From the Archives ...
Tiny creeks and sea run trout - Christopher Bassano
Presented from Issue 105, August 2013
Christopher Bassano fishes over 250 days a year. This interview was recorded just before he headed off to fish for Australia in the World Fly Fishing Championships in Norway 14-17 August 2013.
I live on a small stream and at the start of the season I like to go off on a bit of a discovery mission and fish the headwaters of the creeks and rivers I feel an affinity with.
These small rivers include the St Pats, Meander, Forester, Little Forester and others. The further up you go on these rivers the clearer and lower the levels. They are often less affected by the rain and runoff and you get some good opportunities. Get as close to the source as you can and you will find some good dry fly fishing. Don’t limit yourself to those I have mentioned. Most headwaters will hold trout.
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| Steve Starling is relieved that all went according to plan. |
Jo Starling shares some tips on fighting big fish from a kayak.
Presented from Issue 117, August 2015
The thought of fighting giants from a kayak is enough to raise the pulse of any angler—but you should never pick such a fight without a battle plan. No matter what critters you choose to chase, Jo Starling reckons this strategy will give you a fighting chance. Recently, Steve and I embarked on a journey across western NSW and South Australia with the sole purpose of landing a goliath Murray cod from a kayak. We run a couple of Native Watercraft models and really wanted to test the Propel® units’ reverse capabilities against a hefty structure magnet. Whilst not everyone chooses the same ‘yak, the prior planning and preparation that went into this trip is relevant to anyone hoping to mix it with worthy adversaries in structure. For the record, the Propel® unit brained it… let me tell you the story.
- Written by Stephen Smith - Rubicon Web and Technology Training
- Category: Kayak Fishing
- Hits: 2731
Presented from Issue 114, February 2015 and 115 April 2015
Have you been exercising your grey matter, thinking about getting into a kayak for some fishing fun? There’s a lot to think about, and the thinking doesn’t stop once you’ve carefully chosen your vessel. You’ll also need to put a lot of thought into setting it up for action, as Jo Starling explains.
Being a relative newcomer to the world of ‘yak fishing, I still climb the sport’s steep learning curve each and every time I go out. That’s one of the many great things about fishing… it’s just like a braided river; regardless of how well you think you know it, there’s always another ‘stream’ to explore!
You might assume that stepping into a kayak for a fish will not be a big stretch from your everyday fishing activities, but give it a go and you will soon realise how very different it is. Of course, the fishing nitty-gritty won’t change.
- Written by Stephen Smith - Rubicon Web and Technology Training
- Category: Kayak Fishing
- Hits: 4653
Read more: Start-up Kayaking Part 1 and 2 - Packin the ‘yak - Jo Starling
Presented from Issue 108, February 2014
Kayak fishing is becoming even more popular and is a great way to fish. With our increasing awareness of the importance of physical exercise, houses getting bigger but yards getting smaller, and the ever increasing cost of fuel its understandable why. Kayaks open up many fishing opportunities denied to the land based angler, without the expense and logistics of owning a boat. Mic Rybka looked at some trolling techniques last issue.
Here are my experiences...
- Written by Stephen Smith - Rubicon Web and Technology Training
- Category: Kayak Fishing
- Hits: 7791
Presented from Issue 107, December 2013
For those that haven’t packed a kayak for a 3 or 4 day adventure this how I go about it. Firstly remembering your weight: I am about 100kg and I sit more toward the back of my yak – not in the middle as some are designed. Therefore I must think about how and where I am going to pack my gear.
- Written by Stephen Smith - Rubicon Web and Technology Training
- Category: Kayak Fishing
- Hits: 5191
Presented from Issue 107, December 2013
A common question asked by new or potential kayakers is “what’s best – paddle or pedal?” The answer will vary depending on many factors. Intended use and budget are probably the main ones. This article will look at different propulsion systems commonly available and their pros and cons, hopefully making that decision a bit easier for newcomers to this kind of fishing.
- Written by Stephen Smith - Rubicon Web and Technology Training
- Category: Kayak Fishing
- Hits: 6784
Presented from Issue 107, December 2013
Michal Rybka reveals some deadly Great Lake, kayak based techniques using soft plastic worms. In fact this should not be kayak nor Great Lake limited. If you are a troller of any sort read on.
Worming from a Kayak – a different perspective
- Written by Stephen Smith - Rubicon Web and Technology Training
- Category: Kayak Fishing
- Hits: 6209
Read more: Towing the Worm - All trollers read on - Michal Rybka
Presented from Issue 101
Introduction
A kayak can be a very cost effective alternative to purchasing a boat. In terms of fish catching ability, a kayak can also be more effective than a boat. The ability of a kayak to be taken in very shallow water, combined with the kayak’s overall manoeuvrability, are the reasons for this. It is also no secret that often these shallow, hard to reach places also hold the best fish.
It is no wonder that, in recent years, the sport of kayak fishing has taken off all around the world. In the United States, this style of fishing has become somewhat of a craze, and many anglers are embracing the sport with a similar level of passion here in Australia. We now have kayak- fishing tournaments that are a national affair, with regular coverage in magazines and on television. Tournaments aside, many recreational anglers are choosing to fish this way simply because its a fun, cost effective and a productive way of fishing.
- Written by Stephen Smith - Rubicon Web and Technology Training
- Category: Kayak Fishing
- Hits: 11395
Read more: Kayak Setup Guide to the basics for fishing - Michal Rybka
Presented from Issue 100
Have you ever driven over the South Esk River bridge at Perth? I am sure that most of us have. On every trip to Hobart, the idea of fishing this section of river has been in the back of my mind. As a child, I often fished the adjoining ‘Charles Berryman Picnic Reserve’ with my father. It was close to Launceston and had very good access to a small side-water that branched off the main river. Being European, we targeted species that would normally be considered as pests, such as redfin perch and tench. Sounds crazy I know, but prepared the correct way, tench were actually pretty good eating.
Most of the time we fished the old fashioned way, using worms suspended under a float. I also used small redfin-patterned Celtas on the odd occasion. The traditional red-coloured ones seemed to give the best results, with many trout caught on these metal spinners in the picnic reserve side-water. However, access to good fishing spots in the river itself was difficult, as the banks were overgrown with willows.
- Written by Stephen Smith - Rubicon Web and Technology Training
- Category: Kayak Fishing
- Hits: 7831
Read more: South Esk River Kayaking from Perth Bridge by Michal Rybka
Presented from Issue 95
Recent kayak popularity It was over 25 years, maybe 30 years ago, when I first saw someone fishing from water level in a boat. On a dark and windy night much to my amusement my mate John Rumph waddled into Lake Toolondo in the Grampians on a horrid night standing in what I think was the first ever float tube imported into Australia.
- Written by Stephen Smith - Rubicon Web and Technology Training
- Category: Kayak Fishing
- Hits: 6309
Presented from Issue 95
Huntsman Lake lies approximately 20 km south of Deloraine. It’s an easy, scenic drive via the small town of Meander. As most anglers know, the lake is only a few years old. It was formed in 2007 with the construction of the Meander Dam. The lake is fed by the Meander River and also by several small streams.
- Written by Stephen Smith - Rubicon Web and Technology Training
- Category: Kayak Fishing
- Hits: 10378
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Category Descriptions
Here is a list of all of the Article Categories. The number in Brackets, eg (13) is the number of articles. Click on Derwent River and all articles relating to the Derwent will be displayed in the central area.
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Hello everyone, I thought it would be a good time to introduce myself.
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From the Archives ... (last chance)
"Angling is an art - Hannah Ledger
and an art worth your learning.."
Presented from Issue 112, October 2014
So said Izaak Walton in the 1600s. It seems that Burnie’s Hannah Ledger has combined angling with art rather well. Hannah is a fish fanatic, outdoor enthusiast and budding, self-taught artist. From as young as she can remember, she has always had crayon in hand, colouring book under arm and as she’s grown as a painter, jars full of paintbrushes and cupboards full of ready-to-go blank canvas’.
A country girl at heart, Hannah was schooled at Yolla District High School, a small ‘farm’ school in the states North West, then went on to Hellyer College where she was given the opportunity to really grow her art skills; And by grow, that meant skipping the classes that would probably have more an impact of getting her somewhere in life, like English and Math to spend every spare minute with the art teacher, painting or drawing.
As typical teenagers do, they make poor decisions- and after being accepted in to one of the countries top art schools, turned down the offer and decided to move to the big island, where she lived for 5 years working in what seemed ‘dead end’ retail.
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