Marlin01

Im fishing with two miya epoch vx900's (1600m of 80lb) fixed to 7ft bent butts fitted with full bigfoot rollers. I find these rods have a number of advantages over bent butt strokers, which I tried innitially, including. They keep the line clear of the motor and prop when used in the rod holders The big parabolic curve absorbs line shocks and boat roll a little better We have been experimenting holding the rod rigged with Black Magic stand up gear and using standup butts and we reckon that this is the go. We have used these outfits to 350fathoms . 17KG Barcod and 8kg King (out of sight) on one drop

Ceph, I hadnt been to the fisher site for a while, they certainly have some good things on the go!!! I have owned a centre console (haines 445F) myself for 25yrs and love the fishability for chasing anything from marlin to mullet but always thought if I were going to a bigger boat I would probably opt for a centre or cuddy cab with a hardtop mainly for the for reason of comfort after having fished in bigger centre consoles and both bigger cuddies and centrecabs. After having a few trips in the big centre console first chasing marlin (5 fish for the day) then snapper (0) then deepwater bottom bouncing & jigging (heap of kings 6-8kgs) and finally the day chasing spotties (10 reds & one spanish) I can attest that my mind set has changed and that this console/workstation is the most practicable and versatile set out I have seen on a trailerboat. The final days fishing ended with a tide change halting the fish and we turned to run home into a 25-27knt SE breeze, YUK. Sitting on the big bench seat/esky we ran home at 27knts with the clears open , awesome. Anyway I guess I'm just saying check their centre console workstation setup out in the 6.2. Maybe eyeballing one or getting a days fishing in one might be the go, good excuse to get out Cheers Again Dave Thanks Marlin. I am suitably impressed with Fisher and the way they comduct themselves. As for the boats, I have only heard good things. Any further comment on the side console? I have been in a side console many times and I recking they are great and apart from that small space where the side console is, they are 360 degree access.

Ceph, Have had a few runs in my mates 6m maxi. Absolutely awesome for all facets. Fitout is 100% fishable, finish is prettywell flawless and the boat's sea handling is fantastic. My mates boat is on the fisher site "The Bald Eagles". He bought the boat painted and motor fitted but did all electronics and flooring fit out himself. I have had a lot of shelf runs in a few boats around this size (incl. Noble super Vees) and can confidently say this wins the ride stakes hands down. My mate was also very happy with the guys at Fisher and the way they stuck to his costruction requests. The big centre console is a big winner for functionallity and again I wouldnt change much in the design of the same. I was interested to see you are thinking of getting a side console as most guys I know who have had same would never go back to a side console for lots of reasons mainly limitations on function and space restrictions when moving around the boat. But horses for courses I spose. Anyway I love glass boats but if I ever was thinking aluminium, Fisher would be my first stop. Cheers Marlin

Just back from a coupla days at SWR. Fishing was a little tough by their standards. Day 1 fished SP's for reds-drew a blank Day 2 fished wide (up to 350 fathoms) for 15 kings 6-8kgs and a few mixed fish. Day 3 fished for spotties-10 reds to 2 kgs and one spanish 12kgs along with all the mack tuna you would ever want to catch 5-8kgs (probably caught 15-16 of them). No sign of a spottie fishing live and dead baits. Still a lot better than Newcastle. Quite a few cobes still being caught by those targeting them. Weather should get better round monday. So Good luck

Re the flooring materials talk to the guys at JAG flooring in Newcastle PH 1300729524 EMAIL info@internationalsolutions.com.au or check their site WWW.JAGFLOORS.COM.AU One of the guys at JAG has it in his boat, Michael Guest, his boat being In Like Flynn. Michael actually put mine in my boat and did a great job. I know that Gary had the guys from JAG supply and install his in the Fisher also. Quite a nack to installing so worth getting the pros to help. Heres a pic of the name inlay in mine 4 years on. Cheers Marlin

The floor is a ground rubber reconstituted into a sheet. I have had the same floor covering in my haines for 4 1/2yrs. Virtually impossible to slip on, wet or dry. Doesnt absorb water or slime like carpet so represents a signifigant weight saving. Very easy to clean also. Probably the best flooring material I have ever seen or used in a boat, including teak flooring. Ate some marlin last night, very nice. That fish was around 100-110kgs (Ive got a fair idea from my earlier gaffing days.) Another pic of the boat. Awesome bit of gear. Cheers Marlin

Quick trip out of the Bay on Thursday with a couple of mates and their familys Fisher saw us with 3 stripes and 2 blacks for the day. All on livies. Kept a Black to eat as it was made of fillets. Saw a heap of Mexicans back at the boat ramp all of whom had a few tag flags flying, think they were fishing a few clicks south of CP. Plenty of bait including little frigates. 4 fish before tide change at 0930. South west winds at around 12-18knts all day. Ran home in the Fisher @ 27knts, great ride very impressed. cheers Marlin

As I say with the 30w it is a new reel and the drag graduation all looks OK on spring scales when strike is at 25lbs drag curve is a not quite perfectly tangential but I have never fished with a lever drag that was. This is combated somewhat by having drag settings marked on tape adjacent to the lever on the reel. I am fishing for info on whats required to work the drag on the 30w LRSA but all the info from the states looks as if 80lb is well within the out of the box capabilities. I guess I will find out but as I say spring scale tests look OK. If you have any avenues for pursuit regards drag mods let me know and I will investigate if required. Cheers

Allgood reports on VSX's but for mine the 30's are probably still a bit light on capacity even for braid and a nylon topshot. Ive got a Tiagra 30A spooled with 50lb spiderwire and top shot with 100m of 50lb nylon for a total capacity of around 680-700M. I also have an AVET PRO EX 4/0-2 filled with 65lb jerry brown spectra and again a 100M nylon top shot. Personally I now much prefer the Tiagra to use only for some personal nitpicking reasons such as the ease of use of the ratchet and the near silent operation when winding. Both have excellent drags and appear to be quite durable in heavy weather. I have just purchased another Tiagra 30W LRSA for use as a standup 37 reel again spooled with 80lb braid and a nylon topshot. I find the narrower spools (even though its a wide it's a lot narrower than the 50W) heaps more comfortable to use almost allowing the non use of the harness in shorter fights. I like the specs on the VSW's in the 30's but found the Tiagra's hard to go past having used them for a few years and also getting pretty good deals on them. Good luck with whatever you buy, hope they get nearly burnt out in their first season. Cheers

Ive got Hella LED's which were around $170 each when I bought them three years ago. They seem almost bullet proof and the signals are outstanding. I put them around 300-500mm underwater each launch and retreival. They are much cheaper now. A mate bought a cheap set and has had trouble with them (not hella). Cheers

Probably find its a simple ply box coated with flo coat / gel coat or maybe even just sanded and coated with two pac paint. would be very simple and do-able in a big day. Cheers Marlin

Check out "boat box". Ithink that is what they were called, they make off the shelf and custom consoles. I rebuilt the console in my haines 445f (see headshot in members boats) and also built a casting deck/storage area in front of the console. Nothing to using glass really. Get some advice from your local commercial fibreglass distributor and go from there. My casting deck is framed in alum section (as used in some DMR road signs), the section is incredibly strong, acts as a drainage channel for the hatches as well as being very light for its avaliable strength. Happy to help with any more info. Cheers

A couple of pics inside: Custom tower with Raymarine 435I colour plotter & Furuno 620 sounder, binnacle throttle (sweeeet),27meg & VHF radios, epirb & extinguisher close at hand, left hand side verticle rod rack (built specifically for flyrods) right hand side- oversized landing net. and more Padded gunwhales, deck wash hose, name inlay to flooring, big bilge pump Finally Removable custom bait station with sliding drawer, knife holders, rod holders, hydraulic steering (couldnt have anything else now) and that sweet little yammie. Cheers

My old 445F Haines Headshot which I have owned for 28yrs. Caught everything from Barra to Marlin. Set up for three main purposes. Marlin fishing, Bottom bashing and spotty fishing Gave the old girl a bit of paint and a new motor three years ago before a trip to Hinchinbrook Island. Stoked with the Yammie 4 stroke (now fitted with 70hp yam 4 banger). First day on the shelf a Port Stephens saw us cover 110kms and burn a wopping 43lts for three stripes over 85kgs and a heap of dollies. I thought I had a prob with the 90lt tank and I did its too big now . Raymarine 435I colour plotter (very happy with this unit) (replaced with raymarine A70D) Old Lowrance X85 (has been bullet proof but will treplace with Furuno620 shortly) NB Furuno FCV620 now replaced with FCV585 Excellent units VHF & 27Meg radios +CD/Radio A total of 34 rod holders 14ft reelax outriggers Custom decking (with boat name inlay) Custom forward casting deck Hydraulic Steering Binnacle throttle control custom 50lt livebait tank (replaced with 65lt tank for big slimies) tuna tubes & slimy tubes Flyrod rack New custom trailer (needs 13x 7 torana mags to spruce up if any body has/knows of any) And heaps of little fiddles to make life easy Great little boat and very capable in rough weather (although a little wet ) Headshot again