Australian Lure Fishing

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 loo...

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.  _________________________...

What can everyday, social anglers learn from the guys and girls who fish on the tournement circuit? Plenty! Tournament anglers put themselves in the situation of having to quickly figure out what's going to work on competition day, regardless of the conditions. They do everything they can to maximise their time on the water and their chances of success.  Social anglers might not be competing, but...

In many ways, there really isn't anything more important in your fishing kit than a quality pair of polarised sunglasses. We all know that quality sunglasses allow is to see through the water surface more clearly, but they also provide protection for our eyes against permanent damage from glare, UV and even the odd hook point.  So in today's episode I'm going to go through what you need to know ab...

[Repost]  Impoundment Barra can be tricky at the best of times. But in Peter Faust Dam they're either shut down and hard to tempt, or they're big and hard to manage in the dense timber. Local Barra junkie's, fishing journos and sponsored anglers Matt and Nick wells have the answers though. They've pulled over 1000 barra from these waters over recent years, including plenty of monsters over the 1m...

For bream enthusiasts in the greater Sydney area, Georges River and the Port Hacking offers some terrific opportunities to throw lures at some quality fish. The area has a diversity of structure, flow and habitat ranging from pontoons and landings to bridge pylons, moorings, boat hulls, oyster racks and plenty more.  Josh Carpenter considers this to be his back yard - and ALF bream guru Andrew Dea...

Jungle perch are north Queensland's feisty answer to southern Australia's wild river bass. Visually spectacular, aggressive, wily.... the perfect lure fishing target. For many northerners, the idea of wasing a cool, clear jungle stream and casually flicking lures is pretty hard to resist! And luckily for those in Far North Queensland there is plenty of opportunity to do exactly that. Today's guest...

Chasing a few squid using prawn-style jigs should be on every fisho's agenda at some stage, I reckon. Ok, they won't pull you off your feet like a GT or smash a lure off the surface like a big cod (or not often, at least). But squid have a big brain and they're far smarter than any fish. Plus they are one of the most sustainable fishing species we have and a great source of super tasty, healthy pr...

Victoria's Wimmera region tends to fly a little beneath the radar when it comes to sportfishing opportunities, but that doesn't mean they don't exist. Rather, they are something of a well-kept secret among the country's freshwater fishing guns. Mitch McMaster is the Operations Manager for Fishcare Victoria and is the Geelong and Bellarine Facilitator. Aside from being a skilled angler, Mitch has a...

Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned angler, this episode is packed with practical tips, tricks, and hacks to elevate your fishing game. In this episode, we cover essential techniques for straightening your soft plastic lures, ensuring they swim naturally and attract more fish. We'll discuss the importance of proper rigging and how to repair damaged lures using simple household items like super...

Small jewfish can be targeted all year round from the rocks and headlands of the northern NSW coast, but in Autumn the mullet runs bring the bigger (10-25kg) size class of jewfish close to shore to feed on the prolific food supply. The weeks and months following Anzac Day are the prime time to dust off the jewfish tackle and hits the rocks and headlands in search of jewies. Tristan Sloan grew up i...

Teemburra Dam barramundi fishing is a cricket scores or donut kind of affair. Impoundment barramundi can be difficult to figure out at the best of times, but this particular storage seems to be especially tricky. Understanding lunar cycles, weather tides (yes, even in a dam) and barramundi behaviour are the key, as today's guest Brendan Pollard explains.  _______________________ Exciting news! The...

What are the fishing opportunities in winter, and how do things differ between northern Australia and the south of the country in the cooler months? In this episode we go beyond water temperature and look at how spawning, hydrological regimes, tidal influences and daylight hours affect fish behaviour. And we unravel some tips about where and when to fish for best results during the winter months....

It's a tough call whenever anyone asks about bucket list destinations for Australian anglers, there are countless options to choose from. So if you're having trouble deciding what your bucket list destinations would be (it's a great problem to have), then this ALF episode won't help at all! In fact, in today's interview with Bomber Farrell we explore five Groote Eylandt fishing adventures to add t...

These days dedicated fishing jet skis are opening up fishing opportunities normally only available to the owners of larger trailer boats - but for a fraction of the cost, maintenance and hassle! Youtube Jet Ski fishing enthusiast Paul Hayes gives us an introduction to an exciting and rapidly growing Aussie sportfishing option. ___________________ ENTER THE DRAW TO WIN A JETCAST PRODUCT PACK If you...

Plenty has been said and written about fishing for Murray Cod in Lake Mulwala, but today's guest is far more qualified to dish out the advice than most. Jack Hocking was born and bred in the Mulwala area and grew up learning to fish both the lake and the Murray River downstream of the dam. These days, Jack makes a living as a professional Murray Cod guide, taking clients onto the lake to experienc...

Australia's recently released National Recreational Fishing Survey is a very important body of workthat points to a bright future for fishing in this country. The survey didn't just poll anglers, it polled 20 thousand regular Australians to quantify fishing participation rates, attitudes to fishing and the economic and wellbeing benefits that fishing brings to our community. Best of all, it shows...

Indy is a marine scientist, passionate fisho and project manager for Tuna Champions, a program dedicated to promoting sustainability in recreational tuna fishing. With those credentials she's well qualified to share a few tips with us about how we can go about hooking and landing some quality SBT! So enjoy the conversation and make a few notes as ALF Host Caitlin Berecry-Brooks extracts some great...

Bream are one of the most common, though not always the easiest, targets for Australia's lure fishing enthusiasts - and Sydney has plenty to offer those who sling lures at this species. In today's ALF episode resident host Andrew Death chats with Tom Slater, tournament bream fisher and Product Development Manager for Daiwa Australia. The waters around Sydney are Tom's home ground and he definitely...

There seems to be a growing snobbery around the topic of lure fishing vs bait fishing. Yep, I gravitate toward lure fishing, but surely there is room for both.  I'm not sure exactly why that is, but some of the commentary would suggest that elements of the lure fishing fraternity see bait fishing as being an "easy" way to catch fish. And by inference, lure fishing must therefore require more skill...

Today's ALF episode is great news for the tens of thousands of anglers across Australia's north who don't own a boat and would love a better land-based fishing experience. Central Queensland sponsored angler, fishing writer and YouTuber Luke Galea spends a lot of time fishing from the shore, despite having both a boat and a kayak to fish from. He finds that shore based fishing allows him to take a...

The humble flathead is an awesome sportfish and a great training ground for anyone wanting to explore lure fishing. Super accessible to most of the Australian population, often a very willing lure taker, gives a good account of itself on light tackle...... and pretty damn good on the chew if you want to take one or two home for a feed. In todays episode I explore a few interesting facts about flat...

You don't need to fish tournaments in order to benefit from listening while a tournament guy at the top of his game shares tips and hints. Anyone who's keen on bream fishing with lures will benefit from today's conversation between Jon Chen and Andrew Death, but especially those who are planning on fishing in Victoria's Bemm River system.  Jon unpacks a myriad of tips and tricks that have been beh...

Topwater flathead fishing has never been so brutal! In today's interview with Russell Babekuhl we discover a whole new side to the humble flathead that few people know exists. It's a style of shallow water, hand to fin combat where oversized crocs obliterate topwater lures and use their might to smoke the angler in oyster covered structure. The stories are more like what I expect from yellowtail k...

Many ALF listeners love their land-based fishing, and right now conditions are perfect in North Queensland for a little beach lure flicking. So to inspire and inform you, we're running a repost of my interview with gun Townsville angler and repeat ALF podcast guest Vinnie Versfeld. In this conversation Vinnie shares his tips for sight casting to a ton of different species on the flats. From barra...