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Beaut catch what a mixed bag! Well done! I bet the groper gave you a run for your money.

Hi mate only ever fished the rocks off the south headland... Bagged a couple squid and my uncle got a fat bream last night. They did very well last week including a bucket full of squid and tailor as well as a cheecky 40cm snapper.

Yeh the beach is my number 1, that's how I got addicted to fishing. But can be massively frustrating finding the fish sometimes, where as the yak can go places you imagine the fish are, hahaha. I use Alveys off the beach, rocks and yak. If your looking for a robust beach outfit that casts far (after a bit of practice) you can get fairly cheap combos which suit beach fishing to a tee!

Head winds can definitely ruin your day in the yak. I've been contemplating a small leccy setup for mine, with a sounder/gps hooked to the battery, for those times when your just battling to make way or flat out buggered on the trip back. But the mods required and price are a bit daunting. At least you got a couple of fish, I've been relegated to the beach for the last 2 weeks as the seas were just to big at my local. Fished the late night high tide friday and saturday, about 4hrs each and didn't even get a bite! Hope you nail something more substantial next time!

Good work champ, would love to score one that size. What lure were you using?

That penn spinfisher looks like a boss! Will checkout this weekend... Thanks!

Thanks guys I'll check them out. Much appreciated! I have also been looking at the Daiwa Lexa but hard to find reviews online, I knkw it is not a baitrunner but full metal body...

Yep nose to tip of the tail for salt water fish - http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/fisheries/recreational/regulations/sw/sw-bag-and-size/measure - nice fish mate well done!

Great thread. If it is still going could you add LGB = land based game, fishing off the rocks for the biggies...

Hahaha better safe than sorry hey...

Feels very strange for me still as well but I reckon something in the 40g range would be pretty safe on 4-5kg line. Without leaders and sinkers and extra swivels you can belt them out a good distance on the alvey, have a crack an let us know how you go...

Yeh my wife will be so pleased if I stop using bait hahaha and I like being mobile on the beach and rocks so no mucking around with sinkers and hooks and all that jazz, just a couple of different sized lures sounds awesome. My goal for this year is to score a jewie off the beach never considered a lure for the job, adds another option for the quiver! Thanks mate!

The combos are pretty basic and good to get used to, but a part from the Bruce Alvey special the rods can be a bit limited; at least that's what I have found with my 650 surf champion rod. I have heard good things about wilson live fiber, Gary Howard and Synder glas rods as well, however, the rod must be a low mount with the first guide half way up the rod. My rod of choice is an old len butterworth my grandad gave me, it's perfect. Alvey's with a drag that I would recommend are the 650c5 or the 650berr rockhopper. These are the reels I have the most experience with in terms of drag and handle any fish in any circumstances. There is for me a slight advantage with the 650berr as the handles are directly on the spool giving excellent winching power up rock faces, as well as a rapid retrieve handle. In having said that though I always take 2 reels for beach and rock and the old 650a5 (no drag) always comes along as I have it spooled with lighter line. This reel has the metal back but is essentially the same as the 650b (no drag) model which is graphite backed. The 650b with a rod combo is about $160 from memory and a great combo to learn on. I like the 650 size reels but 600 and 700 size reels are good for beach and rocks as well. Check out the Alvey website for all the different makes and sizes, also there are vids on youtube that show how to cast and so on. If there's anything you come across you have questions about just ask, there's a few Alvey addicts on here who are great for advice and tips. Cheers!

The Shimano Baitrunner 6000D and 4500B looks like very sturdy reels, how does the weight go at just over 1/2kg go on medium/high mounted rod in terms of holding for a reasonably amount of time fishing?

Nice one, I usually have a fairly long rod for the beach and rocks when I'm down that way, might a lighter one in nextbtime as well and have a go. Thanks mate.

I was using a clip swivel attached to the lure then straight to mainline, it seemed to move fairly well through the water, but you know what tailor are like when then feed, could have just been a massive fluke! Hahaha...

Thanks Andy, will check em out. Has anyone used the Diawa Opus BRi (I think its called) model? He has never used a baitrunner type of reel though, I thought it would add another technique for him to try....

G'day, I am looking for a spinning reel for my other dad, who fishes mainly from a mates boat and occasionally off the rocks. My experience is generally with Alveys so spinners aren't my strong suit and as much as I'd like to I can't get him an Alvey or overhead. Type: spinning reel, prefer bait runner capabilities, maybe around the 4000 size (if suitable), reasonable drag, handle braid and mono, light weight (aluminium???) and durable. Style of fishing: bottom bashing around Port Hacking, Hawkesbury and rocks around Wollongong and Newcastle, but mainly Port Hacking. Target: anything from whiting up to tailor, hairtail and a few of the slightly bigger species. Price: $200 - $250 at an absolute stretch... Wow after rereading the specs seems like I want everything! Hahaha! Any suggestions and advice would be hugely appreciated... Thanks!

G'day mate, Have to agree with the Alvey advice. Takes a trip or two to get used to but can handle anything from the beach and rocks. I use my dads old 650a5 surf champion on the beach and rocks, can with stand the roughest conditions/treatment the sand and stones can throw at it. If you decide on an Alvey the biggest question will be to get one with drag or not and theres positives and negatives to both, but either way you'll have a ball using them. You can get a 650b with a surf champion Alvey rod for about $160, thats a reel without drag or something like a 650c5 (a drag model) with a low mount rod of your choice from about $250 depending the rod you get. Anyway hope you find something that allows you success on the beach and rocks.

Yep sounds like a shark. What size rods were they using to get the flatties in the current?

For sure mate!

Yeh the second tailor was on the knight, should have made that clearer in the original post. As far as action goes I'm still a newbie, but after the 1st tailor hit the squid as soon as it landed, I was winding hard on impact then let it settle after a sharp turn or two, then hard again. I'm still getting used the fast retrieve rate so I think I probably clearing about 8-10m before letting it settle then cranking again. I was casting roughly about 50-60m and the lure was in the water for less than a minute during the retrieve. If that makes any sense... The lure was attached directly with swivel via a clip.

Sure does mate! Cheers!

G'day, Went for a quick cast off the beach at wamberal yesterday arvo, 2nd time trying out lures on the Alvey 650grbc. Was using a 65g Knight and was getting good distance but no takes. Swapped over to a piece of squid, walked next gutter over and bang! As soon as it hit the water I was on, a nice 32cm tailor. So I quickly changed back to the lure and the next 2 casts were unsuccessful, was considering changing back to bait after the 3rd, when halfway through the retrieve a felt a hefty strike, a brief struggle and another 32cm tailor, 1st time on a lure, was stoked! Released both fish as I already had a couple from the inlaws waiting in the fridge. Few more casts for practice and then home. Sorry no pics didn't bring the phone.

Hahaha I always ask if the missus if she wants to come with me on the rainy and cold days, always get a no response (I wonder why!?!?), love having the kids with me though; but also like a bit of time alone when fishing... Top catch and a top bucket of worms! Gun bait! Well done mate!