The new series of Starlo & Bushy's Hooked On Adventure - now airing each Sunday afternoon on Channel Seven (Perth), GWN (WA) and in the eastern state's via the PRIME Network, and soon to debut on SQT 7 throughout Queensland - is rapidly attracting a loyal audience of keen fans. It seems the show's unique mix of down to earth how-to fishing information, regional area guides, 4WD tips, boating, camping and cooking has struck a real chord with Sportsfish website regulars, in particular.

This month, Hooked On Adventure takes viewers from the famous wine growing and surfing region of Margaret River in southern WA right across the continent to Queensland's glitzy Gold Coast, then westward once again to ruggedly beautiful Dirk Hartog Island at Shark Bay. Along the way, Starlo and Bushy enjoy some truly memorable fishing action, meet a few genuine Aussie characters and sample the delights of the sea and the vine

STOP PRESS: The exciting new third series of "Hooked On Adventure" has now been picked up by the STQ 7 network throughout Queensland (excluding the Brisbane metropolitan area) and will air each Saturday afternoon at 1.00PM, commencing 5th July. Check your local TV guides for more details!

WHAT'S ON THIS MONTH?

EPISODE #2 - 29th JUNE: Yarrawonga/Mulwala, NSW/VIC [12th July on STQ 7 QLD]

Lake Mulwala lies on the Murray River between the Victorian town of Yarrawonga and the smaller NSW settlement of Mulwala.

This large body of tree-studded water is justifiably renowned as one of the last great strongholds of the magnificent Murray cod, and it's the lure of these legendary 'green fish' that has attracted Starlo and Bushy to town - but are they good enough to actually catch one?

Modern Fishing Tip of the Week:
Trolling is the act of pulling a bait, lure or fly along behind a moving boat to give it action and induce a fish to strike. But there's a lot more to successful, productive trolling than trailing something out the back and hoping for the best.

In this Sunday's episode, Bushy explains the finer points of trolling with a floating/diving minnow or plug style lure such as Halco's fish-tempting Poltergeist deep diver. As Bushy explains, by hand-holding the rod and reel rather than simply dropping it into a rod holder, you'll have a much better idea what's going on, and if the lure bumps over a snag you can push the rod tip back to create slack line and allow the lure to float up over the obstruction. This little tip will save you a fortune in lures that might otherwise be hung up and lost, as well as catching you a lot more fish!

EPISODE #3 - 6th July: Margaret River/Dunsborough, WA [19th July on STQ 7 QLD]

This episode sees the guys head offshore from beautiful Gracetown, south of Perth, in pursuit of piscatorial prizes. They mix it with snapper, harlequin fish, fox fish and a couple of rather aggro sharks - one of which leaves Starlo feeling a little the worse for wear! The boys get their own back, however, when the affable chef at a local Indian restaurant turns their shark into a lip-smacking, eye-watering curry!

Then it's down to picturesque Hamelin Bay, south of Margaret River, to catch a few herring (tommy ruff), tarwhine and short-finned sea pike (snook).

Modern Fishing Tip of the Week:
Trolling can be a great way to locate scattered fish, as Starlo & Bushy graphically show when they chase herring (tommy ruff) and sea pike (snook) at Hamelin Bay in this episode. But there's a lot more to trolling than chuck-and-chance. Choosing a lure with exactly the right action and running depth can be critical…

Modern Boating Tip of the Week:
The intelligent use of modern electronic depth sounders and GPS (global positioning system) navigation units has completely revolutionised the way offshore anglers go fishing these days. Both of these invaluable devices feature prominently in this week's episode.

Overlander Tip of the Week:

Towing heavy boat rigs and trailers imposes extra strains on any vehicle and demands modifications in your driving style.

It's imperative that tyres and towing hitches are all in tip-top condition and that any brake system fitted to the trailer is operating correctly.

Know the towing limits of your vehicle and stick to them!

Continued...

EPISODE #4 - 13th July: Margaret River/Hamelin Bay [26th July on STQ 7 QLD]

This was one of Starlo & Bushy's favourite episodes, and it kicks off with some amazing surf fishing action at postcard-perfect Hamelin Bay; blue sky, turquoise water, white sand and a string of big, fat salmon hell bent on putting a deep bend in the guys' light spin rods. Who could ask for more?

But wait, there is more! Back at the campsite, visiting seafood whiz and author, Sophie Zalokar, creates culinary magic for the guys with her amazing Saltimbocca Salmon… but not before sending them off to grab a bottle of wine - which turns out to be something of an epic journey in this famous grape growing region!

Later, Starlo & Bushy indulge one of their favourite passions; bream spinning. This time it's on the placid Blackwood River near Augusta, and they nail some rippers!

Modern Fishing Tip of the Week:
Ganged hooks are a wonderful Aussie invention for cunningly presenting long baits such as whole small fish, fish flesh strips and squid tentacles, but it's important to rig these baits correctly in order to stop them spinning in the water as they're retrieved, or through the air when cast. Starlo shows exactly how best to rig a pilchard (mulie) on ganged hooks for optimum results. The big trick lies in measuring the bait alongside the hooks first…

Modern Boating Tip of the Week:
Four-stroke outboard motors have taken the fishing and boating world by storm in recent times. Their incredibly quiet, smooth performance, reduced emissions and dramatically improved fuel economy offer all sorts of tangible benefits to anglers, as you'll see graphically demonstrated in this episode when the guys chase the wily black bream of Augusta's Blackwood River.

Overlander Tip of the Week:
Driving on soft sand presents special challenges, not only in avoiding potential trouble, but in minimising your impact on what are often fragile environments. Reducing tyre pressure is critical step towards safe sand driving, and having a compressor fitted to your vehicle so you can re-inflate them before hitting the black-top again makes very good sense indeed.

EPISODE #5 - 20th July: Gold Coast Fish 'n' Glitz [2nd August on STQ 7 QLD]

Big city, bright lights… great fishing! This week, Starlo and Bushy visit the busy tidal waterways of Queensland's Nerang River, smack in the heart of the Gold Coast, and meet a bloke called 'Tim the Bream' Morgan. In the shadow of high rise units and the reflected glare of flashing neon lights, the guys uncover some truly remarkable bream luring action, and learn a few tricks from a guy who is the top prize money earner on the ABT BREAM pro' circuit.

Resident barbecue queen, Anna Phillips, cooks up a storm for the crew back at their digs, and then it's a complete change of pace as they head inland to Hinze Dam on the Gold Coast's hinterland for some misty morning bass and golden perch action.

Modern Fishing Tip of the Week:
While the emphasis on impoundment bass fishing these days is squarely on lure and fly fishing, the effectiveness of natural baits such as live shrimp should never be forgotten. One thing that puts many anglers off bait fishing for bass is the fear of hooking these fish too deeply, making live release problematic. But as Starlo & Bushy show on this episode, the use of specially designed wide gape, shiner or kahle hooks almost totally negates this risk.

Modern Boating Tip of the Week:
How did we ever catch bream, bass, barra, jacks and Murray cod without those amazing bow-mounted electric motors? Bow-mounted 'leckies effectively turn standard estuary and sweetwater craft into magic carpets, capable of gliding almost silently into the tightest slot, delivering a lure or bait, then sneaking out again. They've revolutionised our flat water fishing and dramatically improved our catch rates!

Overlander Tip of the Week:
Lots of city dwellers own 4WD vehicles these days, even if they rarely or never go bush in them. City slickers often choose 4WDs for their size, roominess, power and perceived safety levels - not to mention the sheer escapism involved! Modern 4WDs make excellent town cars, although they mightn't always fit readily into that extra tight city parking spot. Having your internal and external mirrors properly adjusted and understanding the manoeuvring capabilities of your 4WD make a big difference.

Continued...

EPISODE #6 - 27th July: Moreton Bay/Stradbroke Island [9th August on STQ 7 QLD]

Moreton Bay is Brisbane's aquatic playground and it offers a broad range of fishing opportunities. Starlo & Bushy join fly fishing guru Scott Mathews to chase a few of the bay's fast-moving pelagics on spin gear, but are they good enough to catch the fickle, sharp-eyed mack' tuna and longtails smashing the surface to foam up around Bribie Island? You'll have to watch to find out!

Later, it's onto the ferry with our 4WDs and over to North Stradbroke Island; a holiday destination that time (and the crowds) seem to have largely forgotten. What a top spot! Flathead, whiting and tailor in the surf provide a suitable distraction while the guys wait for Anna to get the barbie going… although, truth be told, she ends up catching most of the fish, too!

Modern Fishing Tip of the Week:
Reading a beach is something of an art. Deeper holes and gutters are revealed by darker, less broken water, but there are holes and holes. The best often lie at the intersections of long gutters running parallel to the shore, or carving out into deeper water. They can be easier to see at low tide, too. But don't forget those other visual indicators. A tight bunch of vehicles and anglers and a few bent rods are often the best signposts of all to surf fishing action!

Modern Boating Tip of the Week:
Chasing fast-moving pelagic fish such as tuna in hard-fished waters is more about subtlety and subterfuge these days than sheer grunt and bravado. It's no accident that switched-on boaties in quiet fibreglass hulls fitted with smooth four-stroke motors tend to get closer to the schools far more often than gung-ho crews running wave-slamming tinnies powered by big, noisy two-strokes… Watch and learn!

Overlander Tip of the Week:
Beach driving on Queenslands big sand islands is an extremely popular pursuit, but remember that standard highway road rules apply on most beaches. Keep your speed down, stay over to the left when approaching other vehicles, slow or stop for pedestrians and, if in doubt, get out and walk ahead to check possible washaways, creek mouths, exposed rocks or soft patches. On a surf beach with a rising tide, you simply won't get a second chance!

HOOKED ON ADVENTURE TV SCHEDULE*

The new series of Hooked On Adventure goes to air on PRIME, Channel Seven (Perth) and GWN (the Golden West Network) every Sunday afternoon right through winter. Scheduled airing times are as listed below, but be sure to check your local program guides for any possible last minute changes:

PRIME (Regional NSW and QLD Gold Coast): 12.30PM Sunday
PRIME (Regional Victoria): 3.30PM Sunday
STQ 7: (Regional QLD): 1.00PM Saturday (commencing 5th July)
SEVEN Perth (Perth Metro' region): 5.30PM Sunday
GWN WA (Regional WA): 5.30PM Sunday

* Check local program guides for any last minute scheduling changes!

HOOKED ON ADVENTURE'S SPONSORS

Making Hooked On Adventure would not be possible with out the ongoing support of the show's loyal sponsors, and we would like to take this opportunity to thank them. Major sponsors for the current series include:

ARB 4WD Accessories
Engel Portable Fridge-Freezers
Shimano Fishing Tackle
Halco Lures
Inox Lubricants
Yamaha Outboards
Modern Fishing
Modern Boating
Overlander 4WD
The West Australian
Channel Seven (Perth)
PRIME Network
GWN
QANTAS
Sportsfish.com.au

CAN'T GET HOOKED ON ADVENTURE WHERE YOU LIVE?

At the moment, Hooked On Adventure is seen throughout WA, as well as in large parts of regional and rural Victoria, NSW and south eastern Queensland's Gold Coast. However, if you live outside these broadcast 'footprints' for the PRIME, Seven Perth or GWN Networks and would like to see Hooked On Adventure every week on your television, you should phone, fax or e-mail your nearest Channel Seven office or studio and ask them to put it on!