campr

I fished the stones for many years and found the framed backpacks that held the actual pack away from your body were the most comfortable. Next few times you fish look at what you took vs what you actually used and cut back accordingly. It is so easy to take heaps of gear that is rarely used. I found that most tackle boxes wast a lot of space and break easily. Look at alternatives such as home made rolls to store metal lures. When my framed backpack died I cut pack off and attached a large bucket and lid to frame and mounted pvc pipe rod holders to sides. Works great when fishing the beach. Keeps contents dry and sand free and you can sit on bucket as well. Ron.

Lovely red Baz. Now you have to break the code for Port Stephens and get one out of your own boat. I hope to break my duck and get one on plastic this winter. Ron

If it's different it could be better? Regardless of how it looks, if the fish eat it it's OK. LOL

Sorry for late reply. I don't tie 1kg to 17lb. All knots are Uni or Double Uni. ANSA allows one and a half length of rod comprising of leader and/or trace after the breakaway section. I tie 1kg to about a rod length of 3kg as leader on which the sinker slides. I then tie 3kg to swivel on which heavier fluro trace is tied. End up with 4 or 6lb braid main line - breakaway section - 3kg leader - swivel - fluro trace to hook. Sounds complex but it works ok and you get used to it. RICHARD. If bait fishing for bream. whiting or trevally etc using 1kg for comps I use exact same rig except for trace to hook which I use 8lb Vanish Fluro. Ron

If launching by yourself I wouldn't consider anything other than a tinnie as they are much more forgiving should you have any problems with your launch or retrieve. I am 72yo and not as fit as I woud like to be, fish a lot by myself and have no problems handling my 5.6 meter Quinnie Classic with 90hp Honda and don't even get my feet wet. I can winch it on myself no worries but am currently learning to drive onto trailer which can be scarier than it looks but feels great when you get it right. The main thing is to get a good trailer and set it up right. The best tips I can give are 1. Replace gal roller axles with homemade stainless ones as it makes boat go on and off so much easier and they never stick. 2 Try a 2 or 3 speed winch as I can get my big tinnie 2/3 on very quicly on 1 to 1 setting then go down a gear for last hard bit. 3. If trailer doesn't have a centre walkway, make a timber one and attach. Fit some kind of centering system if none on trailer. 4. Don't put trailer too far into water so boat doesn't float to side and let rollers do what they were designed If you want to go out to sea I recommend something between 4.5 and 5 meters at least. My former boat was a 4.5meter Quintrex Lazeabout and I used to go to Sydneys Peak and 12 mile reafs for kingfish no worries. Caught a few yellowfin and even managed a 60lb marlin besides the usual eating fish. Finally. If you find what you want try to get a ride in one before getting one and be prepared to travel to get one. I had to go to Surfers to get my current boat. Good luck. Ron

Another vote for FINS from me. I use 20lb and 30lb for jew.

Most rods have optimum line bs rang followed by casting weight range printed near front grip. Rod code 702sw is prbably either 7ft 2in Salt Water or 7ft 2 peice Salt Water.

Can't believe I got in so late on this thread as this is right up my alley. Baz has done well and pretty well answered as I would have re catching flatties. My best 2 flatties were - 1 97cm 5.64kg on 1kg breakaway and 97cm 5.66kg on 1kg mono. Both were caught with Vanish fluro traces, one with 17lb and the other 10lb. I believe the soft hands needed to use 1kg lines helps them from panicking and although they make huge runs on such light drags they generally stay calmer and let them be led without so many violent head shakes that wear the leader on what can be very long fights. So you can try both a heavier fluro leader and maybe a bit lighter drag. The ANSA breakaway system was brought in due to the growing popularity of braid lines which aren't made in tested breaking strains and is similar to the tippet classes for flyfishing. Good luck. Ron

Computor glych Ill try again I use poddies a lot as I love chasing (and releasing) big flathead with my best two both 97cm and don't use anything but big mouth or Kale style hooks hooked through poddies mouth and out in front of the eyes. When fished softly without striking these pull out like a circle and usually lip hook the fish. I often chase jewies and wouldn't use those hooks or circles as I believe they are more likely to pull out without hooking up due to their bucket mouths. However I will use a light circle when fishing 1 or 2kg line when jew fishing in ANSA comps. I also wouldn't use long shank hooks with live bait as I believe they impede jewies from turning the livies around to swallow head first. I use Gamagatsu octopus hooks size 6/0 to 10/0 for jew depending on size of bait and prefer a sliding 2 hook rig where possible. There are plenty of sites on-line that demonstrates how to tie a sliding 2 hook rig. I believe the Gamas are the most popular hook among dedicated jewie fishers. Ron

I use poddies a lot as I love chasing (and releasing) big flathead with my best two both 97cm and don't use anything but big mouth or Kale style hooks hooked through mouth and out before the eyes. These pull out like a circle and usually lip hook the fish. I also chase jewies and wouldn't use those hooks but use Gamagatsu

I have seen underfloor live bait tanks similar to this in large American boats, however as there is no way to circulate water I think more likely a kill tank or fish storage. Ron

I fish for jewies a lot and wouldn't use anything but the Gamakatsu Octopus Hook in size 6/0 to 10/0 depending on size of bait. These can be Uni knotted on end of line but I always use double sliding hook rigs for jew so I can adjust to size of bait.. Hooks with a kirb or twist have a slightly better hook-up rate than straight hooks however can cause line twist in strong currents. Straight unkirbed hooks are used in strong currents and also when trolling baits or swimming livies and squid such as when downrigging or bridling baits. My preferred hook when drifting livies for flathead is the Kale or widemouth hooks which aren't kerbed. Ron

I t you were right the first time calling them for Watsons LB.

I bought the last Lazeabout built by Quintrex in 1982 when the original true Quintrex ceased production and they had been flaring bows for many many years at that time. The more recent change change was in 2001 when the flare (millenium hull then blade) was added to bottom so both bow and bottom are stretch formed. I now have 2001 5.6 Quinnie Classic with Millenium hull and it makes a huge differenceto the ride.

Looks to me that the bow may be flared through the rego number and forward. If so its a quinny as to my best knowledge only Quintrex could stretch mould a flared bow in aluminium. Ron

Looks good, much better than my 1st 2 boats. Don't want to be a knocker, but I would invest in a couple of decent PFDs (life jackets). Those old block ones meet legal needs and are ok as bumpers or seat cushions, but I wouldn't trust them to keep me afloat if I got into trouble.

Hi. You said new boat, is the radio also new ? If new contact GME as it would have a warranty. Ron

I have posted this elsewhere in a feed but thought it more appropriate here. I used to camp on a river with big tide variances which meant I had to anchor overnight with boat way off the bank or wake to possibly have it high and dry. Also good for anchoring off beach while onshore. I have seen photos of boats anchored in tropical lagoons using the same method. Bit hard to explain what I did but here goes. Get a large stainless ring about 2 or 3inch diameter at least and attach this to end of anchor chain on large anchor. Run end of LONG rope through ring and attach end to front bollard. Drive boat a fair bit wider than you want boat to sit. Feed out rope and lower anchor to bottom and slowly back up to beach feeding anchor line out as you go. You will have doubled rope out front and can feel it feeding through the ring as you go. Go a short way, pull on both doubled ropes to ensure chain straight and anchor is set in bottom. When you get out on beach you have 2 options. If rope is long enough pull it all out of boat and attach end to rear bollard, or alternatively you can attach another rope to bollard. You now have 2 ropes on beach. Now pull boat out with 1st rope that is running through ring feeding out rope from rear bollard rope as you pull other rope in. Boat moves out to where you want it. Make sure you don't go too far as anchor may lift if your too far on top of anchor. Now tie off both ropes on shore to tree, another anchor, post etc. To get boat back to shore you pull in rear rope letting bow rope feed out. The 1st rope can also run from stern if you want boat pointed the other way but unless you have a strong offshore wind you mostly want bow pointed out from land. Hope this helps. Ron

Hi all especially TK01. I was surprised to hear you anchor off shore and swim out to boat in the dark, this seams a bit dodgy given it's prime noah time. I have my trailer set up so I don't even get my feet wet. I used to camp on a river with big tide variances which meant I had to anchor overnight with boat way off the bank or wake to possibly have it high and dry. I have seen photos of boats anchored in tropical lagoons using the same method. Bit hard to explain what I did but here goes. Get a large stainless ring about 2 or 3inch diameter at least and attach this to end of anchor chain on large anchor. Run end of LONG rope through ring and attach end to front bollard. Drive boat a fair bit wider than you want boat to sit. Feed out rope and lower anchor to bottom and slowly back up to beach feeding anchor line out as you go. You will have doubled rope out front and can feel it feeding through the ring as you go. Go a short way, pull on both doubled ropes to ensure chain straight and anchor is set in bottom. When you get out on beach you have 2 options. If rope is long enough pull it all out of boat and attach end to rear bollard, or alternatively you can attach another rope to bollard. You now have 2 ropes on beach. Now pull boat out with 1st rope that is running through ring feeding out rope from rear bollard rope as you pull other rope in. Boat moves out to where you want it. Make sure you don't go too far as anchor may lift if your too far on top of anchor. Now tie off both ropes on shore to tree, another anchor, post etc. To get boat back to shore you pull in rear rope letting bow rope feed out. The 1st rope can also run from stern if you want boat pointed the other way but unless you have a strong offshore wind you mostly want bow pointed out to sea. Hope this helps. Ron

Crocs are OK but I find they get sand in them which can chafe. I prefer dive booties that come just above the ankles with decent sole to keep sand out and protect ankles. Ron

I specialise in catching big flathead and use a kale or big-mouth hook size 1, 1/0 or 2/0 depending on size of bait. these hooks usually pull back out like a circle giving a lip hook-up which makes releasing the big ones easier. I put hook into mouth and out through top of head in front of eyes. There is a roundish bump in front of eyes, you go through middle of this. I would use the lighter rod as I use 2-4kg rods and only 1kg pretest line and have managed 2 flathead over 5.5kg and both 97cm. Ron

If I were you and still undecided even on glass V alloy I would try to get a ride on as many boats as I can to make a better decision. Go to a busy boat ramp like Botany on a fine weekend arvo have a chat to owners of boats you fancy and get their feedback. Decide on make/model that suits you and be prepared to travel to find one. I was after a 5.6m Quinny Classic with Millenium hull and travelled from Sydney to Surfers to get one at a good price and it suits all my needs well. Best advice I can give if going 2nd hand is look during winter as competition is down as well as prices and Dealers are also more desperate to sell if buying new. The boat show also usually has better than normal package deals. Ron

We are getting a bit off topic now talking about sacrificial ends for when you get snagged, but here is my idea. If using sinker on bottom of rig such as a pasternoster rig and your sinker is getting snagged all the time use the most misunderstood rig of all time the drop-shot rig. You leave the tag end for the sinker as is with no knot. You then slide on a ball sinker of required size and the hold in place with a tightly clamped split shot. If sinker snags you apply a steady pull and split shot will slide off end and drop your sinker. your rig remains intact and you just put on another sinker. Ron

Hi Baz. I have tied a double when using light braid like 2-4lb but usually just tie single braid with double uni to doubled breakaway. I don't use a double in leader and have never tried to tie an FG with doubled braid. Hope to see you soon Ron

Hi Bruce. I fished the Basin 2 weekends ago for 2 1/2 days while fishing the ANSA Nowra Convention and between 2 boats we caught 2 bream, 2 just legal snapper and 2 small flathead. Despite recent reports that it was fishing well I have never seen the Basin so dead. I don't consider myself a mug as I have won the estuary section of this comp 7 times with flathead between 3 and 5.64kg all on 1kg pretest line so I think it's not fishing to its usual standard. Flaties usually congregate more in one area down there but I couldn't find them even with advice from locals. On the 2nd day I did get 1 good run from a big one which dropped the bait and also hooked a good one that pulled the hook after a 20 metre run. Sorry I couldn't help. Good luck. Ron