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Hahaha always thought about using the Tassie Devils in saltwater, was unsure whether I was just crazy, will be definitely giving them a crack Friday arvo!

Those occys put up a struggle if they get a grip on the rocks...

Cheers mate, similar to the setup I use with that type of float, have been using gangs lately, but I think I'll give a couple of snells a go... Thanks!!!

Well done mate! Looked like nice healthy fish... Did you gang the pillies under the float?

Genius mate! Checking out the rods now... The 4 wrap sounds like the way to go for whiting and flatties, I'll have to do a bit research on them. I like the sound of the yellow patch 12', I think thats spot on what I'm looking for. My 1st sambos off the beach were on the 625b so much fun, I can just imagine what it would be like with a lighter rod as well!!! Thanks the advice Salty, I appreciate it mate!

14 reels Spizza! That would spell divorce for me at the moment... Hahaha! I have 3 rods currently but only 1 that is really good, an old butterworth from my grandad, a solid all rounder. However I am interested i a light rod for whiting and such, probably matched to my 625b... Any advice on what I should be looking at? Cheers mate.

Saltyseadog, how do you rate the 625b? I've caught some stonker sambos on mine when I first started but compared to the grunt of a 650a5, it's been relagated to the kayak, have been thinking of maybe using as a whiting reel... I picked my 650e5 which is the rockhopper but with the steel back plate for $50 2nd hand. A few scratches but ready to fish straight up, dealing with a 43cm tailor (absolutely no dramas for this reel) dead-lift up a pretty sketchy set of rocks without a problem. Cheers mate!

Great! I'll check them out as well... Really opens a whole otherside to options when beach and rock fishing! I can see myself getting carried away... Hahaha. Cheers mate.

Awesome mate! I'm on the Central Coast, tried the 40g halco streaker this morning in the rain. After a few casts I thought a slightly smaller one would be spot on, each cast brought on a frenzied baitfish bust up but no hook ups, I think 40g slightly to big. Next time I think I will try a 20g and 30g. Thanks for the advice!

Thanks fisholb. Once I started I couldn't stop! I'm set for reels now on any occasion/situation, so rods are my next target for this year. I have great 1 piece old len butterworth that casts unweighted baits like a boss and an Alvey 650 hollow glass economy rod as well as a no name graphite/carbon fiber jobbie. I'd like a super light rod to add the mix later this year, any advice would be greatly appreciated...

Good on ya Chris! Top stuff mate! I've got 25lb on the 650e5, 650grbc for the rocks and 20lb on the 651c5 which I us3 for big stuff off the beach. The 650a5 has 12lb and 625b has 8lb for the lighter stuff. I'm still getting used to using the 650grbc model for lures and fast retrieve as you do need to pump and wind which is a bit strange on a low mount reel, but once that reel winds up it's blazing fast... I have a bakerlite twin for the 651c5 in a 650c5, I picked them both up 2nd hand for a 1/3rd of the price of just the 650c5 brand new. They were purchased brand new in 1979, the last few that were still bakerlite before changing to fiberglass spools. I keep the 650c5 at my parents house down the south coast so I always have a reliable reel when I'm visiting. Dad still uses his 700e rock reel, which has hammered excellent fish from the breakwalls and rock on the south coast. Love the reels!!! Thanks for the knowledge mate!

G'day, just finished re-spooling a couple of my reels and thought I'd post a pic if anyones interested. Caught some good fish on all of them and the 651c5 (plain dark brown) and 650a5 (plain yellow) are both older than me and still go strong. Most are hand me downs or 2nd hand except the 625b, which is the other yellow one with the black tri knob tensioner and a 45b not in the pic. Happy to hear anyones experiences, thoughts and knowledge on using these types of reels... Cheers, Phil.

Thanks guys! Just picked up a Halco Streaker 40g and a Surecatch Knight 65g lure, am absolutely busting to try them out but the weather is against me here on the Central Coast! On a side note, I needed to respool a few of Alveys which can be a task using the old pen through spool and then between the toes (the kids no longer jump at the chance to hold it after the 1st time winding on 600m of line!), so I've been watching a few contraptions selling on ebay for staggering prices... Any how I came across the Berkley Mini Spooler and thought I'd give it a go for $10. Works brilliantly, put nearly 2000m of line on 4 of Alvey 650's without any dramas at all took about 90mins. Anyway thanks for the tips can't wait to going fishing! Cheers, Phil.

Aidan your a deadset champion! Will be using this advice to good effect hopefully this arvo if the weather holds up!!! Thank you very much! I really appreciate it!!!

Cheers mate! Much appreciated! Will definitely give the twisty a ago... Thanks!

G'day, I would like to add a couple of lures to the tackle box when I fish the surf and rocks, to replace bait on the occasions that I haven't got any or it isn't convenient to use. I've used a surf popper on a paternoster rig to good effect in the surf, but looking for lures that require a fast retrieve. I will be sticking with my regular beach/rock setup in terms of rods and reel, hoping to just rig a lure and cast when required. Rods: 13-14ft medium to fast taper 2 glass and 1 carbon-fibre; reel: Alvey 650grbc which is geared 2:1. A new setup is out of the question, at this stage. Any advice on types and styles (targeting whiting/flatties/bream up to sambos/tailor and anything else!!!), casting anywhere from 10m-100m... Cheers!

Nice work mate! Off the rocks or beach? I haven't had much luck from the beach there for couple of sessions now. But went snorkelling off the haven last weekend and saw some cracker fish, however, none were interested in bait or lure...

Awesome mate! What rig did you use? Great to see a pick of the Alvey! Would have been a great battle!!!

Mate I've been contemplating a trip with the b-man, to rich for me at the moment though. There's some good clips on youtube of him fishing the stones around Sydney if you haven't seen them yet. No luck off the rocks Friday or beach yesterday, however, went for a snorkel and there are some massive whiting around the weed beds at Avoca, almost as big as a decent sambo around 40cm +. I would be very interested in hearing how you go on your guided tour, keep me posted if you can?!? Always pays to be safe then sorry with the rocks regardless of swells...

Awesome!!! Hahaha... Aren't many brands that would do that for you... Glad it's all sorted!

Yeah I usually use a swivel - float - sinker - small stopper or plastic bead - swivel - anywhere from 40cm up to 150cm leader - hook. I tie the 1st swivel directly to the line, then a short mono trace with the float and sinker on it tied to another swivel, the plastic stopper or bead is to stop the sinker smashing into the knot on the swivel when casting. If I'm going for distance I have the float and sinker as tight as I can between the 2 swivels so there is less movement. But if Im casting into the wash at my feet then an unweighted float that has a bit of movement up and down the trace is ok, with a pencil float I have a swivel then a free running float on a long leader spilt shot to help the bait sink and then the hook.. As RichieR suggested you can buy weighted floats but I like to change sinker depending on conditions so don't mind tying the swivel - float - sinker - swivel rig. The longer the leader the more the bait sits in the current or sinks nearer the bottom. If I am retrieving for pelagics I tend to have a shorter leader, for a quicker retrieve, but if I am soaking a bait then a longer leader allows the bait to drift down better. Sinkers can be anything from slipt shot to 00 to 9 ball,that I have used. Hopefully the weather holds up this arvo so I can try the Alvey 650grbc off the rocks. I will be using the swivel - float - sinker - swivel setup, with a 1.2m leader to single hook baited with a strip of squid. I will be fast retrieving as I would a lure, hopefully this produces something!

Hi mate I usually get salmon, tailor, bonito and other pelagics with a big weighted pear float, about 1 1/2m trace and then a set of gang hooks or a single hook depending on bait... The rig for black fish uses a pencil float and a leader similar setup, I've caught bream and groper on that. The idea is to keep the bait just off the bottom or where the fish are instead of bottom bashing. Checkout some rig styles and try a few they have easily reduced my snags to almost nil. The light weighted black fish setup suits an Alvey very well.

G'day mate. I've not been there before, however, when I fish from the rocks I always wear my spiked boots, light clothing that would be easy to swim in, my phone with the gps on in a water proof case that floats around my neck and any other gear I have well back from water and as high as possible. I do this even when there is no swell. let people know your going and never turn your back on the water. I use my 650a5 off the rocks it's a great reel, I lost a lot tackle 1st few trips to snags, but now I use a pear or stick float depending on what I'm fishing for and lose very little. Hopefully someone who fishes there regularly will answer your question better.

Hi mate did you get a rock hoping reel? I'm a dedicated Alvey man off the rocks and beach (lake/lagoon/kayak/boat hahaha), particularly when targeting anything larger than sambos or tailor. For a spinner setup make sure your reel can hold at least 300m of 20lb mono or the equivelent in braid. A retrieval rate of 4.0:1 is good for bait or 6.0:1 or so for spinning lures. Also a baitrunner model so you can free spool but have a drag set at the same time. Or you could just play it safe and get an Alvey 650berr matched to a snyder glas or wilson live fiber and have the confidence you've got the power (as long as chance doesn't show her frustrating face) to land that nice jew/king or frigate... Hahaha! Good luck! Sorry I'm not much help...

Hi Fisholb, How did you go with the repair? All sorted? Alvey customer service are fantastic! I was apprehensive about taking my 651c5 apart 1st time, I made sure I set every piece out in an order I could remember and now I service everyone of my reels without a second thought and the drag on the 651c5 was pretty daunting 1st time. If the same problem happens in future check the cam pin is sitting The right way on the back plate, similar situation if the fish alert ratchet stops working. Sometimes the pin slips or the spool is put on with one of the dividers slightly off, being over the cam to much to the right or left so the drag switch misses when you select it. A simple fix if that's the case. You can download the reel schematics off the Alvey website or google your reel name and exploded view and it will come up as a pdf you can look at. Hope your treating your reel to some salty and sandy conditions! They love it hahaha!