Captain Spanner

We have caught squid walking along jimmys beach and casting from the shore. As long there is weed around. There is a lot of ribbon weed along there. You will also catch flatties in the sand patches in the same area throwing plastics and other lures. Salmon, tailor, dart, whiting, bream etc off the main beach at hawks nest. You can catch worms on the beach if you have the skill set. Otherwise pillies work for most fish. If you were keen you could get your squid at jimmys amd take it over the front for a jewie. Same with the tailor or worms which are on the main beach. I haven't caught a jewie there myself but I know they do get them. There is no driving required for any of these combinations of options. You might just have to walk a bit to find a gutter you like on the main beach.

I think Dave's suggestion above might mean use a small downrigger clip taped/cabletied/rubberbanded to the rod similar to that clip in the picture. You can also unscrew your reel from the reel seat, put a rubber band looped several time over so it is tight in the rod and move it up the butt to between the reel and the stripper guide (bottom guide). Then you take a little slack loop in the line and tuck it (from the rod tip end back towards the reel direction) under 1,2,3 or however many layers/wraps of the rubber band you want to set the tension on the release. Then you can have the bail arm open like with that clip. The trick is to have a little bit of tension on the line between the rubber band and the reel so the line doesn't loosely loop of in the wind. I have done this rubber band trick myself and it does work. You do need to make sure that you don't get a loose loop wrap around your bottom guid when it releases but you will have eh same risk with that clip also. Probably moreso with the clip as there are more bits for the line to catch on.

I think the TT headlocks jig heads hold the plastics on the best

Thanks for that Jon, I will let him know.

Hi guys, I have a bit of an odd question on a mates behalf. He has a Crucis 2-4kg travel rod that he fishes with a 2500 stradic. He loves the action and casting ability of the rod but says that it is uncomfortable in his hand after less than an hour, sometimes half an hour. He said it feels like it rubs or pinches on his hand. I have one at home and can vouch for the nice action but haven't used it enough to experience the discomfort he has spoken about or accurately remember the setup of the reel seat. Has anyone had similar issues with similar or different rods and can you recommend a fix such as tennis racket grip or some type of similar grip or tape, Physio tape etc. I would imagine that anything like that will be a hinderance for removing the reel and will eventualy need replacing as it will get worn and stinky so not too worried about that bit, just trying to make a rod he likes more usable. I wouldn't think a glove would be the best option but i might suggest a thin ninja glove or similar with the fingers cut off for the time being. Thanks.

This is the place and they are the tablets that we use. Best result for minimum side effects comapred to all the others from my experience. That is all we ever use. You used to be able to order over the phone and get them delivered, but i think it is a different number to the chemist for that. They should be able to point you in the right direction. Regarding other tablets TRAVACALM (Blue and White Box are the proper ones) are a completely different product to Travel Calm (normally just ginger tablets). Lots of people get these confused because they sound similar. TRAVACALM also make a "natural" one (red box) that are pretty much just ginger. I woulndn't bother with those.

Depends on your boat size. I like Dolans Bay (Wally's Wharf) as its good for my boat/system but it gets busy and there is a steep hill to walk up for parking. I have a mate who had a boat over 7m and he had trouble getting the boat out because the ramp was a bit steep and the boat would float above the trailer. Yowie bay is also a pretty new facility which has a bit better parking but it is further from the heads. If you have a small boat there used to be (not sure if its still there) a boat ramp at water street near the dolans bay ramp but i have never used it.

Check Your PMs

The longer the better, the higher your rod is the better. The reel is safer from water, it keeps the line out of the shorebreak and as mentioned keeps it above beach walkers. You really need to work them in deep but. I have two allow pickets with the heavy wire hook rod holders attached and I drive them in with a mallet. So if I want I can have my jewie rod locked up and it won't fall over. It could bounce out if you're unlucky. For the PVC go as long as is convenient to transport. The longer it is, the more you want in the sand. I'd go at least 4 feet tube. 50mm seems the best diameter cut the angle on the bottom. If you want the fancy flared bit at the top like he shop ones, where you put the rod in and out you can heat the end of the pipe up over the BBQ and push a wine bottle in the end. This will flare the end nicely. Just hold it for a minute or two so it cools in that shape. It's easy to put a rivet, screw, pin through to set the depth the rod goes in if you want. Another way of driving them in is drill a hole sideways through the pipe to slide bar through to use as a T handle to push/twist/wiggle it in further. Remember the PVC can bend so go as heavy duty pipe as your application needs.

Not really what you were asking, but you may as well hear the long winded opinion. Be careful of going too heavy on the action of the rod. Which model/weight Prevail do you have at the moment? I haven't used the Ballistics but i have the IZM 3 piece 15' extra heavy Sensor Surf, the one with K guides. I think a lighter model would be better for Jewies. I think it's a bit stiff in the tip for Jewie bites.They are light to hold, cast, fish with, the butt is ridiculously long to fight a fish with but i believe you can cut them down, i haven't yet. The butts are long for casting. I made a belt that has about a 50mm diameter PVC end cap that hangs on VB cord between my knees that i rest the butt of the rod in to fight fish, or even holding and waiting for bites. The specs say that my rod can cast up to 300g but I have cast a combined sinker/bait rig of a kilo i reckon. It is a pretty brutal rod. For soapy jews you need to stop winding to check they are still on the hook because the rod is that stiff. I normally don't fish with this rod unless i need to cast heavy weights a long way into heavy conditions as its a bit cumbersome. I have been thinking of getting a prevail for my heavy rod, i think the action on the prevails was more suited to jewies. The rods i use the most at the moment are a new heavy 13' Aerowave Graphite, an older model heavy 12' Aerowave Composite and an old school Butterworth MT7144. I think the rods you are looking at are level above these. I run 65lb braid on baitrunners normally. This is so i can fish 50lb leader and get all my braid back if i get spooled by rays/sharks.

Without knowing what prop you are currently running you sound like you need a much lower pitched prop for that motor on that boat. The motor might be a little light on power wise for that size glass boat depending on hull weight. I would think your boat should be able to get up on the plane between 6-10 knots if you aren't towing a skier or boat. With a lower pitched prop you will probably lose some top end speed but that's the cost of being able to get on the plane and having acceptable "hole shot". We have a 90HP four stroke on a 4.7m glass boat. When i went from an old two stroke, that heaps of grunt and top speed, to the 4 stroke i struggled to get up on the plane with any more than two people and no gear. With fuel and 3 or 4 people i almost had to surf the boat down a swell to get up on the plane. I went from a 19" pitch prop to a 17" pitch prop and it helped alot with my hole shot and i can now get up on the plane alot easier with weight in the boat, same goes for getting out of holes in rougher seas. I lost 1-2 knots top end speed and the motor now red lines (revs max out and limiter kicks in) when the motor is trimmed out at WOT in calm conditions so i just need to keep my eye on it. These trade offs are worth it to me and probably to you. Hopefully Jon will weigh in on this prop discussion as he has had quite a bit of experience with different boats and props. If you are going to carry a spare prop make sure you have the stuff to change it out there. Mask and snorkel, big shifter, screw driver/ long nose pliers and a spare split ring and maybe a castle nut if you're that excited. And don't drop anything while you're changing it. Make sure you wrap/pack your spare prop wisely so you don't end up with unwanted ventilation in your boat.

What is the boat and motor that we are talking about?

I assume you are fishing braid not mono if you are running 10-15kg on a 4500b. If you give us a hint as to location and baits being used as it will dictate what action you need on the rod. (Which of these? breakwall, big livies, casting strip baits off the beach, jetty, river, ocean rocks). Generally check out the Shimano Aerowave graphite or composites, Penn Prevail range. The Shimano Revolution Coastal has one in your size/weight range. You will need to feel the action of the rod in your hand so you know it can cast what you want most efficiently. For a different action (and generally heavier in the have but more durable rod) you might like to look at rods with an FSU 4120 or FSU5120 blank. I think they might be one piece but. I would love an FSU5144 (12') but i think they only come in 1 piece which is not convenient for me.

It is my understanding that Alvey are doing one last production run for another month and some suppliers have been able to put in orders. If there is an alvey that you want then maybe call the store and see if they are putting in another order. Some online suppliers are because i put in an order a couple of weeks ago. It is probably best done with a phone enquiry as some websites are not up to date as to what is in stock, out of stock, available to be ordered. Generally if the supplier has a relationship with Alvey the should be able to order it if you haven't missed the boat. I don't know about other brands sorry.

I agree, i was going to say the same thing. I must admit all my stuff is shimano so i don't know much about other stuff. I don't think you can beat their after sales service and warranty if you ever need it. The new Sedonas are great value. If you can hold out and save a little more to get the sedona I think it is definitely worth it. If you can't wait to save the extra bit then the Sienna is still a good starting reel. If you can wait the time to save the extra for the Sedona i think it will be a lot longer before you need to replace or upgrade, especially if you take good care of it. Rod wise you would probably go for a 2-4kg Catana 702 (7 feet/2pieces). They also make other rods like the Starlo Stix and Kobi Chan but i don't know much about them. Between my mates we have had several models of Catanas over the years and they are all good. I still use my 2-4kg one even though i have newer and more expensive rods. You can pick up all of these variations as combos from different suppliers. If you go into a shop and talk to someone you could try to get the line thrown in. Good luck

Unless you can salvage lengths of 50+m to use as backing on spin reels then as suggested it makes good material for stitching repairs. I have used it for boat covers, ugg boots, cray bags and more. As long as its thick enough not to cut what you are stiching.

Don't forget if you aren't getting the speed/rev ratio you're chasing you can alter it by changing props. When we went from a 90HP 2 Stroke Evinrude (V4) to a 90HP 4Stroke Suzi on a Haines 470SF we lost hole shot and couldn't get up on the plane with too much weight in the boat (previously not a problem). We went down from a 19" to a 17" prop and it fixed the problem. We did lose 1-2knts top end speed and at WOT trimmed out in calm conditions the motor will now red line so we keep an eye on it. I can pull out a 100kg wakeboarder with the 17" too. If you were good with a 60HP then going to 90HP you can probably run a higher pitched prop for more economical cruising.

I use a combination of the three listed below. Always assume it will be at least worst case to start with and anything better is a bonus. Never go wide in a westerly if you are counting on it backing off to get home, sometimes the weather doesn't read the same forecast, i know people who have had 3+ hour trips home from Browns by flying out with a westerly in the morning and assuming it will drop for home time. In short i think Sea Breeze gives you an idea of how bad it might be (estimates seem to be at the higher end of the range), Willy Weather seems to be closer to what it actually is or will be (estimates seem to be close to the middle range of what it actually is). both these are inshore forecasts only. MetEye through the BOM website shows offshore as well and is great. On MetEye you can also see two swells and wind wave height to get an idea of how lumpy the ocean might actually be. For example it might only be a 1-1.2m swell predicted but you might have two swells and the wind all going in different directions which is a whole other story to a long period 1-1.2m swell with light wind. Also keep take into account weather leading up to your trip. For example it might be predicted to be light winds and the swell is meant to have dropped early on the morning you are fishing but if it has been blowing 15-20kts from the southeast all night before hand, chances are there will be hangover chop from the southeast and lumps for the first few hours at least. This is because the chop and waves already created before the wind dropped need to run their course, if they are fighting a northeast swell or going against a strong north to south current then it might be lumpier again. Meteye link below. Play around with the different options as there are different ways of viewing the same data. http://www.bom.gov.au/australia/meteye/?ref=ftr

Thanks Cossie and Savit, I ended up speaking with Alvey and I ended up ordering the 700C5 Rapid Retrieve as some of the spots i fish require a quick retrieve for the last bit to avoid snags at your feet. The only different parts are the drag star and the double paddle handle. I also ordered some smaller models for my and my mates' little people so it doesn't matter as much when they are inevitably used as shovels and swords during the learn to beach fish years.

Another bonus of owning a travel rod is you can hide it in your car for emergencies, like when you finish work an hour early or when you have a job near the water. (I heard) Keep some bottles of water under the seat so you can give it a quick tub and a towel down before packing it away. You only need to miss one wash to get corrosion on your guides or reel. (Hot tip - if you use Gulps, make sure you put some thought into your storage solutions so your car upholstery doesn't end up smelling like cat wee.) I keep the packets in two snaplock bags and all my stuff in a dry bag.

My opinion based on a little bit of travelling with toys. More recently I have some general purpose travel rods that fit in a suit case for non dedicated fishing holidays (like a trip to Thailand or similar when you might squeeze an hour in here and there) i have also taken rods taped together and wrapped in t-shirts and put in surfboard travel covers next to my surfboard. A purpose built rod tube is good but often not big enough diameter for heavier or multiple rods and the padding right through isn't necessary with a bigger diameter tube. Make your own pvc pipe to the length and diameter you want (check airline restrictions, probably a little longer than the longest tie you may want to transport. Fix/glue one end, screw cap the other. If you want to lock the screw cap screw or up tight and drill through cap/pipe somewhere appropriate for a lock/wire to join the two. You are only stopping a half honest inquisitive person any way. I haven't done it but it would be easy to rivet two small loops or even two drilled and tied cord loops to attach a shoulder strap to (remove step for check in and re attach after baggage claim, less stuff to get caught/go wrong). Strap your rods head to toe (tip to butt) with the but slightly overlapping. Fix with rod wraps or duct tape. This will splint fragile tip ends and also if they do slide in the tube the end of the butts is the only thing to make contact with the end of the tube (which they won't). Wrap each end (and the middle if you want) in a piece of clothing that you need to take anyway (eg boardies, t-shirt, singlet). Tape this in if you want. The idea is to wrap it thick enough on either end so that it has to squeeze into the tube so it is stuck and there is no rattling. No need for pool noodles, bubble wrap etc. I know your original question was domestic but as mentioned above be aware that some international places (including coming home here) have restrictions on fresh water stuff and they may want to see you gear, I have heard rumours that lures/scents like gulps can contain fish type substances and be treated as a quarantine issue but I haven't spoken to anyone that has had a problem. Especially unopened packets.

Thanks Cossie and savit. I'll take that into account. Do you know how applicable the rapid retrieve model would be to bait fishing for jewies? Or can the standard model wind fast enough when they run at you for the sake of $30 and simplicity. I am assuming I'll get at least 400m of 40lb on the 650 and not need a 700

I have been thinking of getting one to add to my kit, specifically for jewies off the beach, rocks and break walls. Can people please offer opinions on the best models please. Probably to be fished with 40lb tortue or up to 50lb. I would prefer one with drag but am open to suggestions. Opinons on fixed handles vs spindle handles and stainless plate vs graphite. Has anyone had any experience with the Elite range, Does the anodised metal ding on the rocks and cause sharp bits for line to catch, scuff on? Also can someone please tell me if the pink 600B XLTP reel has a drag system or just a tension knob that adjusts the tension both winding in and drag out. Thanks guys

Possibly Salmon, Talior and Bonito as Berlyguts has suggested above. You would probably be better spending that time trolling around whichever bommie system is on the way to your offshore grounds. Coming out of the Hacking i would spend the time around the Jibbon area instead of the back of the beaches. Focus on where the reef drops off to the deeper water. If your grounds are south you can follow the cliffs down. If your grounds are north then troll through the middle ground and up along the back of the Merries Reefs. The reef systems are more likely to hold fish consistently than the chance of bait being randomly along the back of the beach. Small feathers (3"-6") or jet head, bullet head skirts are probably the most versatile lures to troll in these areas as they will happily run at a range of speeds and conditions without tangling.

If you give us an age range on the kids it might help with the most appropriate spot. If you are hoping to get/keep them interested you will need pretty instantaneous results of something on the end of the line. A jetty like Wally's Wharf, Yowie Bay, Gunamatta or Lilly Pilli gets crowded but there are often small fish straight under it. A bait jig with small hooks cut in half so it only has three hooks, at least a half ounce sinker to hold it straight from tangles and tiny bits of peeled prawn are the go. Take a loaf of bread and grind it up for berley. This way there is no casting and if you dont drop to the bottom, no snagging. An alternaitve would be a sand flat like gunamatta or grays point, berley with bread and a tiny hook and piece of peeled prawn under a small fixed bubble float. This is exciting because you see the fish and the float move but does require some skills/timing to set the hook when float fishing .Or you could cast the half a bait jig rig mentioned above for the jetty and let it sit on the bottom under the bread berley. Dehooking - If you take a piece of coathanger wire with the end bent like a hook you can hook that hook around the line just above the hooked fish and pull the mainline tight, the coathanger hook will slide down to the fish hook and with a little flick you can flip the fish of the hook and into a bucket of water or back into the river without anyone having to get hooked, fish spiked or slimy and most importantly it will minimise handling trauma to the fish. This is how we remove all our livies into the bait tank so they are never handled and stay in the best possible health. It is always handy to have a rag ready if you need to grab something or a wet rag if the kids want to hold the fish for a picture Don't forget that anything like Bream and snapper that have a minimum fisheries size need to be legal to swim around in your bucket. So little yakkas, poddy mullet, leatherjacket, sweep etc. will be your target if the kids want to look at them swim in a bucket before letting them go.