FEBRUARY 2023 WILLIAMS OUTDOORS REPORT & PHOTO COMPETITION
We hope you have enjoyed the last 2022/2023 summer season. As we slowly but surely merge into the autumn season we are happy to reflect on the fantastic fishing we have seen and heard reports of during the past month. We have also been very busy in-store gearing up for the start of Deer Season.
WHAT'S NEW IN-STORE
- If you are you after new water & windproof gear for this deer season you’re in luck! The Ridgeline Packlite gear is the ultimate lightweight and packable performance rain jacket and pants on the market.
Made with a 4-way stretch polyester fabric for a more comfortable fit, these garments are designed with a waterproof & windproof membrane as well as tape-sealed seams to keep you dry. This breathable fabric allows sweat to be wicked away from your body keeping you comfortable.
The Packlite gear is designed to be layered over your fleece or merino layers.
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- CZ 600 Lux 300 Win Mag - As part of a radical generational upgrade of its centrefire rifle product line, CZ is proud to introduce the new CZ 600 series. The highly modular design comes with a number of patented features that improve all key characteristics - from reliability and durability to ergonomics and shooting comfort to safety and accuracy.
FEATURES
- LUX-style walnut stock with cheek piece
- Steel receiver with Remington 700 mounting interface
- Light profile cold hammer forged barrel
- Easy change of calibers
- M15x1 Threading
- Removable, fully adjustable mechanical sights with fiber optics
- Single-stage trigger with 4 levels of pull
- Sub-MOA at 100m for three-shot groups
- Integrated sling swivels
- 60-degree bolt handle rotation
- Controlled feeding
- Original safety design
- Lockable magazine
- Safe disassembly
- Extremely durable finish
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We are excited to introduce the Australian Made & Owned Tassie Tiger knife collection into our store this month.
Established in Australia in 2017, Tassie Tiger Knives aim to provide high-quality hunting and fishing knives.
The knives are rigorously tested to withstand tough conditions and are designed to fit the hand comfortably.
The hunting knives are made from high-quality steel and heat treated by professional knife manufacturers to also ensure they will perform above expectations.
Come in-store to check them out!
HOT FISHING PRODUCTS & ADVICE
- A new range in-store this month is the Lunker Hunt Phantom Spiders – Winner of the 2019 I-Cast Awards. With their extremely life-like feel we believe wherever you can find a Huntsman- you can catch a fish!
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Expanding on our surface lure range, we are happy to announce the arrival of the Soft Shell Tiny Cicadas, Soft Shell Trick Trouts, and the Soft Shell 40mm Cicadas which will make for some exciting trout fishing.
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Another new range in-store is the Storm SO – RUN Heavy Minnow 110mm 42g. These lures are great for long-distance casting to King Fish, Salmon, and even Bluefin.
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Triple threat SnapBait are here and are the latest craze for chasing everything from Flatties to Blue Eye. The SnapBait is rapidly replacing traditional Paternoster rigs with ease of use and proven catching results. We have a variety of colors and sizes for all applications.
THE FISHING REPORT
Southern Tasmania has had its best King Fish season yet with fish hitting the decks of boats in record numbers. This season has allowed many anglers to get their first King Fish on Fly’s. Noted fly’s are Garfish and Psycho Squid Patterns. As the water cools the catch rate will diminish, we suggest getting out whilst the waters are still warm.
On the trout fishing front, hot weather has made for tough fishing in the lure world. People waving a wand (fly rod) have had lots of success with Beetle Feeders poloriding in the afternoon sessions. Early evening to dark anglers have had good results on Muddler’s (Mudeye Patterns) at Brady’s & The Dee. There are also some great mudeye/insect soft plastics released this year from Strike Tiger that have accounted for a few fish this season. We predict these will grow in popularity throughout the years.
Pictured below is a fish caught and released by Adam Williams during the night from the Derwent River weighing in at 4.5lb. This fish was caught on his new King Fish rod - NS Amped Rod 10-20lb running a Penn Battle Fish III. The poor trout didn’t stand a chance!
Some of our team members from Williams Outdoors recently participated in the Wayatinah Fishing Competition held by the Wayatinah Social Club, drawing in over 160 participants. The event was organized well and drew in lots of participants in the younger age bracket. Staff member Ewan Dillon pictured winning the Longest Fish Award for Junior.
Congratulations to all the participants, prize winners, and organizers for a great event.
In other news, The Australian Shark Fishing Competition was recently held at Eagle Hawke Neck with one of our local customers doing exceptionally well. Check out Darcy Robinson’s photo of his ripper Mako Shark further in the report.
HOT HUNTING PRODUCTS & ADVICE
- In-store the Vortex Binoculars have been selling extremely well coming into Deer Season. See below three of our most popular products;
Vortex Diamondback HD 10x42 Binocular
The Diamondback® HD smashes the scale of price vs performance, delivering a rock-solid optic that optically punches high above its class. The included GlassPakTM binocular harness keeps your glass close at hand.
Vortex Crossfire HD 10x42 Binocular
You know what they say about people who assume you can't get HD optics, rugged performance, and high-end form factor in a value-price binocular? They clearly haven't checked out the Crossfire® HD.
Vortex Fury HD 5000 10x42 Laser Rangefinder Binocular
Two of the most important pieces of hunting gear combined into one powerful, long-ranging unit, Fury® HD 5000 rangefinding binoculars make glassing and ranging ultra-fast and efficient. Right-side button controls make one-handed manipulation of both functions quick and easy, cutting down on set-up time.
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The Ridgeline Stealth Trousers feature a stretch comfort waistband with antibacterial and wicking material for quick drying and all-day-long comfort.
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The Spika light-weight t-shirts are breathable with a relaxed fit to allow for free movement keeping you cool and comfortable for the hunt.
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The Ridgeline Aoraki Boots give superior performance while keeping light agile and comfortable. Waterproof treated leather and Thinsulate lining give the best of both worlds to give you the edge while taking on the great outdoors.
- High top for extra protection
- Full grain waterproof treated Nubuck leather
- Durable fast-lacing system
- Warm, durable, and waterproof
- Thinsulate lining
- New Vibram integrated rubber sole
THE SHOOTING REPORT
We hope you have got a few training miles into the legs these last few weeks as the wait is now over for the beginning of the 2023 Deer Season. We have been busier than ever before with more up-and-coming hunters getting licenses and becoming more involved with the sport.
Lots of lands were glassed this weekend and on reports from shooters, there seem to be quite a few Does and Spikies around. With the intense heat in the summer just gone more Stags are still in velvet in the earlier part of this season. In the next few weeks we expect the Stags to be out and about chasing the does.
Along with the hard hunting reported, there were also some testing weather conditions this opening weekend just gone with an uncomfortably hot day on Saturday and showers on Sunday.
Keep an eye out for the March Shooting report for more stories and photos from the first month of the season. We would also love to see some of your personal trophy pictures and backstories to be featured in our March report.
We love to see our hunters staying safe; see our safety recommendations below;
High Visibility Gear
We stock a wide range of high visibility gear in-store ranging from hats, lightweight t-shirts, waterproof jackets, and more!
GME Personal Locator Beacon & UHF Radios
The MT610G Personal Locator Beacon is super-compact & lightweight, offering an impressive 7-year battery life and a 6-year warranty. Featuring a ‘Non-Hazmat’ battery pack for ease of transport, the MT610G ensures you remain safe and connected.
The TX6160X Handheld Radio features class-leading 5-watt transmission power, an IP67 ingress-protection rating for outstanding performance and years of reliable use in the harshest Australian environments, up to 30 hours of battery life, VOX Hands-free mode, and a built-in LED torch.
Come in-store to check out more of the GME products we stock to keep you safe.
Hunter’s Element Venom Gaiter
The Venom V2 gaiter is a tailored sculptured design to fit your leg and over your boot with the least amount of bulk. All seams, zips and Velcro are double-stitched with heavy-duty thread for maximum durability. The Fang Shield offers a protective layer that was developed and tested on snake fangs from a variety of Australian species.
$189.99
Spika Strike Gaiter
The Spika Strike Gaiter features a snake-resistant PU bonded canvas with a Duraflex buckle and an adjustable four-way closure system with shoelace buckles.
$149.99
FALLOW DEER LIMITS; AS PER THE 2023 GAME TRACKS INFORMATION BOOKLET STATES.
- ONLY ONE ADULT MALE DEER, REQUIRED TO BE TAGGED BETWEEN 25/02/23 - 02/04/23.
- NO TAKE LIMIT, OR TAG REQUIREMENT FOR ANTERLESS DEER BETWEEN 15/03/23 – 15/11/23.
- SPIKIES (IMMATURE MALE DEER) MAY NOT BE TAKEN AT ANY TIME.
Our team would like to wish all of our hunter's luck and a happy and safe season.
In other news, Remington has recently released their 360 Buckhammer! This new bullet is designed specifically with a lever action rifle in mind. It is the newest addition to the straight-walled cartridge family beating the speeds of the very popular 350 Legend. Currently available in America we will hopefully see it in Australian stores soon.
FEBRUARY 2023 PHOTO COMPETITION
We are excited to announce the winner of the January photo competition...
Darcy Robertson
Darcy is welcome in-store to collect his $100.00 Voucher from Williams Outdoors.
Check out Darcy’s winning photo below along with some of the other photo entries sent in this month!
At just 7 years old Darcy Robertson fished the Australian shark challenge at Eagle Hawk Neck.
Darcy bashed his own burly and the shark pictured above was the first to come up.
He spent five straight hours on the rod trying to get him over the line but gave up with only ten minutes left in the fight, he had just had enough but still put in a solid effort.
The shark would have been an Australian record on 24kg line for a small fry angler.
Cleaned weight 188kg
208kg whole.
Well done Darcy!
Gabriel Cochrane pictured having a shot at the SSAA T10 Deer Stalkers Shooting Range.
Gabriel is shooting a Sig Sauer M17 9MM Pistol.
Photos sent in from Caitlin Graham. Great fishing guys!
Photos sent in from Jamie Blackwell. Well done Jamie!
Fantastic photos sent in by Khyle Monks!
Great photos were sent in by Melissa Harris. Well done guys!
Don't forget to send in your photos of your gear from Williams Outdoors in use, or pictures from your fishing and hunting adventures to go into next month's draw to win a $100 Williams Outdoors voucher.
We hope you enjoyed the February edition of our monthly report. We appreciate your support :)
- The team at Williams Outdoors
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