Hooked Up 153 feb 2025
The February edition sees Hooked Up publish its first dusky flathead special. We interview 8 gun dusky anglers and provide a buyer’s guide featuring over 120 lures
Simrad Launches the NSS 4
Simrad Yachting has unveiled the all-new NSS 4. The NSS 3 was the choice for thousands of hard core anglers (including Hooked Up staff and many of its contributors) thanks to its efficiency, reliability, outstanding navigation and class leading sonar returns. It seems the NSS 4 is improving on these key elements that fisherman find most crucial. The NSS 4 sports a new sleek design, and boasts ultra-fast performance and more advanced sonar capabilities. Te NSS 4 delivers lightning-fast speed with a powerful Qualcomm 8-core processor which should mean its much faster. Navico. Simard’s parent company claims that switching between sonar, charts, and radar is now seamless, with no lag – just instant, smooth transitions. The new glass-to-edge screen will
Topwater Kingfish
Yellowtail kingfish would have to be one of the hardest-fighting fish along the east coast of Australia and they can be targeted in various ways, from as simple as slow trolling a live bait or throwing a soft plastic in the washes to my personal favourite – throwing stickbaits and poppers around for that epic topwater bite. In this article I am going to talk about some handy tips I use to make finding kingfish easier and the small things I do to fire them up to get those epic bites. Finding the Kingdom Kingfish are a very temperamental fish and working out their patterns can be a challenge. Knowing where kingfish like to hang out is critical as you can
2025 brings a new Saltiga and Stella
Few events in the world of fishing tackle rival the launch of flagship reels from industry giants like Shimano and Daiwa. For 2025, Shimano unveils its eagerly anticipated new Stella, while Daiwa introduces the all-new Saltiga. At Hooked Up, we’ve eagerly gathered all available details to bring you a preview of these groundbreaking releases. Stay tuned and watch out for our hands-on, real-world testing coming soon! The 2025 Daiwa Saltiga At Hooked Up, we’ve seen our fair share of impressive reels, but the all-new 25 Saltiga has us genuinely excited. Daiwa’s relentless drive for performance has pushed the boundaries once again, delivering upgrades that bring more torque, durability, and precision to the table—ideal for hardcore anglers chasing trophy fish. The
Megabass Magdraft Hasu Raver
When it comes to iconic lure brands, few can match the legacy of Megabass. Known for producing high-quality, innovative products that are trusted by anglers worldwide, the brand’s range includes game-changers like the Siglett, Magdraft, Big-M, and Shading-X. These lures have all earned their reputations as proven fish catchers. For anglers who regularly test and review swimbaits, finding a product that combines durability, ease of use, and versatility is a rare feat—especially when targeting challenging species like Murray cod, mulloway, barramundi, and big flathead, which are known for their aggressive tendencies and rough treatment of tackle. Last year, I had the opportunity to review the Megabass SuWitch, which left a strong impression on me, so I was particularly excited to
Shimano Vanford FA
Shimano has long been a household name in the world of fishing reels, and with the release of the Vanford FA series, it has once again set the benchmark for performance and innovation, especially for finesse anglers. This new series has already made waves in the Australian market, with the Vanford 2000 and 2500 sizes becoming firm favourites in the fleets of light tackle enthusiasts targeting species such as bream, bass and estuary perch. When the Vanford was first released in 2020 it quickly established itself as the successor to the popular Stradic Ci4+, but with an upgraded design and advanced features. One of the most talked-about things was the name itself. What does ‘Vanford’ even mean? To be honest,
Daiwa Free Swimmer BR 3000 and 5000
Since Daiwa released its Free Swimmer BR range, snapper anglers have been eagerly waiting for smaller sizes to complement the already impressive 8000 and 10000 models. The good news is that Daiwa has listened, delivering the much-anticipated 3000 and 5000 sizes that are perfect for southern snapper fisheries such as Port Phillip Bay. These new sizes are a game changer, offering a balance of lightweight design, solid drag performance and a user-friendly free spool function that makes them feel like a natural extension of your hand. Size Matters I’ve been using the Free Swimmer 10000 and 8000 for some time now, and while these larger sizes excel at targeting gummy sharks and kingfish, they were often overkill for smaller species
Hooked Up 152 January 2025
As we welcome 2025, the team at Hooked Up wish you all a successful year on the water. The start of a new year brings fresh opportunities, and whether you’re chasing new personal records or enjoying your favourite fishing spots, there’s so much to look forward to. In this issue, we start with one of the most exciting fisheries currently booming across the south coast and Tasmania – school southern bluefin tuna. Trolling for these fish is incredibly rewarding, but it’s not without its challenges. Finding the fish, understanding their habits, and fine-tuning your techniques can make all the difference. We’ve broken it down to help you get results and make the most of this growing fishery. We also dive