Marlin01

I built my trailer 11 years ago and I just gave the trailer another full birthday. I was pleasantly surprised with the condition of all components which had been coated with lanolin spray a couple of times in that period. I didn't notice a build up of any dust or anything else on the lanolin which I found to have a hard outer skin. Having actually tried it I would thoroughly recommend Lanolin or tectol ? as a protective coating. Cheers Marlin

Transom mount with scoop works fine. One less hole to leak. Just ensure pump is minimum 750Gph and you will have no worries. Cheers Marlin

Definite tilefish, great eating, beaut white fillets. Fairly uncommon catch these days but most welcome Cheers Marlin

High etch primer is a reference to the adhesion effishency (pardon the pun) of the primer. The primer I used was an automotive two pack from Germany and has high etch actually on the packaging (in English as I'm not multilingual). Sticks very well To fibreglass as I can attest over ten years later. Certainly employ all PPE possible when spraying as two pack is wicked s##t. I had my shed completely lined with plastic with forced flow ventilation, high quality cartridge respirator, disposable overalls ect. Cheers Marlin

Basically the same as prepping a car for respray. Lots of time bogging, sanding, sanding and then a bit more sanding followed by a guide coat, some sanding, etch primer (this is the key, use high quality high bond etch primer) sand again then top coat. All in all I did my little 445f and spent over 300hrs on mods and prep and paint, so a lot of time. Cheers Marlin

Good fish, the spangles are great sport and even better eating and that's a cracker. Cheers Marlin

I would suggest using the manual function on the gain. Put it in manual and increase it until interference is excessive then back it off until it is fairly clear between surface and bottom, should mark fish easily as long as your depth isn't excessive. Good luck Marlin

Yes Slimies have small scales, quite evident on rod grips after cutting a dead bait. Cheers Marlin

I have finished the little black I got at SWR a few weeks ago and it was pretty good eating, not as good as pearlies or spottys but still quite good. Like most big fish a lot of people don't look after them very well and that is normally the reason they taste like crap. To draw a comparison you wouldn't buy a whole scotch fillet roll and throw it on the aluminium deck of a boat in 30+ deg heat for up to ten hours and expect it to be great to eat thereafter. I have egg and salt and pepper breadcrumbed some at work and everyone loved it. The best way I cooked it was Mediterranean style with basil and tomato, served to a few guests and well received again even by the kids. I will admit I also would rather eat leatherjacket but if you do take a beakie make sure you treat it like a "real" fish. Cheers Marlin01

Keep it simple, the flesh is well flavoured so flour, salt and pepper then shallow fry works fine. Cheers Marlin

Sometimes the strap, especially when wound on loose, gives the appearance of slipping on the winch drum. If his is the case just keep winding and the slack will soon be wound out. Cheers Marlin

I have a good mate with a 16r fitted with a F60 and I was surprised how well it went. It did top out at 24knts so not really doing what the 16R does best, going fast in a sea. I had another mate ( now in Weipa) who had a 90hp Honda on a 16R and it was an excellent boat. That hull will handle a 90 or 100 hp four stroke easily. Like Tim the toolman says "I don't care what the problem is there is one solution MORE POWER!" Cheers Marlin

Don, I put a 70 4 stroke on my Haines 445F last year. Good motor but I must say I'm disappointed with the performance especially compared to the previous motor, a 60 hp yammer 4 stroke. I had expected both a top end and accelleration/ torque increase and have failed to realise either. I have tried 6 stainless props to no avail. If I hadn't had the 60 I would be over the moon with the 70 so your friend will probably be pleased with the change. My boat is very heavy (1200kgs on the trailer) so his may be lighter and go better. Most guys putting the same motor on tiniest are well pleased. Economy is great a nd noise levels extremely low, emissions are non existent. Overall if he can't put 155 kegs on the stern (90 hp suzi) the 70 is a good pick. Cheers

I would be interested in the economy, might be a little scary to troll the shelf. Hope it works out well

I walked across back creek and barely got my ankles wet. I dont think anyone is heading out from there at present (if they are theyre on a jet ski/boat). River was pretty good, Im only in a 14ft boat and it was an easy crossing both ways, stay clear of the bottom of the tide with any swell. Its always a lot easier to get in than out, just grab the back of a wave and stay with it without going over the top. The trip out was pretty good on the top half of the making tide. I must say however the bar there is getting to be very long again (that is from the end of the wall to the end of the wave break section is probably back to 350-400m at least). I have seen it over 700m and it was a bit harder to cross when breaking. All in all avoid the bottom of the tide with any sizable swell especially with a NE breeze if possible. Well worth the efforts as the fishing is great and Coffs ramp looks a bit like back creek at present. Cheers

Coupla pictures added Marlin01

You can target marlin virtually straight off the gaol wall when the water is blue but normally out near Jims Hole is a starting point which is still only a couple of k's off the bar. Mackeral are normally targeted narth at Grassy headland some 9k's north and often caught in 10-20m which is fairly closed to shore, around 1-3kms offshore. See a lot of tiller steer tinnies up there as its also a pretty well sheltered bay to get there. Probably the closest grounds that fairly consistently produce marlin in NSW. Cheers

Just finished the family holiday thing and still had a few days leave left. Did a few quick jobs round the house to top up the brownie points. Weather looks good so operation quick trip to South West Rocks is go! Day one an old mate who lives locally comes for a run ( he is also one of the better fishermen I know and has fished here for over twenty years- always handy). Out and catching bait at 0545, secured a dozen or so slimies and north we go. The water on the inner grounds was brown and cold so out to the middle grounds. No boats, always a bad sign. Water here was green but warmer at 23.4deg so we throw a couple of lives in and start looking around. Ten minutes in and first bite, typical smoking mackeral bite, runs 80m off in 5 seconds then nothing. Single strand comes back kinked and broken half way up the trace, DOH. No further activity and didn't mark much bait so troll out to the wider grounds half way between the two and next customer takes four swipes at the livie, pick the revs up a little and got him on. Nice quick run and wind him back only to have the hooks fall out 4m under the boat. No more action for the day. Day two and fishing solo, bait was easier to catch so north again and straight to the middle grounds, had a few other boats around today. Baits out and had a bite after 15 min, missed the hooks (all three of them) baits back out and 10 mins after bite no.2 and this one has read the script properly, good hookup 100m run and then back to the boat after a bit of a tussle, layed along side obligingly for the gaff. Iki Jimied and bled. Baits back out for a terrific pair of surface strikes both of which were behind the hooks again. Fresh baits out and the mackeral on ice. 20min later another surface hit which looked a little strange. A slow take and then he starts jumping and windscreen wiping all over the place, a long bill mackeral this time ( you probably call them black marlin). The little fella put on a great show for fifteen minutes before coming boatside, with my lack of fillets his fate was sewn and onboard he came. That was the end of the tide and correspondingly the end of the action for the day. Nice early finish, clean the fish and the boat and then on to a few frosty ones. Certainly is a hard spot to leave the only consolation is knowing I'll be back soon! Cheers Marlin

Maybe simply over oiling , would explain all the symptoms. Cheers Marlin

I would go with Rexaway's recommendation, I have had the Regupol in my boat for over ten years and it is faultless, very grippy, hard wearing and doesn't soak up smells or catch hooks. Marlin

Initially I must say top fish Commited. I understand the "do it in your own small boat" mentality and I must say I have seen a lot more big boats requiring assistance to get home than small boats. You know what your boat can handle and how it will perform. It appears well maintained and equipped . I have fished the shelf in both big boats and small boats (I have owned a 445f Haines for near 30yrs) and would say some of the bigger craft I have been on certainly represented much higher chances to require a tow home so the whole big is better doesn't hold water. See you on the water Marlin01

No good now, all salty from the flow of Sea Eagle tears after tonight!

Drifting the edges works well but we mainly watch the sounder to ID reef and drop back less to avoid hanging up on the bottom. Still hang up a few times but fishing with a longer longer lighter dropper to the snapper lead helps as well. Practice makes it all a bit easier. Good luck Cheers Marlin

I have run to Nambucca a few times from SWR, not a bad run with plenty of ground to fish on the run either way. Lots of fantastic ground off Nambucca and north. We actually had one of our best days ever off Nambucca a couple of years ago with big reds, cobia, Sampson fish and Mackeral with a few other species thrown in the mix also. Stopped on a show we marked running home at 25knts and found a school of nice pearlies and reds. SWR bar is a far better proposition than Nambucca. Cheers Marlin

I have had Regupol flooring in my little haines for 9yrs and its only just starting to lift in a few spots. Mine is stuck down with standard contact cement. I have 4.5mm I believe and it is so much better than carpet regarding grip which is incredible wet or dry, hooks on the deck and importantly stain and scent absorbtion is non existent. A few mates have also installed it in their bigger boats and are stoked to say the least. with a life span over 10yrs it seems relatively cheap to me as you wont have to replace it (my previous carpet was lucky to last 5yrs either due to wear or smell absorbtion). Not to bad to fit, would be a lot easier on a bigger more open boat. Thoroughly recommend. The tube mats are forever getting crap caught in them like scales and fish smuck along with sinkers and hooks. I also found it tends to slip on the deck once wet. Cheers Marlin