[Lowrance X125]

hi fishraiders

i am considering buying the lowrance x125 for usage at places such as the

12 mile reef off sydney heads and at the peak off botany.

has any one got one of those, if so please I would like to know your opinion

of them.

i mainly want a good sounder to see kingfish and the shape of the bottom.

regards ilk

Hi mate

I have the x125 .Have only used it in Botany Bay ,deepest water around 70ft

but you see the bottom in a very clear high resolution display and I've had no worries

seeing the big fish holding just off the bottom..Also good for tracking your bomb when downrigging .

[Bait Tanks?]

I bought a 60ltr round container from Petbarn a few years ago for a bait tank.

Now they dont sell them anymore.

Does any one know where to find them?

60ltr round with screw on lid.

Thanks

Nath

Hey mate I put together a bait tank last year with the 60L barrel (screw on lid )

You can pick them up at REFLEX in smithfield for around $60

Check out the WORKSHOP Topic in this forum and look for LIVE BAIT TANK to show you how mine went together... or try this link http://fishraider.com.au/Invision/index.php?showtopic=26462

regards Chris

[Live Bait Tank]

hi there mate that looks GREAT how much did that end up costing you great job

Mate the tank cost me $80 bucks with fittings , hose $20 and the pump I scored for $60..

regards Chris

[My New Boat]

I bought this boat just before christmas.

Quintrex are a top boat for anyone that is interested.

top boat you have there mate...It puts my little 445 Escape to shame

[Harbour]

Great catch guys in some terrible conditions

[Botany King At Last]

Hey guys

Decided to hit Botany Bay early today as the rain was threatening the rest of the week and I Just needed to go for a fish : ) After all im still on holidays just coming back from a week in Queenstown NZ ...So Anyway me and my old man hit the water around 6.30 and headed into the bay to get some liveys...After 45mins the tank was full of Yakkas and was time to start downrigging..

first run ,first yakka down I finally get my first Kingfish ever and I tell you what it was a great feeling .The rod half buckled over ,drag singing and that pulling power that I have only read about...Now this fish was only 67cm long and went alright for its size...But I cant wait to get onto some larger ones..After this fish was caught they went off the bite and we could'nt find them again...But I was happy I finally hooked onto my first Kingfish..

Just cooked up some Kingfish cutlets and they were delish....

[Help Needed]

As suggested by members we have added this new section.

Please assist us by posting links here to previous helpful posts on DIY stuff so we can move them in here

Enjoy!!

Cheers mrsswordfisherman

This is a great Topic mrsswordfisherman and I'm sure i'll add more DIY stuff in the future..

Regards Chris

[12-1 Sydney Harbour Kings]

I fished friday (11-1) with Andrew snr my father in law, and we managed one king on the DR, but it looked like it would be a good day saturday (12-1) to get out and amongst some kings, so I jumped at the chance when Robbie offered me a spot on his boat!

The crew for the day was myself, Robbie, Toby (unsure of FR name?) and basil the ever faithful canine deck hand. We had a late start as we haven't been getting any squid anyway, and picked up some yakkas and slimies quickly for bait and began downrigging. We ran into Oz and said hello, and not long after we were onto our first fish of the morning. Toby was on strike as he'd never caught a king before, and pulled in a 60cm fish to start proceedings. We reset the rigger and Robbie was next on strike. He didn't have to wait long before pulling in a similar sized fish, a little bigger than toby's, both fish were released promptly with much barking and jumping around from basil.

I was up next and a good fish hit the rigger, pulling plenty of drag. It took me a little while to get it under control, and I was absolutely buggered by the time I got colour on it (personally I blame too much Christmas food). But we got into the boat, and it went 73cm which is a new PB for me. Over the next half hour a half a dozen more fish hit the deck all going back into the drink and we lost a couple as well, including a keeper boatside dude to a poor knot. Incidently, Andrew snr tied the knot, and he's been stewing around in his garage all weekend furious with himself

Unfortunately the bite slowed and we managed to snag one of robbies bombs on a reef, which sucked. We decided to go back and get more yakkas at this point, as we were out of bait nearly, and we got another 10 or so while chowing down on some of the best bacon, egg and cheese sandwiches I've tasted for a while.

We took our yakkas and hit some markers around the harbour for not much. A guy next to us hooked up to a king on soft plastics, which was cool to see... and we downrigged around the heads a bit more for nothing.

All in all it was a great day to be out, with good company and something tasty to take home.

Sounds like a top day you had there just waiting for a day like that myself

nothing like a nice day catching plenty of fish...well done guy's

regards Chris

[Senseless Destruction]

Hi Raiders

Just thought I'd share this one with you. I fished Yarramundi this morning... not much happening down there (although I managed a nice small Carp) and the weed (mainly Elodia) is now starting to chock up this stretch of the river!!! We need a damn good FLOOD!!!

On my way back to the car I decide to do a bit of a reckie for future trips and came across a couple of boys fishing below the road bridge just before the river doglegs left... they were fishing for mullet in a lovely little run of water. Upon greeting them they made comment that someone had left few fish on the bank nearby, as at the same time my nose registered them as being DEAD!!! I went to investigate the stench, half expecting the carcass of a Carp or two (that annoys me enough) but to my horror I am faced with the frames of three Freshwater Catfish (Tandanus Tandanus), a couple of Carp and a Freshwater Mullet!!!!

I just don't understand the senseless slaughter of any fish let alone THREE Freshwater Catfish, they are a rare catch in our river system and though I have caught them on occasion; to catch this many is unusual... what a pity that some uncaring, moronic, uneducated, (I can't call them a fisherman) TWAT had to have this good fortune!!!!

I didn't take any photos of this carnage as I really don't want to be reminded of it but I believe this attitude is fueled by the education by the DPI of anglers to kill the Carp they catch... the fact that we are told to kill anything has serious moral implications for me and the senseless destructions of any animal is just wrong. I guess that this TWAT thinks that it's his or her right to kill any species they catch!!! It's a pity I've got to share this planet and closer to home MY RIVER with this person!!!!

What are your thoughts???

Cheers

PJ Garn

Yeah PJ I just dont know what goes thru peoples heads.. I was throwing a few squid jigs under Captain Cook Bridge the other night and saw a dead Flattie on the rocks,would of been a good 40cm..

I just cant understand why someone would do this...People like this should NOT fish our waterways

[Sounder Reviews]

Try downloading the product emulator. I learned all about ours and how to work it all before even using it.

CLICK HERE

Cheers mrsswordfisherman

Thanks mrsswordfisherman

I have used this emulator,but still I'm not up to speed on correct settings ..Everything is set on Auto and not sure if I need to adjust anything...

Regards Chris

[Sounder Reviews]

Chris,

Leave the fish ID off, and turn the gain up, this will cause some noise but that can be reduced in noise reduction menu. Play around with both until you are happy.

Do your self a favour and get a copy of Rick Huckstepps Depth sounder secrets, it's only about $15 and worth every cent.

Robbie.

Thanks Robbie

I will play around next time out.....

[Sounder Reviews]

I've got a Lowrance X136DF and find it an excellent sounder.

Display <<

Sharp 5" (12.7 cm) diagonal high-contrast Film SuperTwist LCD

480V x 480H resolution

Newly-advanced white LED backlit screen and keypad

16-level grayscale

4 background gray tone choices

Performance Features <<

Depth penetration to 2,500 feet* (760 m)

4,000 W peak-to-peak power

Dual frequency 200/50 kHz Skimmer® transducer with built-in temp/speed/distance readings

FlashGraf™ LCD flasher+sonar graph with GRAYLINE®

Adjustable ping speed automatically engages HyperScroll™ for locating fish targets at higher boat speeds

FasTrack™ vertical flasher bar

Overlay data

Standard sonar features - Advanced Signal Processing (ASP™), GRAYLINE®, Advanced Fish Symbol I.D.™, FishTrack™, multi-zoom options, sonar alarms, backup memory, and more

Plus <<

NMEA 2000® compatible for LowranceNET™ networking

Back-up memory saves customized settings

Protective screen cover

Sealed and waterproof

Full one-year warranty

What did you pay for it - $400.00 AU Delivered

Value for Money - Yes

Easy to use- Yes

In your opinion, does it find fish accurately - Yes

In your opinion, does it some bait balls accurately - Yes

In your opinion, does it read the bottom accurately -Yes

Any extras worth mentioning - You can download an emulator for the sounder so you know how to use it, well before you put it in the boat!

What are you able to do with your sounder - Find fish

What can't you do with your sounder - Make a cuppachino

Your (personal opinion) rating out of 10 overall - 9

Pic - See below.

Snapper! BABY... YEAH!!!!!

Gday mate

Just wondering if you could help me out..

I have the Lawrance X 125 sounder and im not sure if the settings are right,because I cant get any arcs on the screen...If its set to fish ID it shows the fish but I want to see the arcs..

Maybe the setting need to be altered.???? Also when downrigging I cant see my bomb on the sounder..??

I'm new to using sounders so something might be set wrong...???? Everything seems to mounted correctly ,so I'm a little stumped...

Sorry for all the questions Guy's but I need some advice ...please

Regards Chris

[Brisbane Waters]

G'day Raiders, Well Hutcho and I have had a few dud fishing sorties of late until today when I went for a solo flattie bash around the Ettalong Half Tide Rocks area in my little Savage Gull which has a whopping 5hp Yamaha. I started drifting around 6:00am (Hardy's Bay Pretty Beach) with freshly pumped nippers and only managed a few small whiting so I moved over to the Wagstaffe Ettalong side and got my first little flattie , back in he went and then had a great tussle with the flounder, he was a 33cm model so he went into the icy esky. Then the tide stopped and slowly started moving out and I moved to the spot Hutcho and I call the 'SUPERBANK' which are the sand flats off Ettalong just before H. T. Rocks, well the nippers lasted about five seconds they were constantly getting smashed by flatties, some small with the odd 40cm one so I had a few nice flatties in the esky. Then I drifted out to the sand flats off Lobster Beach and gave a Berkley 4" Minnow in the Lime Tiger a go and had fun for the next 2 hours scoring about 25 flatties . There were a few nice size ones around 40 to 45 cms that filled my esky and I had a ball , the hit on the SP was like a train they fought mighty hard and the last 3 or 4 gave me a good tussle, they were rewarded with freedom. It was a great morning, can't wait to do it again.... Cheers Ray R...

Great catch mate

I wish the Flatty's were fireing like that in Botany ....Hopefully once the water warms up they will move in...

Anyway TOP EFFORT

[What Knot Are You Guys Using]

i've been using sliding snell on a boat where i just drop the bait. but i tried using it landbased as well but the top hook keeps sliding down when i cast my whole squid. how do i stop it from sliding?

Yeah probably not the best knot for casting ,Try using a fixed Snell

regards Chris

[Live Squid]

Try yarra bay, the sticks, the drums and kurnell.

Just look for the weedy areas.

You just have to be paitent and keep moving around because i have found that the botany bay squid move around constantly and are rarely at the same place 2 days in a row.

Thanks Frankp

I've tried all of those spots ...Guess I need to be more patient

Persistance will pay off ....I hope

Cheers mate

[Live Squid]

G'day Guys

Just wondering if anyone knows of some good spots to catch squid in Botany Bay....????

any help would be great.

Regards Chris

[Botany Bay 30dec]

Hi All

Rodhogger (aka 7yr old son Nicholas) has been pestering me since he cleaned up on Salmon & Kings a few days ago to head back out. So decided to hit the Bay again early this morning. This time however I decided lets get serious and chase some big ones.

Hit Yarra Bay for livies nice and early. An hour later had half a dozen Yellowtail swimming in the esky, but no squid. So we scoot across to Watts Reef and 45 minutes later 3 squid have occupied the other bucket.

By this time the Bay is packed with boats and its the bottom of the tide so we decide to head across to the Drums and actually found one without a boat near it. Motoring past we also pick up fish on the sounder and expectations run high.

RH by now is also busting to catch some "serious" fish and I start to get the live bait gear ready. Whilst doing so I throw out a pillie tail and give this to RH. 10 seconds later I hear the infamous "I'm on" and RH has a serious bend in the 9lb bream gear. Not long after a Slimie Mackeral comes to the surface and a quick lift into the boat and I'm thinking this is good, as I need to stock up on bait. So I bait another rod and give this to RH again and rebait the bream rod.

Well, the slimies must have been shoulder to shoulder down there as any bait only lasted 30 seconds at most and all were hit hard. RH by now had forgotten all about big kingies and was doing what all kids love the most - catching fish non stop.

To make things more interesting I pulled out my 2 light spin outfits (6lb) and RH was going off with squeals of delight every time he was hit. I barely had time to rebait, untangle rods and despatch fish. We had slimies flopping around everywhere and after 30 or so started throwing them back. Eventually I managed to rip RH away from the action and we left them biting.

The esky with the yellowtail was now filled with slimies and the bucket with the squid was kicked over in the mayhem and they have now all joined my bait freezer. We did have one livie in the water that whole time and when we pulled it in found the largest numb-ray ever attached.

No kingies but RH had a ball and reminded me how much fun you can have catching bait. Also watched a pod of dolphins swim by in the morning to good to see the Bay firing.

G'day mate and RH

That must of been you guy's fishing Yarra this morning .I pulled up in my Quintrex 455 around 7.00am I ...Next time I'll say G'day

We were out with the hopes of catching some Kings aswell but it just was'nt happening ,only managed a few Yakkas in an hour and hav'nt found a reliable spot for squid...Tried Watts for zip must be in the wrong area

Anyway good effort on the bait fishing and good to see Rod Hogger having a ball

[1st Kingfish Part 2]

Nice report Nicnat.

We hit the bay today also and caught 4 kingies, biggest going 78cm and smallect 71cm. All were caught downrigging live squid.

It was such a beautiful day to be outdoors today.

Nice work guys...

Where abouts did you hook your kingys Frank ?????

[Live Bait Squid/yakkas]

Hey guy's

this may sound stupid but can you keep squid and yakkas in the one bait tank....??????

regards Chris

Thanks for all your feedback guy's,,I'm headed to Botany Bay on Boxing day for a live baiting session so I'll throw em all in the tanks and see how it go's...

Cheers fellas and Merry Christmas

[What Knot Are You Guys Using]

Hey guys

Just wondering what knots everyones using ( 40-60LB Leader to hook) wil be downrigging for Kings...

I've been using the sliding Snell with a common Snell on the main leader...Hav'nt had a problem with this knot ...Just curious as to what other people are using..

Cheers Raiders

regards Chris

[Live Bait Squid/yakkas]

Hey guy's

this may sound stupid but can you keep squid and yakkas in the one bait tank....??????

regards Chris

[New Rod/reel]

G'day Raiders

I'm looking at investing in a heavier outfit for kingy's etc would be mostly downrigging/Jigging ..

Have been looking at the Daiwa Saltiga 60b (rod) and the Daiwa Saltiga Z30 overhead reel..

Has anyone used this combo.... Looks great quallity but $$$$$ too..

regards Chris

[Live Bait Tank]

Hi Mugen..

Just out of interest what was your reasoning behind doing it the way you have......as opposed to doing it the

standard method say as Wildfish as shown....you have obviously put a fair bit of work into it.....and as i

said was just interested why you went that way....

My main concern for you would have to lay in the pickup...Judgeing by the picture i would have to say

that a fair volume of water would be forced up and through the pickup...particularly whilst underway...

so would like to suggest replacing that clear tube for some high pressure hose and adding

another clip to the fittings.....it is quite possible over the summer months the heat can soften the clear tube to

the point were it might keep blowing off....i say this only as coming from an out wide fishing

mentality.......that people like myself become very nervous with any thing that can allow water and worse

still that can be forced fed into the hull more so if you were unable to see it happening.....i realise

you are mainly fishing the harbour and as such is not as paramount.. but more for some one who might opt

for the same set up and apply it to a boat and venture way out wide...

Please don't take offence as none is intended as i can see your heart as gone into it....

Also after reading some of these posts i myself for example and i know i'm not fishing for king's................

but i do have bait tank's which are fed by rule 1100gph bait pump's i see the majority talk of useing the rule 500gph pump....

and other than a slightly bigger outlet hose the 1100gph pump fits the standard pickup bracket and

was wondering why a bit more than double the volume of water into the live bait tank would not be of a benifite in helping

in keeping the bait's refreshed and alive.....just a bit puzzled in that regard have i missed something

or is there another reason....

Cheers Warnie...

Hey Warnie

Thanks for you thoughts and no offence taken

I ended up going this way only because I did'nt want any hoses running down the back of the boat,just wanted to keep it nice and neat thats all..I have seen many boats with the same sort of setup ,I'll put up some pics of another setup.The hose you see in the pic was actually only for mockup,I have a roll of reinforced hose in the shed and will be used.

The photo was taken before I finished playing around with the pickup and there is a reducer which fits into the pipe thus reducing water flow/pressure..But even the pickups you buy for the pumps are a similar setup with the pipe facing foreward under the boat.

As for the pump I have taken note from a few raiders some use the 350gph pumps on 60L tanks and they have no troubles but they say they would probably go with the 500gph next time..

So after some thought I went with the 500gph and it is more than enough for my 60L/15.8 gal tank

They recommend that the pump be able to replace the water in your tank every 10 mins so in theory the 500gph will replace 83.3 gallons every 10 mins which is well over what I need so I will actually close the flow valve/tap off slightly to reduce flow..I could of used the 350gph which is still well over the flow rate that I need,but just decided to go the larger in case I added a second small tank etc...

As for your 1100gph pumps ,I'm not sure on the size of your tanks and they also might be regulated thru a flow valve which will reduce the amount of water flowing into your tanks..And if they are regulated they may only be flowing half the pump rating, depending how much they're controlled.

I've also used some quick connections on the hose where it connects to the bait tank for easy removal of the tank if you dont want it in the boat and also for washing down whilst on the water..

I have also installed a float valve for my bilge with an alarm which will sound if the bilge is operated just to let you know water is getting in..Not that it will ..

Cheers

regards chris

[Live Bait Tank]

Hi Guy,'s

Just thought I'd share some pics of my live bait tank that i'm putting together..

what do you guy's think...? hopefully fill it with bait this coming weekend and chase some Kings..

Added pics of the pick up I manufacture ,Great for boats with two drian bungs,

[Live Bait Tank]

Thx Chris,

Can you put up a picture of the pump and its mount location once you have it all installed?

I still cant work out how you will mount it so that it works both when stationary as well as when underway.

Jeff