Monthly Archives: June 2011

Fishing For Kingfish in Australia

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Species Article: Kingfish in Australia

 

The yellowtail kingfish is a species much sought after by anglers who like a challenge.  When hooked, a yellow kingfisher will put up a masterful fight, and the species is renowned for fighting dirty.  Read on for some tips on finding this strong, brave and beautiful fish.

 

Kingfish are a pelagic species; torpedo shaped with a bright yellow tail, a dark silver/green back, a gold stripe along their flank, a white belly and yellow fins.
They can be found in cool temperate oceans throughout the world and in Australia they are distributed in the subtropical waters off southern Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania and the southern and south-western coast of Western Australia.

 

In these areas you’ll find them on offshore reefs and in close round the rocks.  They like clean water and are likely to hang around structures and wrecks. You’ll also often find them under floating debris where they feed off bait fish. Younger fish weighing up to about 7kg gather in large schools, while larger fish (they can grow to well over 20kg or more) are more solitary.

 

In New South Wales waters, schools of kingfish surface feed during the spring and summer months (from September until February) and schools feeding lower down can also be caught until June often by Jigging or bait fishing. The larger fish are more likely to be found offshore during autumn and winter.

 

Kingfish feeding close to the surface will take live bait such as squid, garfish and slimy mackerel, and they will also take lures. Useful surface lures include poppers, or unweighted soft plastic lures such as slugs and stick baits which kingfish favour.  For kingfish that are feeding deeper, consider using diving lures, or heavily weighted soft plastic lures. Jigging has also become a popular way of angling for kingfish offshore. Ocean Storm Fishing tackle Online Shop stocks a good variety of lures, poppers and jigs designed to target kingfish.

 

A kingfish when hooked close to the shore will head at speed for the nearest rocks, and a kingfish caught on a jig in offshore waters will dive for the bottom. To avoid a kingfish taking off with your tackle, it’s important to have strong gear: line strength at least 8 kilograms, a spool large enough to support the line, and with adequate drag strength, and good thick hooks.

 

Kingfish is one of the best sport fish available in the subtropical waters of Australia.  They provide an exhilarating tussle when hooked and if captured have superb eating qualities.

Want to know more about fishing for Kingfish? Check out the Kingfish Secrets DVD for sale in our online fishing store.

The basics: fishing gear to set up a novice angler

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The basics: fishing gear to set up a novice angler

When you’re new to angling it can be hard to know what fishing gear to choose.  The most basic fishing equipment includes rods, reels, lines, fishing tackle and lures.  For a novice fisher it’s important that any gear you invest in is easy to use. Here are some tips to help you select a set of fishing equipment for your first fishing outings.

The rod is the most important item of fishing equipment you’ll be purchasing, so it’s worth spending some time to find the rod that suits you best.  A rod about 7 to 8 feet in length is best for a beginner as an all round general purpose size, however if beach fishing or rock fishing it is usually best to use around 10 feet off the rock ledges and 12 foot fishing on the beach.  Look for a rod that is reasonably durable but preferably sensitive, allowing you to learn the skills of casting lines and playing fish.

Give some thought to the type of fishing you’ll be doing most often and choose a rod with a casting weight that suits your purpose.  For pier or estuary fishing, go for a rod with a light fishing line rating (often 2-5kgs) around 6-7 feet in length, while for surf fishing rods or rock fishing rods usually with heavier casting weight are more suitable in a rating class of say between 6-10kgs in the 10-12 foot size is suitable. A good solution for a beginner would be a 2-piece rod.  This type of rod is easy to transport.

There are three main types of fishing reel available: overhead, Alvey sidecast and spinning reels. Of these, the spinning reel is the most commonly used, and is popular with both experts and novices. These reels are often called eggbeaters because their design is similar to those old-fashioned kitchen utensils.  For anyone who is learning angling, a spinning reel is a good choice.  These reels are very simple to use and make it easy to learn casting and retrieving.  The reels come in a variety of sizes and the size of spinning reel should be chosen to match the weight and size of the rod.

Fishing lines come in a variety of materials, structures and weights.  Other fishing line characteristics that anglers consider are visibility, cast ability and stretch.  As a beginner to angling, it’s probably best to select a simple monofilament fishing line with breaking strength suitable to the type of fish that you’re targeting and line class rating within the rod’s classification.

Lures are devices attached to the end of fishing lines to attract the attention of fish, and are designed so that their colour, shape and movement imitate the prey of the fish you are targeting. There is an enormous range of styles of lure available for anglers: check out the fishing lures stocked by the Ocean Storm Fishing Tackle Shop Online, which include lures designed to attract fresh water and salt water fish from small table fish such as bream to huge fish.

There are a few other essential basic fishing items such as hooks and sinkers, swivels etc.  While you’re shopping for fishing equipment, don’t forget a tackle box to store and carry your new fishing gear, and an ice box to keep cool all those fish you’re going to be catching. If you are after an all round beginners tackle kit then I suggest the surecatch fishing tackle kit.

 

Visit our online fishing store website to browse through our range of fishing gear and if you require assistance in making your selection feel welcome to contact us. (Usually by email or live web chat is the preferred method so we can give you a more detailed response and provide links to our website for reference where possible).

Fishing for Black Marlin

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Species Article: Black Marlin

An angler’s first sight of a black marlin is an unforgettable experience: it is a magnificent fish weighing up to several hundred kilograms, and its size is matched by great power, speed and agility.  It’s therefore no surprise that the black marlin is much sought after by anglers from around the world who wish to take up the challenge of this spectacular fish with its renowned fighting qualities.

The Black marlin is at home in the tropical and sub-tropical waters of our Indian and Pacific oceans. They mostly swim in the surface layer of the sea, near land masses and in the vicinity of coral atolls. In Australia black marlin are distributed throughout the coastal areas of all states, with the most popular recreational fishing grounds being off Queensland, New South Wales and Western Australia. Black marlin can be caught almost all year round somewhere in Australia: on the east coast, for example, they are plentiful in north Queensland waters between July and November, off southern Queensland from November to March, off northern New South Wales from December to April and off southern New South Wales between January and May.

Although some tackle has been specifically designed for big game fishing, expensive and sophisticated equipment is not essential if you’re targeting juvenile marlin rather than really big ones.  A lever drag game reel is ideal Such as  A Shimano TLD 50 Two speed fishing reel stocked by our Online Fishing Tackle Shop would be a good choice and you’ll need at least 640 metres of line with break strength of 24kg to suit. A game style rod is ideal, such as the Shimano T-Curve 24kg Stand Up fishing rods for game fishing from a boat or if you are into land based game fishing then you could consider the Live Fibre RLF14 Land based game fishing rod.

The major food of black marlin is other fast-swimming fish species such as tuna, trevally and mackerel and a range of other bait fish. As opportunistic feeders, the black marlin consumes a lot of bait fish, and anglers take advantage of this feeding pattern when seeking out their targets. Some signs that bait is around include hovering birds and objects floating on the surface.

Trolling baits and lures, or a combination of these, are the most usual methods used by anglers to catch black marlin, with lures now being used increasingly in preference to live bait. Our Online Fishing Tackle Shop stocks a variety of marlin lures including the ever popular Pakula Lures range of trolling skirts with an enticing head shaking action. Lures are most effective when several are trolled in a pattern or otherwise known as a spread, but one or two lures can still work well.

The excitement when you hook a marlin is very special. If you win the battle with a marlin, the decision whether to capture or release the fish is yours.  Whatever you decide, you will have had a thrilling tussle with a very worthy opponent.

Check out some useful information on Pakula lure choice:

Flathead Lures | Fishing with Soft Plastic Lures

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Fishing with Soft Plastic Fishing Lures for Flathead

Soft plastic lures are a great way to attract Flathead.  While the species is renowned for its laziness, it will put up quite a fight when hooked, and if you win the battle, Flathead make great eating.  Here are some tips for catching Flathead with soft lures.

 

Flathead are found in shallow water in estuaries and bays where they hide, camouflaged and partially buried in sand.  Rather than actively seeking food, Flathead wait for their prey to come to them, conserving their energy for the quick burst of acceleration that they make when an attractive morsel passes nearby.  By slowly trailing bait or lures along the bottom, anglers have the best chance of hooking Flathead.

 

Most of the types of lure that are successful with bream will work with flathead, too.  Soft plastic lures that attract bites from Flathead are generally at least 50 mm in length. Ocean Storm’s Online Fishing Tackle Shop stocks a range of fishing lures in soft plastic materials, such as Squidgies, as well as Berkeley Gulp fishing lures made from natural biodegradable materials. These lures look and feel like soft plastic and are impregnated with a scent that fish find irresistible.

 

Soft plastic lures come in a range of colours, and it’s useful to keep a variety of colours in your tackle box.  Many anglers find that dark coloured soft plastic lures in the same colours work better on dark days, while lures in lighter colours or more natural looking colours attract more bites from flathead on light days.  After a period with no results, changing the shape of lure you use, for example swapping a minnow shape for a grub shape, will often encourage flathead to take a bite.

 

When fishing for flathead, fairly simple tackle is adequate.  Your aim is to slowly work the bottom, so a 3-4kg line on a basic spinning reel is generally fine.  While a fibreglass rod isn’t suitable for use with soft plastic lures because of their action and lack of sensitivity, a basic 6-7 foot graphite fishing rod allows the angler to cast more accurately and gives the sensitivity to feel a nibble from the target.

 

When the weather is warm and the water is shallow, fishing for flathead can be very rewarding.  Flathead appear to be indolent until they’re ready to pounce on their prey.  Flathead don’t seem to be at all wary of lures – so using Soft plastic fishing lures can make for an exciting day of fishing.

Checkout this clip below for fishing for Flathead on soft plastic lures: Brett Wilson From Shimano is using the Squidgy Pro Lobby Lure

Also check out this Clip to further your knowledge and experience in targeting fish on soft plastic fishing lures.. You can buy the full Soft Plastic Tactics Fishing DVD in our online fishing tackle shop.

Fishing for Barramundi in the Northern Territory

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It’s not hard to understand why anglers are so enthusiastic about fishing for barramundi, and why it’s considered to be one of the leading Australian sportfish and the most popular target of anglers in the Northern Territory. The fighting characteristics of this feisty species make for exciting sport, and as a bonus the fish itself has a reputation as a delicious table fish if caught in salt water and tidal rivers.

Barramundi can be caught all year round and if you’re travelling to the Northern Territory it is well worth taking some time to discover the best times and places to ensure you have the best angling experience.

The life cycle of this species leads it to inhabit a wide range of aquatic environments, in creeks, rivers and estuaries.  The fish matures in upstream areas of freshwater streams and moves downstream for spawning in coastal waters and estuaries.  Streams that have large catchments, a low continuous flow of water and warm water temperatures are ideal habitats for Barramundi, and they prefer to seek cover under mangrove roots, submerged logs, rock ledges and other underwater structures.

 

While live bait such as mullet and prawns appeals to these fish, and they are also often taken with heavy fly gear, medium sized minnow fishing lures in bright bronze or gold metallic colours are probably the most successful way to entice Barramundi out from heavy cover.

For trolling and casting for Barramundi with medium weight baits and lures, the most popular fishing reels are bait caster fishing reels.  When you’re fishing in billabongs and estuary flats, especially in windy conditions, you’ll find that smaller, lighter lures are more suitable; for casting light lures, spinning reels are ideal.

Whatever style of reel you choose, it will be fully tested when you hook an aggressive Barramundi, so it’s best to go for a high quality salt water grade reel and have it serviced regularly to prolong its life. Shimano T curve Power Spin with Saragosa 3000 Fishing Reel Combo is recommended by the Fishing Tackle Shop as an ideal heavy duty setup if you’re targeting Barramundi.

The Northern Territory seasons govern the style of Barramundi fishing.  During the wet season between January and March and the post-wet period from March to May, most anglers fish by casting from boats anchored in waterways. During the dry season, between June and September, fresh water lagoons and rivers become accessible to anglers.  At this time of year, when temperatures are cooler, Barramundi tend to stay in deep water. From October to December, during the run-up to the wet season, Barramundi become more active as water temperatures rise and fishing in freshwater lagoons and in salt water estuarine waterways can be very productive.

In tidal rivers, Barramundi tend to bite better towards the end of run-out tide while an hour or two either side of a low tide are good times to attract Barramundi in estuaries and salt water creeks.  And when you hook a Barramundi, be prepared for an exciting battle of wits and strength with a worthy opponent.  Shop Now for barramundi fishing tackle