field Day Officer) on as he will not answer the phone if he is driving or if earlier, he may be out on a reef fishing. If you have signed on then you must sign off at the nominated time at the weigh -in place at the nominated time in person or by phone/sms no later than ½ hour before the weigh-in time. If you have no fish, have an emergency outside of the Field Day, or have personal reasons and will not attend the weigh-in contact the Field Day Officer. $10 per person, $12 per family. If you sign on you must pay the Field day fees. Please bring the correct money because there may not be c hange. If you don t make payment at sign-on or at the preceding General Meeting or you have signed on by telephone, please make payment to the FDO or Assistant FDO at the weigh-in. Local FDO to be advised at the General Meeting. Fish caught between the lines in and lines out times are eligible for the Club Field Day competition and weigh-in. Fish caught before or after those times are eligible for the Open fishing competition. Normally Penguin Island sand spit to north wall of the Two Rocks Marina, including the Swan and Canning Rivers, the North and South Mole, unless different boundaries are listed for that month. Location to be set at General meeting, or the Local Field Day officer may set an alternative or additional location or time by arrangement with the members who have signed on.. Results to be phoned to FDO by 8pm the next night. Check at the General Meeting prior to each field day for arrangements and discussions about when and where members can meet t o fish together locally in the metropolitan area or at the away venue. New members are encouraged to fish with experienced members for guidance and help.. Birthdays for May Ray Walker 11 th ; Robert Pekaar 11 th ; Sita Mahadevan 28 th ; Thomas Wearmouth 29 th ; Victor Tomazin 30 th. We wish you all the best for your special day May 2017 Reel Talk Page 17

18 How to use circle hooks CIRCLE hooks are an established and effective bait fishing method for targeting a range of species, from freshwater to large saltwater gamefish. Mark Williams reports. LOOKING back over lifetime spent fishing allows you to reflect on the tremendous changes that have occurred to our fisheries and the way recreational anglers fish. I find it hard to believe but it s almost 50 years since my late father and grandfather first started taking me fishing on the rivers and lakes of the NSW Central Coast so I ve witnessed plenty. Sure there s been some bad stuff in terms of declining fish stocks due to commercial overfishing, pollution and habitat loss; but there have also been positives with regard to improved fisheries management in recent years and changes in the attitudes of recreational anglers. To my way of thinking the wheel has turned full circle for recreational anglers during the course of my fishing life. I can recall prior to the introduction of bag limits that the leading AAA competition anglers in my local area were extracting incredible amounts of fish such as tailor and bonito in the pursuit of trophies and there was a lot of ill feeling in the local community over masses of fish being dumped after competition weigh-ins. Moving forward a couple of decades and now recreational anglers have embraced bag & size limits and are actively involved in the fisheries management process all in the hope of ensuring our fisheries are sustainable for future generations. In recent times, rec anglers using circle hooks has been another massive step in the right direction for the long term sustainability of our fisheries. Fisheries research scientist Dr Paul Butcher recently said in Fisho that minimum legal sizes, bag limits and simple sport angling mean that at least half of catches are released and, in terms of conserving stocks, most released fish need to survive. Dr Butcher also said that studies have shown that mouth hooked fish when handled correctly have a survival rate approaching 100 per cent when released, but that number was dramatically less for fish that swallowed hooks. Circle hooks are specifically designed to locate in the jaw hinge ensuring a very high percentage of mouth hook ups. It really makes a lot of sense that if you re going to be bait fishing and releasing fish then you should wherever possible try and use circle hooks. Circle hooks are highly effective for use when fishing live or dead baits for a wide range of the most popular recreational species. In game fishing the use of circle hooks has lead to improved hook up rates over the traditional J hook pattern resulting in leading charter operators world-wide adopting them when fishing baits for many gamefish species. In this article we ll look at which species can be successfully targeted using circle hooks and how to get started using them. May 2017 Reel Talk Page 18

19 Getting started The key difference between using traditional J hook patterns and circle hook patterns is that you don t strike to set the hook when using a circle hook rig. Basically, in the majority of situations you just let the fish hook itself. Initially, it can be hard to resist that natural instinct to set the hook, but once you ve caught a few fish on circle hooks not striking becomes second nature. By not striking what you are doing is allowing the circle hook to position in the jaw hinge as the fish swims away with the bait. When game fishing with lever drag overhead outfits it s a relatively simple process to slowly ease the drag lever up as the fish runs away with the bait until the rod is fully loaded up. For freshwater, estuarine or inshore bait fishing the best option is often to simply let the rod load up in the rod holder as the fish takes the bait then pick up the outfit and slowly wind into the fish. Just don t fall for the macho trap of striking wildly at the fish as all this will achieve is ripping the circle hook out of the fish s mouth before it has had a chance to locate in the jaw hinge. Once you get into the routine of easing the pressure on slowly, you will find that hook up rates with circle hooks are bloody good. Many experienced anglers claim improved catch rates on jumping fish such as billfish, barramundi and tarpon using circle hooks over traditional J hook patterns. Results indicate that once a circle hook is located in the fish s mouth it s actually more difficult for them to throw the hook while jumping than when using traditional J hook patterns. Species and hook patterns Scott Thorrington's circle hook live bait rig is deadly on yellowtail kingfish offshore. Just about any of the popular recreational species that will swallow alive or dead bait can be successfully targeted using circle hook patterns. The only scenario where I wouldn t recommend using circle hooks is when chasing members of the razor gang such as Spanish mackerel, wahoo or spotted mackerel as these hit and run merchants tend to slash at baits to disable them rather than swallow them whole. Stick to super sharp J hook patterns if you want the best results chasing these slashing speedsters. There are two basic types of circle hook patterns available offset and non-offset or inline hooks. Research has shown that non-offset or inline circle hooks provide the highest percentage of mouth hooked fish and consequently all the billfish tournaments that I know of these days require the use of inline circle hooks when fishing baits to maximise the survival rates of released billfish. For game fishing applications it s very hard to go past the Eagle Claw Laser Sharp L2004 inline circle hook. Experienced game fishing mates of mine such as Scotty Thorrington from Haven Charters and Luke Bell of Asalt Weapon both swear by this pattern for medium tackle billfish and tuna rigs. For heavy tackle marlin fishing and deep water drop lining for bottom ooglies such as hapuka, blue eye trevalla and bar cod the time proven Mustad 39960D is a superb circle hook pattern. The Gamakatsu Octopus Circle pattern comes in a wide range of sizes and is ideally suited to estuarine and inshore bait fishing applications. Scott Thorrington from Haven Charters uses this pattern for all his inshore snapper fishing work with consistently great results. Circle hooks are also ideally suited to freshwater bait fishing scenarios. Freshwater fishing expert Neil Schulz wrote an in-depth article on the use of circle hooks for native sportfish in Fishing World quite a few years back and recommended the Owner 5114 Mutu Light Circle pattern for light to medium tackle work. Circle hook rigs The main consideration to take into account when rigging circle hooks is that you want that freedom of movement that allows the hook to roll into the corner of the fish s mouth after it has taken the bait. For this reason game anglers trolling live or dead baits using circle hooks will use relatively long bridle rigs. This rig ensures the hook has maximum freedom of movement and the hook gape is totally unencumbered ensuring the best possible chance of a solid jaw hinge hook-up. Scotty Thorrington dispenses with the bridle rig when live baiting for kingfish offshore. He simply puts the circle hook through the lips of the live yakka or slimey mackerel. I asked him why he baits up in this manner and his reply was that it s all about speed of presentation. He can get bait rigged up quickly that will plummet head May 2017 Reel Talk Page 19

20 first down to the kingfish school he s marked on his fish finder. The baits don t really have to last long as they re normally clobbered the second they reach the waiting school of hungry hoodlums. All manner of dead baits work really well on circle hooks too. Keep in mind that circle hooks work best when the hook gape is kept clear. Strip baits of fish flesh or squid will leave the hook gape unencumbered and allow the circle hook to roll in the fishes mouth and locate in the jaw hinge. To my way of thinking there are no negatives for recreational fishers using circle hooks. Once their use is mastered anglers will enjoy excellent hook-up rates with the bonus that any fish released will have a very good chance of survival. It s amazing to think that a hook pattern that was specifically designed to maximise fish extraction in the commercial long line industry is now such an effective tool for recreational anglers to use in the preservation of fish stocks. Check out two of Scott Thorrington's favourite circle hook rigs below. Illustration: Chris Palatsides Reprinted from 6 April 2017 Fishing World May 2017 Reel Talk Page 20

21 Letters to the Editor. This section is reserved for your comments. The ultimate beach vehicle May 2017 Reel Talk Page 21

22 Kalbarri House For Rent The Surf Casting and Angling Club owns a house in Kalbarri which is ideal for a fishing or family holiday. Access to the famous fishing spots at Wagoe, Lucky Bay, Port Gregory, etc is just a short drive away via the main bitumen road. The Mallard Street house has easy access to the river, beaches and town. There are two reverse cycle air conditioners to keep you cool in the summer months and warm in winter. The two bedrooms will sleep up to eight (max). One bedroom has a queen sized bed; the other has two commercial grade two level bunks plus an extra two level bunk in the lounge area. The bathroom and shower were rebuilt in The house has a high definition LCD television, DVD/VCR, stove, oven, microwave, crockery and cutlery and all cooking utensils, washing machine, food fridge/freezer and an extra chest freezer for bait and fish. You will need to bring your own bed linen, blankets, towels, tea towels, etc. Outside there is built-in gas barbecue, a fish cleaning facility and a full width veranda. There is plenty of fenced parking space for cars, trailers and boats behind a gate. Pets are allowed but must stay outside the house. Rates are: Short term (min 2 nights) $100 per night $ Weekly rate: Stay for 7 nights and only pay for 5 1 Contact Victor Schilo for SPECIAL CLUB MEMBER RATES, bookings or more details (mob or treasurerscac@iinet.net.au) Collect keys in Perth before leaving for Kalbarri. Check in time is 2pm. Check out time is 10am. There are 20 photos on the Club website May 2017 Reel Talk Page 22

23 SCAC 2016/17 Sponsors May 2017 Reel Talk Page 23

24 Members please take note of the Field Day Venues for 2017/18 Month Venue Date / times Boundaries & misc. May & 28 th May Rottnest Lines down 1:00 pm 27 May Lines up 7:00 pm 28 May Most go across to Rotto on Fri late afternoon - return Mon am Jun (LWE 3 to 5 Jun) Jul t & 16 th ul Local di Floreat to Preston Local Weigh-in at Floreat - Kalbarri Incl Pt Gregory & Horricks Lines down 6:00 am 3 Jun Lines up 9:00 am 5 Jun Use of club house for accom, sign-on and weighin, Boundaries Incl north side of river mouth, to Bowes R south of Horricks Local - di Freemantle Moles to Lancelin Local Weigh-in at Floreat Cape to Cape Lines down 1:30 pm 15 Jul Lines up 10:00 am 16 Jul Busselton Jetty to Augusta : Sign-on & Weigh-in at Busselton Jetty: south side Jetty Car park Local - di Floreat to Mandurah Local Weigh-in at Floreat Aug & 13 th Jul Rotto Lines down 1:00 pm 12 Aug Lines up 7:00 pm 13 Aug, Most go across to Rotto on Fri late afternoon - return Mon am Local - di Floreat to Moore River area Local Weigh-in at Floreat Sep 017 (LWE 23 to 25 Sept) S Bend Caravan Park Lines down 6;00 am 23 Sept Lines up 9:00 am 25 Sept Greenough R mouth to Dongara Marina Wall : Sign-on & Weigh-in at Caravan Park Local - di Floreat to Lancelin Local Weigh-in at Floreat Oct & 15 Oct Cervantes/Jurien Lines down 1:30 pm 14 Oct Lines up 10:00 am 15 Oct Green Head to south side of Cervantes Beach: Sign-on & Weigh-in at the car park access to Hill River Local - di Standard Boundaries Local Weigh-in at Floreat Nov & 12 Nov Preston to Floreat Lines down 1:30 pm 11 Nov Lines up 10:00 am 12 Nov Preston South beach to Floreat and all between. Sign-on/Weigh-in at Preston Beach Car Park Local - Incl in above Local Weigh-in at Floreat Dec & 17 Dec - Floreat to Lancelin Lines down 1:30 pm 9 Dec Lines up 10:00 am 10 Dec Sign-on/Weigh-in at Moore River mouth boat launch car park. Local Weigh-in at Floreat Local - (incl in above) di Jan & 14 Jan Swan & Canning Rivers Lines down 1:30 pm 13 Jan Lines up 10:00 am 14 Jan All river system up E shed Sign-on/Weigh-in at Point Walter car park Feb & 18 Feb Preston to White Hills Lines down 1:30 pm 17 Feb Lines up 10:00 am 18 Feb Preston South beach to White Hills Signon/Weigh-in at Preston Beach Car Park Local - (Std Boundaries) di Local Weigh-in at Floreat Mar 2018 (LWE 3-to 5 Mar) Bremer Bay Local Floreat to Moore River Lines down 6 am Sat 3 Mar Lines up 9:00 am Mon 5 Mar di All local beaches : Sign-on/Weigh-in at Caravan Park Local Weigh-in at Floreat Apr 2018 (LWE 31 Mar to 2 Apr) Bluff Creek at Easter Lines down 6 am 31 Ma Lines up 9:00 am 2 Apr Boundaries able to drive north and south of creek: Sign-on/Weigh-in at Camp Site adjacent to creek Local di Floreat incl beaches up to Club Capricorn Local Weigh-in at Floreat