Clackin Rap 06's are essentially a lipless crankbait. They are a bibbless lure which has an anchor point at the top of the head and in this model there is also a internal rattle for added fish attraction.  These lures were dynamite on the big golden perch cast from the bank and boat at Lake Eildon this spring.  To fish the lure, cast it out and let it swim down then give a few sharp rips with the rod before retrieving it slowly.  Try imparting some extra action with the rod tip to mix it up as you retrieve it until you find a method that brings a strike.

Fishing in Northern Australia can be very demanding on your tackle and when targeting large fish with quality threadlines capable of running very heavy drag it is important that your terminal tackle is up to scratch.  On a recent trip to Broome we used heavy duty jigheads with galvanised 5/0 hooks and 2 ounces of lead.  To this we matched a white 7 inch Slam soft bait.  Don't lose fish due to straightened hooks - you are only as strong as your weakest link.

Trolling dead swimbaits is an ideal method for catching Spanish mackerel and other pelagic fish.  The trick is too ensure that the baits swims in a lifelike manner.  To rig the bait we use a 2 hook rig which is made up using 100lb single strand wire.  Connect about 40cm of single strand wire to a Black Magic 5/0 KS offset or KL circle hook.  Rig up the second hook by using a separate length of single strand wire about 20cm long with a 5/0 hook  (the same way as for the first part of the rig but shorter).  Connect this to the eye of the first hook so both hooks are joined.  To connect the bait get a bait needle and thread a ball sinker looped onto a piece of dacron through the bottom jaw of the queenfish and pull through so the sinker sits below the bottom jaw of the bait.  Remove the bait needle and loop the darcon over the shank of the first hook.  Do not connect either hook directly to the bait at all.  Simply use a rubber band to hold the second hook in place.  To add the rubber band simply stretch it over the back of the bait to the desired position.

Sailfish respond well to a teaser and once they come up behind the boat you can pull the teaser up to bring the fish closer to feed them a small fish bait.  Live baits are ideal, however a bridle rigged garfish or pilchard is also extremely effective.  To bridle rig a deadbait we used a Black Magic 5/0 KS offset hook, rubber squid, rubber band and bait needle.  To rig the bait loop a rubber band around the curved shank of the hook.  Connect this to the ned of the bait needle and thread it through a rubber squid (head first).  Then place the needle through the eyes of the dead bait and pull right through, then back through the rubber squid (from the tail end).  Finish the bait by looping the rubber band back over the hook by wrapping plenty of times unitl the bait sits tightly on the back of the hook.