Williamson Gyro Jig

With the dropping water temperature along the coast, the annual run of adrenalin pumping pelagics has just begun. While mackerel and tuna can be encountered all year round, they reach their prime during the winter months, becoming the target species for many offshore sport fishermen.

Spanish Mackerel are a popular sportsfish this time of year.

 

After just buying my new Okuma Salina 3 4000, I had been keener than ever to put it to the test against some big fish. When my mate Peter invited me for a fish on his boat, I had a feeling we would be put onto some quality fish. With my Salina 3 paired to my new 5-10kg 7’ Okuma Signature Series rod, it became apparent to me that this would quickly become my favourite casting combo for fishing in the deep end.

A nice Goldy on the Williamson Gyro Jig.

Upon arrival at our first mark, I tied on a 40g Williamson Gyro Jig and began casting towards a rocky ledge. On the first few casts I burned the lure back to the boat, skipping it along the surface, in attempt to trigger an aggressive mackerel to bite. After getting no response on the surface I let the lure sink along the structure before commencing a stop start retrieve. Within a few winds after a quick pause my rod buckled over as a fish smashed my lure near the bottom. Having a double hookup with one of my other mates, we both fought our fish back to the boat. The result of our efforts was a solid Golden Trevally on the Gyro Jig and my mates toothy Barracuda on a hardbody style lure.

We then spent some time pursuing reefies, managing to catch a variety of nannygai, cod and jobfish, before returning to the pelagic scene. Our primary tactic was to troll hardbody lures which quickly produced a number of small Spanish Mackerel. While my mates had their lures swimming behind the bubble trail, I continued casting the Gyro jig out to the side as we cruised along the rock wall.

Putting a good bend in my Signature Series rod.

 As we neared the end of the wall I spotted a small school of surface feeding pelagics, gorging themselves silly on tiny baitfish. In attempted to get in casting range of the fish we motored closer to the school, which was quickly spooked and began to disperse into the deep. At the last moment we were within range of the scattered school. I cast the Gyro jig just past the mark and began burning it back to the boat through the remaining fish. Almost instantly I buried the hooks into the mouth of a very angry fish. With explosive speed the fish took off, nearly pulling me into the water with it. The smooth drag of my Salina 3 harmoniously sung, as the 20lb braid disappeared from my spool.  Working hard to gain back my line, the fish hung deeper in the water, constantly powering under the boat and popping up on the other side. I had to continuously manoeuvre the rod around the bow of the boat, to prevent the fish from busting me off.

 

With the fight drawing out to just over half an hour, the fish reluctantly surfaced and was swiftly netted and hauled into the boat by my good mate Clayton.  This was my first Northern Bluefin/ Longtail tuna and will most certainly be a memorable catch. From my experience throughout the day I was astonished as to how well the Williamson Gyro Jigs performed. With the built in swivel, excellent finish, durable construction and strong hooks, I dare say that this lure is going to get a hell of a workout against many more pelagic speedsters in the future.

                                  Till next time,

                                          Rhett Thorne

Okuma Signature Series

For some time now I have been in search of the perfect fishing rod. A rod that could not only flick lightly weighted soft plastics and hard body lures up against snags, but also have the pulling power to tame pelagic speedsters from the kayak.  For me, the Okuma Signature Series rod is exactly this, quickly becoming my new weapon of choice for nearly all fishy combat.

Preparing to hand grab a surfaced spotty taken on the Signature Series rod.

Designed by the Australian Okuma product development team, the series is made for the Aussie fishing scene with 15 models to suit baitcast, finesse spinning and medium weight spinning applications. Manufactured from an IM8 grade graphite blank, the signature series rods are complete with quality components (US Alps s6 Ultra Light Guides, Fuji reel seat and high density EVA Grips).

My very first King/Threadfin Salmon on 10lb Sufix 832 braid.

My pick of Okuma Signature Series is the 2-4kg, 7’, 2 piece model paired to the Okuma Avenger II 25 with 10lb line. Already it has undergone some pretty rigorous testing against our tropical estuary brutes and in the offshore kayak fishing field while pursuing pelagics.  Measuring 7’ in length, this rod excels while casting a variety of soft plastics, hardbody lures and metal jigs making it the perfect all-rounder.

The Okuma Signature Series 2-4kg can pull up some sizable pelagics even on 10lb braid.

I would have to rate the Okuma Signature Series rods right up there with the much more expensive rods of their competitors. Okuma has once again provided the highest performance and quality at a reasonable price.

A nice Blue Salmon take while casting a Storm softplastic.

For more information on the Okuma Australia range, jump on their site here: http://www.okuma.com.au/Okumahome/default.aspx

Till next time, all the best and tight lines.

Rhett Thorne

Rapala X-Rap Countdown

This pikey bream fell for the rainbow trout colour XRCD

Over my last few yak fishing trips, in the local estuary systems, I have had an increasing success with slow sinking hardbody lures. These lures, namely the Rapala Countdowns, Mini Fat Raps and the Rapala Ultra Light lures excel when targeting a variety of species with a more finesse approach. While floating lures are the most conventional technique for fishing the structure, sinking lures bring a new dimension to the game of snag bashing.

The Rapala X-Rap Countdown is a new addition to the Rapala range, being introduced for the end of 2012. By incorporating a negative buoyancy into the aesthetic finish of the Rapala X-Rap, this new little lure swims with a seductive body roll, but then on the pause, falls with an attractive flutter to entice hungry fish into a bite. With the added weight the Rapala XRCD casts like a bullet making it an accurate casting lure, even in windy conditions.

The day after the Rapala X-Rap Countdown hit the shelves I was testing these lures out from the kayak. In about 3 minutes after launching the kayak I had already hooked up on a nice yellowfin bream by just trolling and twitching the lure over the flats. With a quick change of tactics I began casting the lure deep into the mangrove overhanging banks now I was further away from the boat ramp. Once the lure lands in the snags, it pays to take it slow and give it a few sharp twitches then give it a pause, so that the lure flutters down to the bottom and imitates an injured fish.

Bream arn't the only predators in these waters. This mangrove jack smashed the lure as soon as it hit the water.

After only one day of testing out this lure I had landed 2 yellowfin bream, 2 black/pikey bream, 2 mangrove jacks and even a couple little moses perch. This little lure has really impressed me and I can’t wait to see what fish it will pull out of the snags next time.

A solid yellowfin bream tagged and ready for release.

Cheers,

Rhett Thorne

Rapala Barra Magnum Tribute

Over the years many lures have stood up to the challenge of the iconic barramundi, though few have impacted the way we target these excellent sportfish like the Rapala Barra Magnum.

The Rapala Barra Magnum 'Nordic Perch' colour

This lure is tough as nails, being constructed of the very durable Abachi wood and fitted with VMC Perma Steel hooks. The enhanced deep diving lip design allows the lure to dig deep into the structure to draw out any hungry predators.



This Big Barra smashed the BMAG11 when it was slowly twitched in the snags.



One of the most deadly retrieves is to cast the Barra Magnum as far into the snags as possible, crank it down into the ‘strike zone’ and give it a sharp twitch and pause. The key to this retrieve is to impart a darting action like a wounded baitfish, without moving the lure out of the snags. If the lure hits a snag, it will float out, in a backwards motion on the pause, due to its positive buoyancy. It is very important yo keep slight tension of the line during the pause, as most barra will smash the lure as it rises out of the structure.







This lure has proven itself on countless occasions, though all good things must come to an end. Unfortunately for the Rapala Barra Magnum the end is near, with the lure being discontinued by the end of 2012. The guys at Rapala VMC have decided to release the old favourite colours, as well as some unseen ones, in the final run of the Barra Magnum. Check with your local Rapala dealer to get your hands on the limited edition Rapala BMAG11 while stocks last.

As the door closes on the BMAG11 era, another is opened with the release of the Storm Thunder Barra. This is one of the new and improved barramundi lures by Rapala VMC and has quickly made its mark on more than a few barramundi over the last season. If you loved the Rapala Barra Magnum, the Thunder Barra will have you begging for water in no time.



A salty silver barra taken on the Storm Thunder Barra Lure





The Thunder Barra taken 'head first' into the business end of this barra. 



Hobie Fishing

After purchasing my 2012 Hobie Adventure Island I was keener than ever to take it out for a spin. Having a sail, mirage drive system, rudder and outriggers, this yak is by far a more advanced set up than my common paddle kayak.

The assembling of this yak took place where I unloaded it off the car, then used the wheelcart to transport it to the beach. On my first launch I waded out into the surf, jumped in and paddled out past the breaking waves. I then locked in the mirage drive, which on my first attempt was locked in backwards! After fixing up my pedals, I un-furled the sail, then cruised along the beach at a considerable speed. I practiced a few tacks, gybes and furling/unfurling the sail. The akas can be used to fold the amas beside the yak, which is vital when landing sizable fish.

My first launch

Being confident with the manoeuvrability of the yak I then let out my trolling lure and had a few quick runs of the beach. My trolling outfit was a 15kg Okuma Salina II Jig  rod  paired with an Okuma Salina II 5000 reel, spooled with 35Lb Sufix Tru-Braid.  With the possibility of a few mackerel hanging around, my lure of choice was the Rapala Countdown Magnum 11 in the 2012 released chrome colour. This lure can be trolled at a variety of speeds, having a wounded kicking action at slow pace, though has a tight wobble at high speeds without kicking out. This makes it a very versatile lure being used for a variety of species.

The 2012 released Chrome colour to the Rapala Magnum range

Deciding to head out towards a rocky island I locked in the dagger board and began my zigzagging tacks into the wind. When I reached the island I let out my trolling lure and continued to navigate around with both sail and pedal power.

As I passed a rocky point, the Salina II began to sing the mackerel song with a short burst run. My technique was to continue to steer away from the island, to first clear the rocks, and furl the sail. I then began to fight the fish. A small spotty mackerel was the result of the first pass of the point and my first fish from the new yak.

Travelling along the beach before heading out to the island

Gaffing through the mouth

I then headed back around and let out my trusty chrome Rapala and began on another troll past the point. Just like last time the rod bent in the holder as soon as I cleared the point. The Salina II however sung a different song as the fish hung deep in the water, pulling hard on the other end of the line in attempt to break me off on the rocky bottom. With the use of the mirage drive I was able to manoeuvre myself, rather than being pulled into the rocks. As the fish surfaced, having one look at me, made another screaming run for the rocks. With the high quality drag system of the reel, the fish was quickly subdued and brought alongside the yak. The ama was folded beside the main hull and a gaff through the mouth of the fish landed it with little fuss.

Measuring at 64cm this was my first Fingermark (Golden Snapper) and one hell of a catch from a Yak.

A great catch on my first AI trip

The Rapala CD Magnum 11 has once again proved to be an outstanding trolling lure. The chrome colour produces heaps of flash, being easy to see even in turbid water, making it a clear target for any saltwater predators.

The lure doing the damage

I can’t wait till the next trip in my new Hobie Adventure Island after having such a phenomenal experience on its maiden voyage.

Tight lines,

Rhett Thorne