Smasher

I ordered one of these trailers just yesterday! Except the 1750kg version. Did you happen to ask them what rust prevention they can apply during the manufacturing process? I might give them a call and find out...

Thaks guys. Upon further inspection, we discovered some rust holes in the frame, and that the brakes dont work (maybe never have). To repair it would be much much more than $1000. So I put a deposit on a brand spanker. At least I’ll have peace of mind and it wont be a money pit for the next few years at least.

So I've got an EZ Loader skid trailer. One of the bunks has warped as the timber has become rotten and the carpet is peeling off in parts. The result of that is that the bracket that the timber bunk sits on has made a scratch in the bottom of my boat and is currently slightly dug into the bottom - as the back of the boat is resting on it. Hopefully it hasnt punched a hole but I'll only find out for sure when the boat is off. Tomorrow I'm taking it to a trailer repair place. I've been quoted $1000 to replace both bunks. Maybe a few hundred more to repair the brakes that have never worked since I got it. Or I've got the option of forking out $3700 for a brand new gal trailer manufactured in Moorebank. Or $5000 for a big name brand like Dunbier - and get up to $500 trade in. It's got a bit of surface rust here and there so it's a tough call whether to keep pumping money in keeping an old trailer going or bite the bullet and replace the whole shebang.... Decisions decisions huh

They’re used to eating pellets. Maybe try Dog biscuits as bait?

Sounds like a carbon copy of my last day out. Only I went south and ended up at least pulling up a couple of rats trolling around Coogee. Plan b for me next time I have a day like that is to do a flatty drift. That day I met a guy at the ramp who bagged out while we came home with donuts.

Yes but personally I think its a good idea that the person whose house you are parked nearest to is cool with. If anything bad happens to your boat do you want them to stay silent and be happy about it or call the cops? I park mine along a fence and the lovely old lady whose house is on the corner block I’ve met and I park it where it doesn’t bother her. In turn she tells me she keeps an eye on it for me. Occasionally I even give her a fish or two when I’ve had a successful day. Its a good neighbourly thing to do. Though Ive had another neighbor who lives a hundred meters down the road once question me “how long is it gonna live there” and as far as I’m concerned its none of her business

My boat is 1.5T and mechanical breaked trailer 250kg. I was told that I would need to get the trailer checked to pass rego but the RMS just send me the renewal papers and thats it! Not sure why but I’m not game to question it.

Herd mentality. They see a couple of boats and decide to join in, before you know it there's a dozen there. Whether or not they're catching anything is another story. You see this a lot in some places: Port Botany, Artificial Reef, etc. Lots of boats, no-one catching a thing.

You're a legend Derek. I think I've just doubled my squidding knowledge by reading your posts. You know, I've also had success by simply leaving a jig in the water, maybe a meter above the bottom, with the rod in the rod holder and the boat drifting along - and while im busy working a rod in my hands getting nothing the one in the holder is going off!

I have a similar problem but it's the lights from my sounder and dash and other internal lights that reflect on the windsheild and make it near impossible to see through. Poking my head out is the only way (other than switching off lights)

Nice one! Where abouts in the bay, around the runways or closer to the heads?

Thanks Zoran. To be honest I can't remember if it was 75, it was 70-something! I have a GME GX700, which are designed in Australia so I would think it's set to Australia. But, I've just looked in the manual and will check next time that it isnt on USA. Cheers

I found the same thing recently. Met another boat out at 12mile and as we were heading off to a new spot we decided to stay in radio contact to let them know once we got there. We picked a random channel - 75 - and couldn’t communicate. Then we changed to channel 80 and we could communicate fine - but there was a heap of other morons on there talking s***, they sounded like they were all at Terrigal wide.

I tend to keep expired ones on the boat as well as fresh ones. Figured the more the merrier if I ever need to use them.

What was the stickbait that you used?

~$500 a month is a bit rich to store a tinny. Plus most don't give you 24 hour access. Just get a wheel clamp, coupling lock, park it in a quiet street with little vehicle and foot traffic and if you're extra cautious you can look into hiding a GPS tracking device in it. Also setup your cover so that it doesnt collect water each time it rains. Nothing worse than finding 100L of water in your boat and a torn cover.

What's the legality of leaving traps offshore, eg: 10km out. Same as inshore? We found one on the way out to 12 mile last weekend sitting in 100m of water. Looked like a professionals lobster trap.

Many years ago i lived in gladesville so I have fished just the other side of the river from there. There used to be guys that would pull big Jews out of the holes under the Gladesville bridge pilons so they're definitely around there if you can find where the holes are. I used to only find bream and flatty's. Remember, don't eat anything caught east of the harbour bridge.

Also note that Australian Bonito are a totally different species to Bonito that they get in Japan - and turn into Bonito flakes. Our bonnies are related to Tuna.

I was launching at a ramp a couple of months ago, it was an extraordinary low / neap tide so the ramp was slippery as where my vehicle was stopped and the trailer wasnt sitting very deep in the water (I have a skid trailer). When I went to reverse the boat off the trailer, it pulled my 2 tonne vehicle down the ramp into the water! Bloody lucky it stopped sliding back just as the water got to the top of the rear wheel arch and I was able to jump in and drive back up. But geeez my heart nearly popped out of my chest. A couple of ‘backn forths’ eventually got the boat off the trailer. First time its ever happened to me and I’m no complete amatuer! Sh1t does happen. As for the original post, it looks like that happened at low tide. With any luck the skipper could’ve hopefully just been able to wait a few hours and floated it off. Pity about blocking the ramp though!

I thought the scientific basis was that fish could smell it on the jig after you’ve been handling it. But by all means it’s probably a myth, up with there with eating carrots to improve your eyesight.

The thing with cuttlefish is that as soon as females finish laying eggs, they die and float to the surface. Keep an eye out for them around Spring. They still make great bait when found dead.

I once went diving with a shop / group that are based at Mullaway just north of Woolgoolga. The skipper launched what must have been at least an 8 meter vessel off the beach, with a tractor. Most impressive is that he only had one arm and he was smoking a cigarette as he manoeuvred his tractor to back down the beach 'ramp'. I didn't dare ask him how he lost his arm.

What VHF channel do you guys use to chat fishing?

Solitary islands is an awesome spot. One time over Easter we were camped at Pebbly beach and it copped 110mm of rain on the last night. That creek turned into a raging torrent, there was no getting in or out for the next 12hours. It was a rather unique excuse for showing up to work a day late.