frankS

Well done old mate, good to see a couple of nice fish on the bank, I generally fillet and get rid of the fat before cooking, very tasty flesh and a good meal. Frank

The way you are going it looks like you might have yours finished before I have mine completely finished. I have been slowly ( and I mean slowly ) prepping mine to get it ready for this coming season, I will see if I can add a few photos. Looking at your boat is like seeing mine!! I am thinking of painting my topside Maroon with white bottom, but might just leave it unpainted till I make up my mind what colour I want it. Send me your address in PM as I want to send you some small items that you might find handy for the boat.

Never tire of looking at photos of any kind posted on here and the Sunrise/sunset one are among my favorite. Unfortunately I have none to show as I haven't even been about during any nice events the past 6 months and very rarely have a camera on the boat when I do get out, but that will change this coming season when I get my latest project boat finally in the water. Frank

Couta means cold water and time to find another spot, good going to pick up those nice flathead. Frank

I used to camp overnight at Rhino beach just down from Croppy point, it's a beautiful little spot and close to some great fishing, camp well up on the beach towards the bush. Don't know if it's frowned upon these days but I spent many a night there and nothing ever said. Frank

Donna. Delivery date states mid September so probably a week or two away yet. Keen to get them, don't know about a photo as I am not the prettiest model about but I', sure the shirts will look great on anyone. Frank

Originally the front sheet of alloy would have been all the way back to where the bracing is, on yours it has been cut back for some reason, and there would have been a curved one piece windscreen on it. Frank

It's a Brooker. On the starboard side of the gunwale about centre from the tip of the bow to where the steering would be there will be a number stamped into the outside of gunwale, this would confirm the identity. 50hp in my opinion would be overkill, I have one like this with a 30hp 2 stroke Mercury and it goes OK 40 would be great as mine is fully decked out with centre twart seat removed floors and cast decks added forward steer elect motor 85 ltr bait tank etc etc etc. I have also welded another full 4mm plate to the transom with additional bracing, so could take a 70hp if I wished but with yours as it is with tiller steer 30 would be ok. Wish you were closer as I would love to get my hands on that thing and help you build it. Frank

Jon. Your girls are simply amazing, from your first post on Sydney Angler I have admired your stories about your girls and the wonderful photos you have provided us with. They truely deserve any rewards and awards that come their way. Please keep us informed all the way with their progress. Frank

John and Neil. Should be able to work a trip down your way Neil, will talk more about it when you are up here in November ?. Frank

Very good point about the long leader and this is why I encourage discussion on the subject, to talk about pros and cons of the subject. Frank

I remember when I first started going beyond the heads to fish, the Peak was everybody's choice and I was not exception. Back then there was no GPS no Sounders ( might have been around but I couldn't afford one ) and we had to go by compass and land marks, was a bit touch and go to get over a decent spot, If you was first or 2nd boat out there it was just good luck if you were over reef, there would be 20 or 30 boats on the Peak at prime times and the action was usually hot. When I could afford a sounder it was the flasher style that read the bottom and if you were very lucky and had everything adjusted right you could see flashes of fish, WOW that was technology and it was amazing, then several years later the first G P S units were available to the public and I bought a Garmin 120, It picked up 8 satelites and you could follow tracks to get to your spot, store waypoints etc, it was the start of the end for places like the peak as every man and his dog could now buy a boat and travel offshore and find fish. I got my first boat around 1962 and by 64 was going outside, think it was around 69 or 70 that I got my first sounder and wasn't till about 86 that I got my first GPS. Sometimes I would spend more time playing with my new toys rather than fishing and trying to find new spots, as back in them days you knew you could catch plenty of good fish whenever you wanted them. Things sure have advanced in the past 50 years or so. Frank

A friendly warning not to do it. We are getting a lot of new folk here that are just learning the art of fishing and want to learn different aspects of the art. A subject came up recently that prompted this post and I thought it best to start a thread about the subject. With Alvey reels and beach fishing in particular . When beach fishing you generally want to get your bait and sinker out there as far as you can cast it, to do this with and Alvey you twist the spool to casting mode and hold the line with either thumb or finger, some hold the line against the rod others hold their finger/thumb on the spool itself. You than whip the tip of the rod as fast as you know how and release the line from the spool at the best angle to achieve a long cast. Now to do this the line whips off the spool at a tremendous speed and force and if you are using Braid it will cut and cut very deeply. So any body new to fishing or even the experienced fisho that may not be aware of the dangers, I urge you not to put braid on a Alvey reel. And I encourage discussion about this subject. Cheers Frank

Baz. Just didn't want any newcombers to the sport thinking they could use braid with Alveys. Just to emphasize my meaning to new folk. With beach fishing you generally use heavy sinkers and you want your bait to get out there as far as you can throw it, ( not always best ) and to do this using an Alvey you turn the spool side on and hold the line with either finger or thumb ( whichever method you use ) and you whip the bait and sinker out as fast as you know how, now this makes the line come off the spool at tremendous pace and force, if you are holding the braid stopping it from falling off the spool till the optimim time in the cast when it does release with your finger/thumb in the way, it will cut and cut deeply. I think if Braid was made in Australia where Alveys are popular it would come with a warning on the packaging. Frank

Berleyguts talked about using Alveys which is good advise, but then he says you could use Braid which is not to be used with Alveys, you would have no fingers left if you use braid with Alveys off the beach. Maybe I read the post wrong but then, IF I did so will others. Wilson make very good beach rods. Frank

I have never liked fuel gauges and electronics is not one of my strong points. I have always just used a dip stick for large fuel tanks, very simple just measure up the stick to the full mark cut a groove in it then measure 1/2 way and both 1/4 and 3/4 marks and find somewhere to store stick. Sooner or later electronic device will fail. Frank

Wow a drag net to gather bait, seems like major overkill to me, why not start off with a scoop net and prawn light. Frank

Unfortunately the Weedy, ( Blue spotted ) Whiting due to it's habitat ( around weed beds ) is not as good eating fish as it's cousins the other types of Whiting. However you can still get a tasty meal from them if cooked right, the one in photo would be male, not that that has anything to do with the taste. Frank

Wow Fab you sure know how to get the juices flowing. When do I get an invite to the next windy day's feast ?. Frank

Jim. Have you had the chance to test out the downrigger bomb yet ?. Frank

I have a oldish style 54lb Motorguide with 40 inch ( 1 metre ) shaft, On a 4.3 older style Brooker . It does the job on most situations but can struggle against fast current and wind. It does most jobs I want. The newer electrics are so far advanced of my old unit it would be unfair to compare. Frank

Here's something for you to think about, why not mount the lecky on the transom of the boat where motors usually fit ?. Nobody does it, but I done it to my Brooker just to see what it was like, took up a corner of the rear where I would normally have a rod holder or down rigger but these could be mounted elsewhere, the benefits of rear mount leckies is battery at the rear and you can drive right up to snags and overhanging branches without hitting the prop etc, and drive the boat onto the trailer using the electric motor . And it's different !!. Frank

I also have ordered the member pack and look forward to wearing the t's at fishraiders meetings etc. Suggestions for other items, Boat and tackle box stickers, Brag mats, can-bottle coolers, scarfs for those winter nights, and of coarse caps and hats. Frank

Welcome to the site as a poster, hope to see lots of reports etc from you in the near future. Last land based Jew I caught in Sydney was at the north side of Tom Uglys bridge 82 cm and that was back in 2006 prior to that it was Snapper point in central coast 96cm in 2002, I don't do a lot of shore fishing. At Tom Uglys live bait just under the bridge east of the pylons and as close as you can get to the pylons. If your really keen get a mate to walk your line up and partially across the bridge to the 2nd or 3rd pylon and drop the livey in close to pylon, this is best done using large bobby float and the mate can adjust the depth of the float before he drops the livey in. If plenty of time your mate could leave livey in water and drag it out to the right spot before releasing it. Frank

Don't forget a braked trailer must be inspected each year for rego, not a big deal you say but when it comes around it's always a hassle to get the trailer to the inspection station, and a extra 35 bucks a year. A boat your size doesn't require brakes unless you overload it. But if you feel safer with braked trailer, that's your call. I have a 4.3 Brooker here we could load it up with some weight and throw it on the back of your car and you could drive it for a while to get used to it. It would probably weigh around 600kg's . Frank PS you don't need an appointment just drop in.