frankS

A good day on the water, thanks for sharing with us. Frank

bit surprised to see a reply to this after so long. Lake StClair is one of my favorite lakes and I have puled many good Bass out of her. I will be going back around middle of October for another try, I release all fish taken and just love being away from the crowds and being on the water, even when I can't get on the water it's still a great time. Frank

It will be fine, everything is adjustable, height by lifting/lowering the shaft and direction with steer, doesn't matter how the actual bracket is shaped. Looks like a good job to me. Frank

I have mine mounted on the starboard side of the bow, simply because I wanted the port side free of any obstructions so it would make netting Barra easier. Then I go and install a canopy which takes all the benifits of having a clear side out of the equation. Frank

Rob first up welcome to the site. If the boat is ribbed it won't have a lot of effect, if the boat doesn't have cross ribs going up the side of the boat it will have an effect and care should be taken before you start chopping bits out of the boat. Where do you live ? IF not too far away from Berala/ Lidcombe I could come and have a look at it and perhaps offer some advice face to face. cheers Frank

Doesn't get much better than that congratulations on a great catch. Frank

Jon. I have been reading your adventures and admiring your wonderful photos for a few years now and your first report here is as good as they get, your daughter is growing up and it's no surprise that she is ( still ) outfishing you, she sure has the magic touch. Keep up the excellent work. Frank

March April May are my favorite months to target them, OR used to be. You will see more reports of them being caught in the warmer months but that's simply because there are more people out there fishing during the warmer months. Frank

First time out from the bay ORanywhere else is quiet daunting and you get the feeling it's a completely different world that you are venturing into, and in a way it is. trying to put fuel from a jerry can into a fuel can with the waves bumping and twisting the boat about can be dangerous, mu suggestion would be to get an extra fuel tank with the same fuel line connection as your main tank, even a small 5 ltr one for emergencys is better than a jerry can. A jiggle hose is easier but take longer, just a 2nd way to do things IF you must have a jerry can. Frank

lessons learnt, I hope !. it's simple to make mistakes but if you learn from them and do your best to not make them again the lessons are well worth the trouble they have caused you. Good luck from now on and get out there often. Frank

Still worth a shot I was up in Warratah bay on Monday night for a few hours, ended up with 3 from 4 ft to 5 ft not huge fish for this time of the year but still worth the trip. Frank

Mully. Welcome to Fishraider, your first report is a good one with a good bag of fish for the table, looking forward to many more reports from you. Frank

They say you're not a squid fisho till you have been inked at least once, now both your son and yourself can boast at being squid fisho's with one outing. Frank

I would like 2 please just let me know when and where they are available and the cost and I will pick them up. Frank

Yeah, don't know trebles just seem to add too much weight and restricts the action, that's just my opinion, no scientific proof, but I just prefer singles. Frank

Savit. If I am doing a long run across an inland beach or in rivers with not much depth change I use the same method as when I troll for Trout on one of the Dams. I either downrig or use lead core line to get them close to the bottom and troll ( with electric motor ) about 1 1/2 k's or 1 mile an hour, I generally use a single 3/0 hook on larger ones and 1/0 on the smaller ones, you can spin them in shallowish waters but I prefer to troll. Frank

This will probably come as a shock to most fishos but my all time favorite Flathead lure is the Tassie Devil colour doesn't matter much just use whatever you think will work on the day, they are cheap and Flathead just love them. I prefer large ones in winter and smaller in summer. Frank

Just go to woolies/coles etc and buy rock salt in 1kg packets. Frank

Here is how I do it. Not saying it's right or wrong just what I have been doing for 50 odd years and can't find a reason not to do it this way. Firstly I don't often use pillies, instead I use Slimey mackeral, catch them or buy them from a fish market. I fillet the slimey and use head and guts for berley, with the fillet I have a stainless steel tray about 1 metre X 40cm x about 50 mm deep I sprinkle a layer of butchers salt flat on the tray, I then lay neatly the fillets of mackeral side by side but not touching each other, I then sprinkle a heavy layer of salt over the top of the fillets, making sure they are all covered, if I have more than one layer I place the 2nd layer of fillets and repeat sprinkling of salt. I then leave this tray full of salted fillets somewhere that the cats can't get to them for 24 hours. After 24 hours I take each fillet and lay them in a plastic container and put them in the freezer. Take away food containers are ideal for a fishing session which will give you about 20 full fillets. Re-use them time after time and they will never smell, they don't freeze so you can use them one at a time and separate at a touch. Frank

Fed1. Over the 20 odd years that I have been involved in Fishing forums I have read countless numbers of posters making posts about wheel bearing maitenence and such. May I say, never have I seen a better illustration and detailed report as what you have now put up. Your detail and photos are next to none and you have covered all the points that need to be coverer without writing a novel about it. You have even helped a old veteran such as myself, and I will bookmark your post for future reference. Thanks. Frank

Jeff. Where abouts are you ( suburb ) Maybe I could come over and check it out for you. Frank

Have any of you blokes tries surface popping for the green fish, once you do it you will be hooked for life, nothing better than the adrenalen rush when a decent cod strikes a surface lure, sometimes right at your feet. A guy up in new england makes lures specially for the job, google surface popping green fish and it will probably come up with a couple of his utube videos, great to watch and better doing it yourself in person. Frank

Jeff. There not a bad little reel but need to be set up correctly, best to put it on a light spin rod 3-5 kg around 6'6" long with light action, use braid or mono around the 6-8 lb mark and they are great for soft plastics and or hard bodied lures. the rod needs to be the overhead type with runners close to the blank, preferebly with pistol grip handle. The reel itself needs fine tuning to whatever weight you put on the end of the line, firstly take up the side slop in the reel by adjusting the centre drag mech, dont make it too tight just as the size slop goes out is right. then put your lure or whatever you are using and wind to tip of rod, then put in cast mode by pushing the release lever and allow the lure to slowly drop to the floor, keep light pressure on the reel so it doesn't drop too quich and cause birds nest, keep adjusting the freespool tention till you can drop the lure to the floor without using any thumb pressure, just thumb it juist before the lure hits the floor. Do this each time you change a lure and you will get to like using it once you master it. Frank

Rob first up welcome to the site mate, plenty on here are willing to lend a hand and some good advice, I'll start off with suggesting just get a long reach double ended ring spanner the right size and put a wooden handle on it ( the other end other than the part going on the winch ) . I have been using a home made handle like this for 20 odd years . And never forget to take it off the winch before moving the trailer to park or go home. Frank

An old sewing machine motor and variable speed foot control is the easiest way to go I found, buy the roller guides from tackle store. Frank