griffox

Definately Aussie Salmon. I was down at Cooks River entrance in the Bay a few weeks ago and a gang came thru causing havoc! Wherever there's bait there's predators! The dark colouring (silver/grey/black) seems to be the trend in the estuaries lately, one I caught in Middle Harbour a couple of weeks ago being the same, have a look at photos in Keflapods' post: http://www.fishraider.com.au/Invision/index.php?showtopic=64406 Look the same?! Nice Flatty too!

that's the way!! go hard or go home...

Sorry Gatts, but where is Wagstaffe?

I've recently spooled up with Daiwa TD Sensor, rated at 50lb/PE 5 (actual breaking strain around 75lb) which is the same diameter as most other 30lb... nice! And don't forget good old aussie Platypus, who also do bulk spools... I made the mistake of using a cheap "in-house" brand from one of the fishin/campin/pusbike stores a couple of years ago, and I won't make the same mistake again... Tight (good quality) Lines!!

Well done! Good luck to both of you in your respective comps. I'm jealous!! My better half is a Kiwi, she reminds me (regularly!) of how good the snapper and kingie fishing is "back home".. Tight Lines!

I use a Shimano Starlo Stix 7' Med 3-5kg spin rod with Shimano 2500 and 10lb braid which has done the job on anything I've hooked on it including schoolie jews and decent aussie salmon. From memory it was around the $100 mark and is tippy emough to throw light lures but has enough grunt to control the bigger boys...

I saw a few come across the mouth of Botany Bay about a week and a half ago. One VERY large and a couple of smaller ones, but I didn't want to call them for Killer Whales 'cause I thought you'd all think I was seeing things! I didn't get too close to be sure (in a 12' tinnie I keep my distance!). Never knew they came anywhere near here... I had a donut day that day too, so I'll use that as the excuse!!

Sorry, can't help there... I've never been into casting hard bodies much (from land or boat)! The M'Mullet is is such a small light lure, so I don't think you'd get much distance. I know a lot of "hard body" blokes add lead to their lures so as to change the action/depth of the presentation, maybe this would help with casting distance (but might have a negative effect on action). Like I mentioned, I tend to use SP's when flickin', and lean towards slightly heavier jig heads to get some distance (and to make sure I bounce it on their noses!). Anyone else got an answer for Spoooled?

yeh, Micro Mullet is a beauty for trolling (but I find most minnow styles that get down to the bottom will work). I like to use bigger (4" or 6") grubs for SP's, in pink, nuclear chook or chartruese in cloudy water. 5" flickbaits in mullet colour in clearer water. I tend to use heavier jigheads than the other guys have advised, 1/4 or 3/8's to really bounce it along the bottom and stir up the sand (and get longer casts so as not to spook them in the shallows)! And a long 10-20lb leader (depending on the terrain). Tight Lines...

Nice one! I hope you got her a rod to go with the reel!!

60-80mm Wriggler in natural colours for bream. Bigger (if you want bigger fish!) grub style in pink or chartruese for flatties OR anything that looks like a mullet! But live bait is BEST if you're after the big crocs and jews...

Most reel types can be used, it's more about the type of fishing you're doing. However, with spin reels, the reels designed for braid tend to have the thicker bail arms and good bail roller set-ups. Usual story, no point putting $100 line on a $20 reel, use a better quality reel with braid. Same with the rod, usually a braid specific rod is graphite, but a little longer so as to give a little in the tip, then muscle up in the middle/lower sections. As for types of fishing, in general as follows: Good for soft plastics, lures, jigging, light trolling, bottom bashing (except where really snaggy reef can cut it), light surf spinning... NOT good for rock fishing (or anywhere near oysters!), heavy trolling, or for people who won't learn new knots! Double Uni or Slim Beauty for light (up to 20lb mainline) braid to leader knot (lots of options here but double uni is easy to tie and reliable). Bimini double with Albright/Tony Jones/Slim Beauty for heavier classes. ALWAYS use mono or fluoro leader. I use 2 - 3m of fluoro for light spinning and squidding. 4 - 5m of mono for trolling and heavy jigging. Get a good set of braid/surgical scissors and learn those knots!! Tight Lines!!

Mate that's GOLD! The carp was nearly as big as Seth! If he keeps that up he's gonna be pulling in 100kg Tuna when he grows up!! Well done...

Most of the time the benefit of going "F"ing is to get away from the domestic dramas! But when the planets align there are rewards to be had! Well done in getting the "lower house" into the sport, sounds like they'll be up for future ventures. And BTW, is it just me or are these salmon we're hooking inside the bays at the moment all so black on the topsides? One I caught in Middle Harbour last week showed the same grey/black markings on top, as opposed to the brown/greens I usually find on the beach... Anyway, great post, a good read on yet another wet winters day!! Cheers, motohead.

Nobody has mentioned it (so I may as well!), about the MOST succesful SP for bream would be the Squidgy Wriggler (60 -80mm)in natural colours (Bloodworm). All the above adsvice still counts! Tight Lines!

I use either a set of Rapala braid scissors or a pair of surgical scissors. Keep them clean and adjusted (i.e. the blades must not be loose). The main "trick" with light braid is to keep a bit of tension on the tag when cutting. Check ut some knot websites/books for knots specific to braid, in most cases it may simply mean more wraps or loops before pulling up the knot. And use leader! Don't run your braid all the way thru to your terminals. The hardest part with braid is joining the braid to leader, so look up the following knots: 1)"Double Uni" (back to back uni) 2)"Slim Beauty" 3)"Improved Albright" 4)"Surgeons Knot" On light braid (6 - 15lb) I usually use a double uni (easiest to do!). On anything heavier I usually use a Bimini Twist in the braid before joining to the leader with a slim beauty or a "Tony Jones" OR no bimini joined with a "Melville Special".

G'day mate! I had posted replies to your enquiry without realising I was breaking Fishraider rules regarding promoting any business other than site sponsors... If you still need help send me an e-mail at sgr45679@bigpond.net.au and I can run you through the set-up that I have recently done on my little Quinnie 355. motohead.

Use a plaited double in mono.. It's worth it if trolling or jigging for solid fish. With a bit of practice 15kg will plait well. For distance casting off the rocks I'd go Double Uni or Slim Beauty to the leader then a swivel connecting the jig. I use a bimini when doubling braid, but it doesn't seem to suit mono. As Zed sed(!), use an overhand for a quick fix. It doesn't have any stretch/absorbtion in the knot, but this is not as big an issue on 15kg mono.

Sorry my computer is freezing on the link! That looks right though... Just to add to the confusion, Scotty and I were down the other end of Middle Harbour (Pearl Bay) from 12 til 3ish Tuesday arvo. Caught the usual small snappers and a couple of nice bream (31-34cm). Then my little 80mm wriggler got smashed by something underneath one of the moored boats I was casting to.. Nice healthy Sambo on 6 pound gear led me on a tour of the area for a few minutes!! C&R'd in 10mins. Like I said, Middle Harbour is a good fishy stretch of water from Roseville thru to the Spit. Usually something firing somewhere! All good!!

Yeh, I remember the first time I tried the spot.. I lost a couple of shiny new blades on that "structure" before I wised up on the snags and changed to a light SP rig and caught some nice bream! Plenty of fishy spots along that stretch...

Scotty and I were down the other end of Middle Harbour (Pearl Bay) from 12 til 3ish yesterday arvo. Caught the usual small snapper and a couple of nice bream (31-34cm). Then my little 80mm wriggler got smashed by something underneath one of the moored boats I was casting to.. Nice healthy Sambo on 6 pound gear led me on a tour of the area for a few minutes!! C&R'd in 10mins. Like I said, Middle Harbour is a good fishy stretch of water from Roseville thru to the Spit. Usually something firing somewhere! All good!!

Not sure about Hawaii but I know that because Lord Howe doesn't allow any commercial fishing, the charters provide fish for all the eateries on the island. So I understand where they're coming freom, but they should explain this better when booking the charter. And like YOWIE, if you catch a heap you should be able to keep more! Nice Hairtail!

That's right, the the stone steps from the old dance hall jetty (from over a hundred years ago, so no jetty structure is left). From there you can walk along the bank to a couple of spots on the point.

Cheers! After watching the Moto/F1 racing last night I didn't get on the water 'til 6am. Weather/seas were good, so headed out to the front of Little Bay and drifted a few spots back towards the B'Bay nth head. Anchored up and berleyed when I spotted bait on the sounder over a couple of reefs, but all I got was Wrasse and a Port Jackson shark!! Then had a few whales pop their heads up heading north across the heads! I trolled back in on the last of the run in around the bommies and bays on the nth side of the bay with a Magnum 10. But no luck! But after the filthy weather of the last couple of weeks it was a great day out on water! And by the way, the last time I was out on Middle Harbour I landed a seagull! He flew into my line when casting soft plastics and tangled himself in 15lb braid!! That's fishin'!!! Thanks for the reply.

I'm maybe thinking of the south side of Yeoland Pt, the entry into Sugerloaf Bay (get to it by foot at the end of Cammeray Rd I think from memory). Also Middle Cove via North Arm Rd. It'been a couple of years since I went up there by land. In the last 12 months I've had good sessions from Bantry Bay, Sugerloaf, thru to Quakers Hat Bay in the tinnie. Usually something firing somewhere. A good fishy stretch of water.