Hooked Up January 2026
The January issue of Hooked Up Magazine kicks off the new year with a strong focus on summer fishing and practical techniques you can put to use straight away. We take an in-depth look at targeting bream during summer using crustacean imitation lures that mimic crabs, prawns, nippers and mussels. There’s also a guide to ten species you can target while on summer holidays, using simple methods and easy gear setups. On the gear front, we thoroughly review the new Simrad NSS4, test Decoy octopus hooks on big snapper, put the Shimano Twin Power XD to work on bass and check out the Viper Pro Series 3-Way rod racks. Happy New Year and tight lines.
Understanding Daiwa Inshore Reels
Last month we broke down Shimano’s Magnumlite and Coresolid systems – two clear design paths helping anglers make sense of an increasingly crowded inshore reel market. This month, we’re doing the same with Daiwa. While the two companies take different engineering approaches, Daiwa’s inshore philosophy is just as structured, and once you understand it, the whole range makes far more sense. Daiwa has long been a dominant force in the light-tackle world. Its inshore spin reels cover everything from finesse fishing for bream and whiting right through to snapper on plastics and estuary mulloway. Yet among all the model names, LT ratings and technology logos, the crucial thing many anglers miss is this: Daiwa fundamentally categorises its inshore reels by
Understanding Shimano Inshore Reels
Fishing reels are developing at a rapid pace. It’s not just the technological advancements within the reels themselves, but also the sheer number of models now available. The evolution is happening so quickly that many anglers, and even tackle stores, struggle to keep up with what each model offers. This is less of an issue with heavy offshore reels and far more prominent among the lighter inshore models (500–5000 size). When it comes to the two big reel companies – Daiwa and Shimano – there’s a lot on offer, and you can be forgiven for not knowing the differences between them all, or which one best suits your fishing style or technique. For too long, anglers have placed too much
McLures Baja Jet 8in Review
There’s no shortage of skirted lures on the Australian market, but every now and then a genuinely new player arrives with something worth paying attention to. McLures is one of those brands. It has come in fast with an enormous range of skirted lures, teasers and rigging options aimed squarely at the evolving game fishing scene, and the first thing that strikes you when you dig through the line-up is the value for money. The prices aren’t inflated, the components aren’t flimsy, and the designs aren’t knock-offs – McLures has clearly taken the time to produce a comprehensive range with features anglers actually want. One model that immediately caught my attention was the Baja Jet 8in. It’s technically a 9.5in
Shimano Hydra
For a long time I’ve been banging on in these pages about the lack of genuinely new gear designed specifically for bait anglers. It’s strange when you think about it. There are far more bait anglers than lure anglers in this country, yet somewhere along the way the industry slipped into this idea that bait fishos don’t deserve the same level of refinement, innovation or premium options. Sure, plenty of beginners start with bait, but that doesn’t mean seasoned anglers have all ‘graduated’ to lures. Anyone who understands fishing knows bait is still king in a huge number of situations, and a serious bait rod should be treated with the same respect as any high-end lure stick. Shimano clearly agrees,
Hooked Up 163 December 2025
The December issue of Hooked Up Magazine takes a deep dive into slow pitch jigging and why you should be out there giving this fun and effective technique a crack. We look at the cod opening and how to approach the new season, and cover trout fishing now that river flows and rainfall have stabilised. There’s also a timely look at how the broken polar vortex has been wreaking havoc on southern weather patterns and what it means for anglers. Gear-wise, we run a detailed guide to Daiwa’s inshore spin reels and put the Shimano Hydra rods and McLures Baja Jet skirted lure through proper on-water testing.
Shimano Vanford 500 Review
This review isn’t so much about the Vanford FA itself – we reviewed that back in the April edition, which you can read here. This piece is more about a new size in the world of fishing reels – the 500. The 500 is noticeably smaller than a 1000 and has been met with great enthusiasm among anglers. My first thought when I saw one was, “This will be awesome for trout in small streams,” and that’s exactly what I used it for during the test period. Now, if you’re not a trout angler but like the idea of an ultra-small, lightweight reel, the 500 would also be ideal for garfish and ajing – the Japanese art of targeting slimies
Hooked Up 162 November 2025
In this issue we’ve got a heap of news with some awesome new products dropping. After last month’s story on hover strolling, the industry has clearly taken notice, with new strolling plastics now hitting our shores and even more terminal tackle expected by next month’s issue. Many of the reels and rods launched at the AFTA Trade Show are also arriving in stores this month, so it’s a great time to visit your local tackle shop and see all the new gear we’ve been writing about in the flesh. In this edition, South Australian angler and marine aquaculture expert Jamie Crawford has put together an insightful piece on the ongoing algae bloom affecting SA’s coastal waters. Colby Lesko delivers some