SMn

Had a ball last night and learn't a whole heap in the process! Caught the tastiest piece of seaweed ever on the first cast with the 651c5 and found out I am missing some of the crucial components for the drag... The spool rotated just fine with a minimum of weight, but anything heavier then the bait and rig there was no traction with the handles! I managed to retrive my line in the end, luckly I brought my 650a5 with me as well and used that to great effect for the rest of the night. My next cast on the 650a5 saw action straight away... Bump bump wizzzzzzzzz about 50m of line peeled off the reel in seconds and in my rookie haste applied pressure non-stop trying to beach my catch... 5 minutes into the fight... Snap... S##t! It certainly got the adrenalin pumping though! Nothing for about 2 1/2 hrs (about 12.15am at this stage) when I felt a huge pressure on the line and the rod bent over. I was ready this time and gave it all the time in the world, palming the spool, jogging up and down the beach to keep pace with the fish... At 1am had it licked, was ready to let the next wave wash it up on the sand, I saw a brilliant flash of white as the creature rolled over in the surf, almost wet myself! Arms and back aching, hands bruised and raw from the battle. I was ready to claim victory with a pic and realised I was holding my rod almost straight up, as the wave recceded it sucked the creature back and... Snap! 20lb platy pre test gave out and the beast wallowed in the wash, it took all my will power not to charge into the water and grab it, however, thinking fast like I'm famous for, grabbed my phone to take a snapshot... Best photo of pure blackness caught on camera in recorded history! After my face melted off for the second time that night, I cracked a cheesy grin cause I had almost caught my 1st shark... Anyway I think it was a bronzie it had the long tail fin and a blunt type of nose, I reckon somewhere between 4 and 5 foot but I'll never know... Was bl00dy awesome though! Used 2 types of rigs through the night 80lb nylon coated wire and the other 100lb mono leader both with 2x snelled 8/0 circle hooks... The wire didn't get a touch, so in future the mono leader is the go... My arms and back are aching, it is a wonderful feeling! Cheers for the input and advice guys!!!

I like casting unweighted pillies on a gang unless the surf is monster or I'm using a paternoster rig. I would say 90% + of the fish I have caught off the beach have all been within 15 - 20 meters of where I was standing. Depending on the gutter your aiming for, fish as light as possible, if pushed I'll use a size 4-5 bean sinker to belt one past the breakers in choppy conditions. Let the rod do the casting for you, pin the line with either your thumb or pointer finger to the metal/plastic turn buckle, once the rod comes past your shoulder slip your thumb/finger off the metal turn buckle and don't be affraid to let the rod feel the G's!!! Hahaha... I caught Sambos, tailor, flathead, stingrays, trevally and dart like this. Let the bait sit for a bit then begin a slow retrieve, a wind or two to move it through the gutter every minute or so. Exciting way to fish mate! My 1st Alvey cast I must of lost about a 100m of line as it went behind the backing plate and tangled around the handles and my finger! Kids thought it was funniest thing ever! But by my 2nd or 3rd outing I was a lot better and now 7 months later I hardly think about the motions of casting at all.

Cheers mate!!!

Awesome! I didn't like the idea of wire as I am sure would certainly scare away any other by catch and the flurocarbon leaders these days can be super fine. 100lb leader brings it all home when dealing with those weights!!! Hahaha... Yep circle hooks seem like winners, Should I snell 2 together or will 1 be enough? (especially when removing!) Thinking of 8/0 Gamas or Mustads... Will be using whole butterflied tailor courtesy of a sale at the fish market last weekend...

Appreciate the advice Fishingphase I've currently got my 650A5 spooled with Platy pre-test and it's nice line, I'm thinking of backing with Javis Walker then using a flurocarbon leader, just wind on the whole 150m, will be tough in the old finger though I think... I have never used the drag, always palmed the 650A5 so was unsure whether I actually needed to do anything fancy to kick it into gear. Had a look at this arvo again and I think I have the gist... If the weather holds out tomorrow night I'll give it a crack. Any thoughts on the line holders for spooling that clip on halfway up the rod? Spooled both my 650A5 and 625B essentially by hand, meaning I had a pen through the line spool then jammed between my knees while balancing the butt end of a rod and the reel in my lap... That was an experience for sure!!! Hahaha... Cheers for the insight mate!!!

Thanks for the welcome mate!

Hahaha currently living near Terrigal on the Central Coast and lovin every minute! Thanks for the welcome, I look forward to learning a lot and doing a lot of fishing!

G'Day FishFillet, Did you get the Alvey out for a cast? It took me a while to get the action right, especially the winding on, but now I can get 30-40m with an unweighted pillie on a gang of 3 x 3/0's; wind being kind of course. With a sinker almost anywhere I want within 50-70m depending on wind and swell. For my local that is essentially all I need. Still have a shocker every now and then though, but when I use a spinning reel I don't get the same satisfaction as I do with the Alvey... Anyway hope it was a blast! SMn.

Cheers!!!

Hello! I need some advice on using an old 651C5 for sharking off the beach. 1. What weigh line should I be looking at? I know mono is the go for this reel, but how heavy should I go? 2. How should I rig for this style of fishing? I will be casting baits into gutters at night... how long a leader? Should it be wire? Hooks, swivels and sinkers? 3. How does the drag system work on the Alvey? I have only ever used the A and B models with no drag function. Looking at catching Bronzies, etc. to about 1.5m... I appreciate your time. SMn.

Hi, My username is: SMn and I am super passionate about my fishing, which I imagine everyone on here is as well! I love my old Alveys passed on from my dad and most of my fishing is done off the beach, with a little in the estuaries... I also love trout fishing, especially down the NSW Snowys. I have included a pic of a Sambo I caught off the beach using my old 650A5 Surf Champion matched to a beaut Butterworth and a Rainbow I fluked on a fly at Old Adas ( honestly more a$$ than class). I've spent the last 4 years in far Western NSW as part of my job, have done my time and been posted back to the coast, which is mind blowing! Wife and kids very happy about this turn of events! Hahaha... Looking forward to having a yarn or 2 about fishing! Cheers, SMn.