Australian Lure Fishing

For Gold Coast flathead enthusiasts the cooler months produce large numbers of smaller "school" flathead. But the onset of the spring months marks the arrival of the larger fish in good numbers. No coincidence then, that the Gold Coast Flathead Classic fishing tournament is held in late September each year! 

Today's ALF podcast guest is Guy McConnell, a Jacobs Well local who fishes for all manner of species throughout the Gold Coas...

For those in the know, the rivers and estuaries of Far North Queenslands Wet Tropics Region can fish pretty well all year round for a range of species, including the iconic barramundi. In fact, some stonking barra turn up during the cooler, drier months of winter and into the spring months leading to the annual season closure. Throughout 2023, Cairns barramundi fishing guide Brodie Quaas has had a brilliant dry season, guiding a lo...

For those living in cenral Queensland the list of lure fishing species is very extensive, with tons of large, iconic sporting and eating species available in the river, estuaries and coastal areas. Little wonder that bread-and-butter species like the humble whiting are often overlooked in the rush for more glamorous targets. It's a shame, because whiting are super accessible for shore based anglers, plentiful around the northern co...

SCF (Sustainable Fishing, Clean Waterways, Future Generations) is an organisation that runs sustainable and ethical fishing contestsin Southern Queensland, collecting fish data for citizen science purposes and supporting content creators in the fishing space. Greg is attending the registration event for the SCF September tournament. The event will be held at "Your Mates Brewery" and Greg will take to the stage live with fellow Podc...

Why is it that some fish can be attracted to a lure, whilst others are afraid of it? Why is it essential to be stealthy in some situations, but other times being noisy will result in more fish being caught? And how can looking at human behaviour shed some light on the way fish behave? The answers (and a whole bunch more questions) can be found in today's ALF episode. Host Greg Vinall explores neophobic and neophilic behaviours in f...

Southeast Queensland's Moreton Bay is a large expanse of water and it would be easy to get overwhelmed when trying to figure out where to fish for bream. There's such a diversity of structure, massive tidal run and some local nuances of the bream population that are sure to challenge even the more experienced lure fishers among us.

Not Anthony Wishey though, he's a local who's fished the area for years and has a wealth of knowledge...

The Bemm River system is an awesome place to chase some quality breambos, but it's not always the easiest system to convince them to eat lures. Fortunately, resident ALF bream enthusiast Andrew Death secured the help of long-term Gippsland resident and tournament kayak bream champ Joel Crosbie for some next level advice on how to convince them to open their mouths. This episode is definitely a must-listen for anyone keen on getting...

Today's ALF episode comes by popular request.... I've had so many listeners hit me up for a "Five Best Fishing Spots" style interview focussing on the Sydney area that I knewI had to find a quality guest to cover this subject.

Luke Kay has been on the ALF podcast previously, when he talked to Deathy about Sydney bream fishing. But Luke is a lifelong Sydneysider who fishes for a very long list of species, not just the wily bream. So...

Fingermark are an amazing sportfish. Like all Lutjanids (tropical snappers), they're extremely tough fighters that give an amazing account of themselves once hooked. They're also spectacular looking and pretty good on the table, if you want to take one or two for a feed. The trouble with fingermark is their transience and unpredictability. Fortunately Port Douglas angler Isaac Fenech has been targeting them hard in that part of the...

Like humans, fish can behave a little differently during the winter months than they do when the water is a little warmer. And that means the structure, locations and techniques that connected you with fish during summer will be far less effective when the weather cools and the days get shorter. Plus, in places like Lake Macquarie there can be a changing of the guard. Some species that aren't so common during summer can turn up in ...

There are so many incredible fishing spots on Queensland's Sunshine Coast that you might be forgiven if small storages like the Ewen Maddock and Barron Pocket Dams aren't on your radar yet. But rest assured, keen anglers in the southeast corner of the Sunshine State are well aware of the incredible opportunity these systems offer to bass anglers..... not to mention those keen to tackle a saratoga or two. 

Our guest for today's epis...

What happens when a pair of champion kayak fishers get together for a chat about bream fishing in their joint back yards? Listen to this episode to find out! ALF Host and bream specialist Andrew Death interviews fellow kayak tournament champ Carl Dubois about fishing in their favouriet stomping ground. As you'd expect, there are tips galore and plenty of great advice for putting together a bag of brea in the Botany Bay and Georges ...

The winter months are a briliant time for trout fishing in the lakes of central Victoria, as the fish get particularly aggressive as the water cools. Today's guest is Kelsi Gull, a super keen angler who fishes Lake Wendouree multiple times per week and has worked hard at figuring out the resident trout population. Kelsi now consistently catches quality fish from this system both from the bank and from a boat and shares some great t...

One of my favourite things on the ALF podcast is when I get the chance to chat with top notch anglers who are really pushing the boundaries in terms of what today's tackle and techniques can acheive. These are the folks who move fishing in new directions and force the development of new tackle and new techniques to catch otherwise uncatchable fish. Jim Potts is one of those anglers. He's been on the ALF podcast a number of times an...

Could there be anything better than quietly walking a river system whilst slinging lures at some oversized Murray cod? If there is, I'm struggling to think what it might be! And I'm pretty sure the answer won't be any closer after today's podcast episode with Tyson Zarew. 

Tyson fishes the Murrumbidgee system from the bank and from small tinnies - and he bats well above the average when it comes to catching big green fish! Today he...

How lucky are Australian anglers? Our largest city, home to around 20% of our entire population is built around not one, but two fishing playgrounds. We're going to focus on Sydney Harbour today with our guest Justin Duggan - and we're going to learn how to target those frustrating kingfish (and other pelagics) at times when they are smashing bait along the shoreline. Frustrating why? Because they can be turning the shoreline to fo...

The continued resurence of the Bluefin Tuna fishery around southern Australia is creating spectacular results for those using traditional tuna fishing techniques. But with fish available in good numbers it creates the opportunity to explore less conventional (and maybe more fun) techniques. Over recent years it's become quite common to stop the boat and cast lures at feeding tuna, usually a stickbait or a diving minnow style lure. ...

What are the best flathead lures according to dozens of past ALF Podcast guests? That's what we'll explore in today's episode, which is a trailer for members of the public, but a full 40 minute episode for Team Doc Lures members. In the public edition we break down the three most versatile lure styles for flathead fishing. And in the "PLUS" edition we explore some pro tips for using them, plus look at the other lure styles commonly...

Jason is an undisputed master of impoundment barramundi fishing. His persistence, determination and commitment made him one of the early pioneers of winter impoundment barra fishing. In fact, pretty much everything Jason did back then was considered unconventional and even though some of it is mainstream today, he still has plenty of secrets to share and myths to dispel. 

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