Brian

Thanks Gents, One last thing. A snell knot. Never tied one. Any links for knots? BP No need. Just Googled it! Easy

Stan, Thanks for that. I was guessing that might be the way with two hooks. AWESOME Drawing I'll have to practice my snell knots. Cheers, Brian.

Hi raiders, Just wondering if anyone can point me to any old threads about rigging live squid and strip presentation for Kings, preferably with pics . Have searched about but can't find anything I am after. Any tips too, on keeping the buggers alive. Caught plenty of squid last trip but, they seem to die pretty fast. Does the water need to keep running. I generally flush and top up my tank about every 30 mins once I have cleaned out all the initial ink mess. Cheers, Brian.

Cheers for that. I have been looking to go to 50lb gear. That gives me a guide. Nice rod and reel combo, that one you have. Happy fishing. BP.

Maaaaate nice Fish, Goes to show ya. Bad weather good fishing Well done getting out there. Just a heads up on your type of gear? You seem to do consistantly well. I'm upgrading so just feeling out what others are happy with for hoody kings. Cheers, Brian.

Ray and Hutch, I was wondering where you two'd got to, haven't seen a post in a while. Thought you might have given it away for a while. What a great report, again and obviously a other fantastic trip. Are you fairdinkum it's your 30th trip there. That is fantastic, a lifetime of memeories. I thought our group was going well with 10 in a row to Forster. Mate nice legs but, you need a new razor Hutch, what was the result of that bend in your rod? I always love your camp set up and have looked closely at all your previous pics for the best way to string a tarp. Whenever I see a good tarp setup I make the comparison. Reckon you blokes are well infront. Hutch, you are right about the Harbour. Some biiiiig kings lurking about there now and just amazing to see how well it is fishing these days. I will give a you a phone call next week. Cheers, Brian.

Thanks Guys. We had a ball and all I can say is you blokes that can access this part of the world regularly are really on one of the best fisheries on the east coast. Don't take it for granted.

Hi Mate, I was there last week 4 days in a row launching. It was alive with bait fish and a great starter to get yakkas and some os poddy mullet to take out in the harbour. With the water the way it is now after the rain and the tides you'd be a sure bet for a jew or two with some livies out there. Brian.

Spent 4 days out last week in NW, W and SW winds. Got fish every day in the Harbour.

Hi Raiders, I got back on the weekend after 4 great days out on the Harbour, except for that damn west wind you had last week, we had a great time out on the water. Anyway we came 500ks and there was no way I was not going out. All up we got some great fish. I managed to get some good sized XL squid and got absolutely smoked a number of times, by good sized kings. They were hard to get onto at first but once we sussed out what was on it was good going. It is such a thrill to have 3 or 4 kings chasing your bait back to the boat, only to have one grab it and go like hell. I am now convinced I am being too ambitious trying to turn 80cm + kings on 12.5kg gear in 8 metres of water. 10 years ago the kings were rarely this big and you could have some fun on the light gear. Now there is every chance you will meet a big one or two. I fished sow and pigs and had serveral sightings of one fish over the 1m mark. I don't know if he was the one I hooked but, after I got run back into the reef in about 3 seconds flat I did not see him again. We had great fun catching smaller ones on pilly cubes and peeled prawn. You could see the yakkas in the burley scatter and next a king would run up to the boat picking off the fish pieces. Bury a hook, very well hidden, into a cube. Chop up a pilly and throw the bits in, wait for the king to run up picking them off and drop in the one with your hook. Presto, hang on and have fun. We got several kings and a couple of salmon too. Around the west wedding mark they were on as well. Clontarf Bommie markers were holding fish as well. Lots of 30cm+ trevallys about the sow. They gave the kids some fun. Thanks to the guys who PM'd me and gave me some heads up on the squid. The first 2 days they were hard to get but, after a new jig purchase I had 4 in the boat for 6 casts. Kids on the floor screaming with towles over them as the ink flew. A couple of things I found. Catch your yakkas at Roseville Boat ramp if you put in there. They are small, not like the big ones in the Harbour. We got good mullet too. They made great bait for the kings and salmon. Plenty of Mullet moving about in the Harbour for you Jewy fishos. See you again next season Here are some pics. Brian. My son's mate with his first king. About 63cm. A mate with a nice Salmon taken on a live yakka. A beautiful City. A team effort salmon on a pilly cube A team effort king on a pilly cube Nice little Banjo put ina good effort for my young bloke. I had a mutiny and my boat was taken over

I'm a new braid user. I have recently spooled up one of my spin outfits with some 16lb braid (7lb mono equiv). I used it off the beach recently as an only option just to catch some whiting. I was amazed at how well it worked in the moving wash. I have fished a lot with mono off the beaches for jew and always had trouble with the heavy mono yanking and moving about in the waves. The braid was great. Every touch was easliy able to be felt as a fish and there was very little feel of the waves moving it about. So I am now a fan of braid off the beach but, have also been advised that the sand will damage it, particularly if you have a running sinker as sand can get in between the braid and the lead inside the hole. Using a few metres of mono wound on makes good sense if you can tie a good knot. If you do this I can't see how the sand can do too much other damage. I guess you will know when the braid gives out after a while on that Trophy fish you have just hooked Cheers, Brian

Hi BB, That's an interesting thought. I've only just started to use braid, as I am a slow convert from the conventional but, your thoughts about the sand may have credit. Does anyone else think the sand is no go with braid? If so I might just switch back as it too expensive to chew up in the sand. Cheers, Brian

Sounds like a great session Jason, well done. At least the anchor boy might know what is the protocol next time . Well done for not being rude, although it can be hard not to be some times. I'm coming 500ks from NW NSW to sydney next week to give the kids a hit at some kings. Can you give me a heads up, if you know, about what squid spots are working at the moment (A PM will do) and what colour jigs are working best. I know the Harbour quite well but, it will be a quick few days launching from Roseville so I will not have too much time to spare chasing bait with 2 or 3 kids on board. Cheers, Brian.

Nice fish there mate. I loved fishing the northern beaches. Some of the best sand in the world. FYI I have recently been using a small spin outfit off the beach and live beach worms. I had real success for whiting and bream. That was at Forster but, one thing I noticed was I was using braid on my reel and the difference from mono was unreal. I have spent hundreds of hours surf fishing for jew and had some great catches of north curly in the past but, always had heavy mono. Using the braid was unreal. There was virtually no drag from the wave motion and every bite was felt straight away without mistake. Sometimes with the mono the wave action can fool you into thinking something is having a touch at your bait. Unless you are already using it give it a go and see if you think the same. Good luck and tight lines. Brian.

Great Fish fellas. Nice to see fish coming with their own ID card at night, so there is no mistaking what type it is Well done. BP.

Hi Stewy, You are dead right about the trash hanging about. Problem is the Authroities are stretched to the limit and what would happen to them in the Court system, even if they were caught, does not seem to bother them anyway. Eitherway we just keep paying to keep these s% bags either on the dole or in our gaols. Little patches of paradise like Forster and other coastal retreats have their draw backs unfortunately.

Hi Raiders, After my last post about SWR I have been lucky enough to have trip back to Forster, which is our annual holidday destination. We've had 9 years there now and hook up each year with some old friends. 5 other mates and their familes. I went to kindy with one of them and the other blokes I've known since we were about 10yo. Now our kids are all growing up together and get so much out of the trip each year. My 7yo is still crying about coming home. The fishing is hectic with so many children wanting to have a go. We do an island day, just off the main bridge and I usually park the boat where the kids can swim in and out 4 at a time. I am basically just a bait slave but love the looks and screams as they wind in a small bream, flatty and even a long tom. I managed to get out there on election day, which was the worst weather you could find but, got two nice 44cm flattys and one 34cm whiting. Bad weather! Good Fishing! Unfortunately this year there was a bit of strife at the place where we stay with 3 break and enters during two different nights. Young hoodlums targeting the older guests and ripping off wallets, purses and cameras. One couple woke up to find 3 young fellas in their unit carrying out the TV. Another bloke woke up and thought soemthing was wrong and realised they were trying to push his car out of the carport. They had his keys. When he yelled out to them they took off but, took the car keys as well. Needless to say they were in a bit of a bother over it and decided not to stay. It has been going on a bit over the years and really hurts the tourist aspect for the town. That aside we all had a great time and are booked in for next year. Yesterday I put the boat in at Lake Keepit. After many hours out there bouncing bait with no result in the past I just thought things would be on. I caught a bag full of fresh water shrimp and yabbies and headed out with my son and his mate. We got onto fish almost straight away. My young fella said, "Dad I want to catch a Cod." Next thing he's onto a fish and in came a small but very healthy Murray Cod. A quick pic and back he went. His mate said, I'd like a catfish" almost on que what cäme in? A nice catty. Another quick pic and back it went. All up we got some very nice Yellowbelly and the other two fish. It has been a while but nice to get some fish out of the freshwater impoundments. I have been told and seen some phone pics of some metre + cod coming out of Splitrock Dam as well. They have been taken on lures. Can I ask for some tips about the current state of Sydney Harbour. I know it well but don't have the advantage, like I used to, of being close by. I am hauling the boat down there next weekend and looking to fish Monday Tues and Wed, 11th 12th and 13th out of Roseville. Can anyone give me tip on the where the squid are hanging about at the moment and what colurs are working best in the jigs. I've promised the kids they'd get a Kingy or two. If anyone is out there on those days look for the big Clarke tinny with "The Hood'lum" on the side. Cheers, See you out there. Brian

Baz, I find your enquirey very interesting at this point. We have just returned from an 800km round trip to the coast. We were on our way on Saturday when I saw a bloke in a paddock looking at us as we went past. I thought, he's not looking at us he's looking at something. I was watching in the rear view mirror and realised the boat was lifting in the air. I found a safe spot and stopped, to find the whole winch post has broken off at the base plate on the draw bar of the trailer. The only thing holding the boat on was the rear strap over the back. Anyway we got back to town and I ended up replacing the whole post and winch, as I had already had it welded one before. Balancing a trailer is very important as it can affect the whole way the thing will tow. I understand that, if there is too much weight at the back the tralier can start to bounce and become unstable, movng from side to side. The more weight at the front the more it will ride stable, but you have the problem of lifting it or trying to move it. I work on the principal of, with both hands I can lift the trailer onto the towball, with some effort but I'm not going to blow a heart valve. I would say about 60kg. Think of a 20 litre bucket x 3 full of water. I think 27kg might be too light. My boat is a 4.93 m Clarke. it is a bit heavier than your average tinny. When I do go anywhere it is 100km open road for at least 100ks, so towing is important as opposed to being about town in 60kph zones to the local boat ramp. Hopefully others will add their knowledge. Cheers, BP

Geez Matt, You sound alike a tour guide, you've sold me. Might head that way myself some time too. Is there a river bar to cross to get outside? BP.

Look at you blokes! Like the cats that swallowed the canaries, the pair of you. Well done to the new fising king in the Chappo household Scotty . Mate, I'm/we are in, that's me and Sam for the next comp where ever it is. I can't let Team Chappo get the drum on Team Hood'lum. Well done on a great effort. Geez that young fella is looking like you every time I see him. Cheers BP

Mate that is an awsome croc. Are you saying you went in the grabbed her?! I did that once on a big jew and it was dark off the beach. Hadn't seen it before I went in . I'd say she'd go better than 7.5kg. Great fish. BP

Hi Ray, That is a great fish, would have run like mad. Well done. What is that little fella on the brag mat under his tail. Is that something he's eaten and pushed out Looks like a little whiting. Brian.

Nice catch Dude. What's the funny looking one in the middle of the tabel, with you holding the fish. Don't tell me you are still defending champion!! I am definitely in for next year. Good luck this weekend I want all the details when you get back. I will give you a call in a couple of weeks about the 9th of April onwards. Cheers, BP.

That is such a great thing for thoses kids to experience. Having one or two is a challenge but, 10. You deserve a medal for that effort. Now you just have to teach them to rub in all that zinc on their faces Brian

Thanks for the great replys guys. It has been a long time coming as I am an inlander these days and sooooooo miss the salty stuff. Cheers, Brian.