noelm

Just to add, those fools that ring and tell you your internet or computer has been "hacked" are my best entertainment, I string them along for ages, then tell them I am involved in an Australian Federal Police setup, and only kept them talking to trace the call, and someone will be smashing their door in shortly to arrest them.

You know you have reached GOM status when a kid on a motor bike riding past annoys you, or a car with a loud exhaust, get off my lawn.......

Yeah I don't know, things just seem to have got out of control with people. I hope we are not heading for an American style society, sue everyone for anything, lot loose on anyone who jumps in a queue in front of you, carry a gun in your pocket, one in your car and one in your boat. It's bad enough that people have become completely obsessed with their phone, the second it is out of their hand it's a tragedy and they are distraught. I come from an IT background, so technology doesn't scare me, but I never have my phone with me, thirty years ago people found a way to contact/find me, so they still can if they really want to!

A recent thread got me thinking (I know, a rare occasion) about how "we" have become a lazy society, we will search everywhere (within arms reach) looking for the remote control rather than get up and walk a couple of metres to the TV and if we can't find it, just watch what's on. We sit in our air conditioned leather seats in the car at a drive through rather than go into a shop, order a extra jumbo burger with added lard, a kilo of chips and a couple of litres of sugary gassy drink, all without moving an inch! We text someone who is only 20m away because we are too lazy to get up and actually talk to them. People want to know a street in the neighbourhood they grew up in, first option...google, it's not that hard to remember a few street names..is it? Just imagine if today's kids had to actually ride their bike to their friends place, only to find no one home! that's just how life was, you ride there and took your chances. The phone rang, (if you had a phone) there was no caller ID, you answered it and it might be your school teacher checking up on why you're not at school, it was a risk you took! I am not too sure we are really "progressing" as such anyway, rant over......

Kingfish taste "fishy" some people like that kind of flavour (like Atlantic Salmon) others don't, Snapper have a unique taste, just like Bream, not fishy, but a distinct flavour.

Not too sure why you think Kingfish is so much better than Snapper, it certainly is different, but not bad to eat (in my opinion) it wasn't that long ago that Kingfish were considered unmarketable and not caught commercially, and not eaten by rec fishers at all. Now to be fair, bigger Snapper are not as good as ones about 1-2kg, and Kingfish are great as fish pieces, crumbed or battered.

Yep, you don't get heaps, but probably catch one Dory every second trip, especially during Autumn, which is when I fish for Flathead.

You won't find many 3 piece (if any) in that sort of rod, don't know any of those models. Best go to a decent tackle store, tell them what you want, and see what they suggest.

My most consistent catches are when I target Flathead around this time of the year, it's common to pull up a Flathead with a Dory hanging on, I fish in about 30m of water this time of the year, so maybe they hang around before heading into harbours and places like that.

If you do happen to go to Windang, just out from the Kiosk (at low tide) on the SE side of the bridge you will see a little island, between the eastern end of that and the shore you will find both Nipper holes and Squirt worm holes (if the fresh water hasn't cleaned them out) the worm holes will be easy to see, groups of very neat round holes, Nipper holes are quite random and "messy" keep in mind this is very much a tourist area, so there will be Little kids running around and picnickers . The fishing can be OK there, even though it's popular, fish the same flat you got the Nippers on at high tide, or out towards the channel as the tide drops. Use pretty basic gear, about 6lb line will be plenty, a long shank hook and a very small sinker.

Not too sure if you are going to do a write up on initial blank selection, but it needs to be remembered that guide selection can alter how a rod "feels" dramatically. Also if the rod needs to be a bit of a compromise (as some things are) then the most important points need to be considered, like overall length, or casting light weights accurately as compared to outright distance, that's where doing/building yourself comes into it.

Just on guide placement, I used to set them out as described, but then try to move them slightly to be "mathematically" spaced, as in, the distance is the same decreasing measurement, I found rods looked much better if the guides were spaced this way. I know it's a bit hard to grasp what I am saying, but I think with a bit of thought, most will work it out! By the way, great write up....again.

Don't get all hung up about "deeper channels" lots of fish will feed right up on the shallow flats during high tide. Squirt worms are probably the best bait there is, it's a bit hard to describe, but worm holes are very round and smooth, and you will find there is two holes for each worm, they live in a kind of U shaped holes, get your pump and pull the handle up, put it over the smooth round holes and push down on the handle, it will blow the worm out of the second hole (squirt them out) they are very fragile so pick them up with care.

There is quite a few crabbers that wade the big sand/weed flats out the back of the caravan parks at Windang and get quite a few, you need to check the regulations in regards to legal gear, also near the Ski Park at Oak Flats there is reasonable numbers there too, but it's quite a bit deeper.

Fishing off the bridge is not possible, there is lots of sand flats around, plenty of Nippers and Squirt Worms, the water is starting to clean up, but it's still pretty brown, the crabs have started again up in the lake too. Down towards the entrance the current Rios through, so fishing is difficult.The beaches are pretty hit and miss because of the recent big seas, but I'm sure you could find a gutter or two.

I guess in a funny kind of way, Fishraider is our corner store/tackle shop, people can gather info on a hundred different things, all for free!

Drifting off topic a bit (as usual for me) we still have a little "fish and chip shop" in a back street quite close to me, been there for more than 60 years, the same family own it, the guy behind the counter has a mind like a mainframe computer, on weekends it gets packed with locals, and he remember every order, no writing stuff down, battered savs, plain salt, $3 chips, hamburger with egg, plus a dozen other orders, all running in his head! Be rare he makes a mistake, everyone is by name, he knows us, we know him, still cuts his own chips and scallops. I remember as a kid taking my billy cart loaded with newspapers used to wrap chips, I would get a bag of hot chips as payment, complete with vinegar and a hole dug in the top to eat the chips.......

I guess it's just a sign of the times, multinational companies simply strangle small business, it's no different to (say) Bunnings swamping your smaller family owned hardware stores, or Coles and Woolworths forcing out the "mum and dad" corner shop and the milkman and butcher, or Maccas closing the local hamburger shop, and in a strange kind of way, we have ourselves to blame, we shop at these places, we buy online, and even worse people will go into (say) the local tackle shop, gather info, then buy online, simply using the knowledgeable small guy, but, that's life! rant over.....get off my lawn

Almost any decent tackle shop does reel repairs, (not the supermarket/chain store types) but if you are in any way slightly mechanically minded it's not that hard and only requires basic tools. I do mine on one of those plastic fold up tables and a chair, set it up with the garage door open (for good light) and make a day if it, doing reels and generally "fixing" fishing stuff.

Reels are fairly simple to maintain, I think there a few previous threads about this. There's not much to them, make sure you have a nice clean, well lit work area, have all tools on hand, I have, long nose pliers, a small shifter, philips and flat head screw drivers in a couple of sizes, plus I have some Dentists tweezers and picks that come in handy. For cleaning, an ice cream container, a toothbrush and some nice clean rags, an old syringe with suitable oil and a small container of suitable grease, plus a couple of small containers to keep parts in. If you are not such a great "mechanic" take lots of photos as you go.

Most proper boat shops have good carpet, "stuff" doesn't get stuck in the ribs, it's just a texture looking feature, I had it in one of my boats for about 5 years and it was still good when I sold the boat.

Agree 100% buy real/genuine marine carpet, not cheap Bunnings or boating supermarket stuff, it's dearer, but will last for years. Ribbed carpet is OK, but it seems to suit bigger boats (appearance only) glue it down using contact adhesive, but only glue the boat floor side, make sure you start the carpet dead straight, because it will stick instantly.

Remember back in the "old days" when coloured Hypalon grips hit the scene? I built my wife a white JS980 with green grips and yellow and green binding, very flash looking, turning the grips down in a home made "lathe" to shape them nice and neat? I still have a white JS980 that I built sometime in the '80s with black and silver binding, then rebuilt it later in Maroon binding for my grandson as a "keepsake"

Great description, having done this process myself hundreds of times, I doubt I could explain the process like you have, top marks.....

Great part of the world, getting pretty crowded these days though, pre Covid I did a trip up there most years with a group from another fishing forum. Great facilities, the river entrance is getting a bit shallow though.