Stino

The single best bait I use to clean up carp to date is canned corn kernels, the spot I fish has nothing but carp, thanks to the carp! Just a small running sinker to a swivel with a 50cm leader to a small hook that can be concealed within 3 kernels, just leaving the tip and barb exposed. I keep a tight line and in the still waters I fish just watch for any movement as they will sit on and chew the bait off your hook if they are not schooled competing for the bait. The Redfin I have targeted around Goulburn seem to hit anything that moves even if physically larger than themselves, but as mentioned above dark plastics seem to produce the most, I use zman 2” black curl tailed grubs, or any suspended diving minnow. below is 5 of the 27 caught over 5 hours and a few beers on the river

Like jonD said time your crossings with the tide, I have crossed it when it’s like a lake in the morning and breaking 2m waves on a run out on return. So my advice simply check swell predictions and tide and once 50m clear of the wall your all clear. And also like JonD said the currents there at times can create a bizarre pyramid cross current wave especially on the southern end of montegue. If you on your game and linger on the outer edge it produces good fish especially the kings when they are there, just don’t drift into the guts of it it is nasty, wish I had footage of the day we fished it. Looked like 3+m pyramids rising out of the sea. Moruya isn’t too bad if you hang left in the channel then push north east out of the wall. And at worst case launch at hanging rockin the Batemans Bay the bar there is really sheltered in the back of the delta, can still produce waves and is shallow on the low but the better of the 3 if conditions no good south. I can give you some marks north of the bay and off Moruya, used to be my local but 13hrs north now.

I just ordered a slammer III 10500 for a swains trip, I really wanted a saltiga or Stella for the trip but the dollars just couldn’t cut it, so after extensive reviews and utube videos even showing full dismantle and parts comparisons between a few of the bigger top $ reels. I’m convinced the slammer will definitely do the job and more. Comparable ratios, line capacity and equal or bigger drag capacity and arguably sealed better as well. I’m convinced enough to buy one but will have feedback to give one way or the other after swains and hopefully some donkey GT’s, mackerel, dog tooth etc etc

The charter runs 4 x 4m tinnies so we won’t be off the main boat most of the time. They only supply bait and some basic hand lines. We have to supply basically all our own gear from rods, through to line lures and terminal tackle! My theory will be basically overkill! 13+ hrs away from the nearest bit of land let alone a tackle shop. So if I run out of gear that’s not good. Plus a bonus is I don’t have I fly so gear quantity hopefully not an issue.

As mentioned by other I also have pulled and released numerous rays over the years, nearly stepped on them wadding the shallows. The only time I was caught out and injured was releasing a tiny sand ray. I unhooked him on the sand and had firmly grasped both the nose and around the butt of the tail, and in place of gently releasing I attempted to throw the ray the last 2m back into the water. Bad decision.......... as the ray was released -airborne the tail and barb dragged across my fingers. Within minutes the pain grew and the blood began to flow and checking the cuts they were almost surgical, deep and straight with 2 almost 5mm deep. i learnt the hard way that it ain’t just the pointy end on a rays barb but also the razor sharp side profile, especially on the little fellas!

I’m with you on the zodias, I run the med/light with a CI4 stradic 1000, and an med/heavy baitcast with a 151 curado dc in the estuaries, the only other use and highly recommend are the Shimano Terez range, I have 4 now. With a 10-20lb 7” married upto CI4 4000, this rod comes with me also but I sits there lonely as I can’t put down the zodias’s. Plus Terez all 1 piece ....... so my advice is useless to you! Lol Have a look at the Shimano Maikuro range, they have a heap of 2 piece and many size options and I’ve heard only good feed back about them, I have a Maikuro med/light jig rod and it is so far proving to be an unbreakable beast, super light and awesome value averaging around the $100 mark, if there spin range performs the same I’d be 😊

I’d have to go with other, I have the most fun with light gear off the beach, day or night, on the good old Australian salmon, great sporting fish on light gear on any beach with any swell. And now I prep them right they have become the families favourite table fish second the the flathead tail!

I’d go a Shimano Terez 6’9 or 7’2 in the 10-30lb range, average price just over $200 but can pick them up cheaper occasionally, only thing is they are all 1 piece so might not suit.

A couple of fews, lol, I culled it back from 9 🙄

I can’t praise Shimano terez rods enough, there’s a 6”9 or a 7”8 that would suit your Saragossa, obviously the 7”8 give you more on the long heavy casting, whilst the 6”9 better on the boat. They are both 40 to 80lb or step up to the heavy 40-100lb in a 6”. I have the 30-50lb with a Shimano thunnus 12000 and love it. About I buy the 40-80lb when they run out this years models. The average around $260+ bit I’ve picked them up on special for as low as $120. Top value and performance in my opinion

I myself only purchased my first alvey only 2 years ago, A series low tech and a whole new experience for me compared to the spin reels I have alway used. It comes to the beach every trip now. The only reason I stepped into the alvey was my wife bought me a new beach rod for Christmas and had no idea what she was buying, when I opened it the giant over sized stripper guide made it quite obvious it was an alvey style rod, so hit he local tackle shop and picked up an alvey to marry up to the rod. I went down to the local football field to practice casting with 10lb mono and a small I think under 2 ounce snapper lead. And it easily whistles out a 80m cast with no bait drag. I can’t fault the ugly stik, for casting or fighting, has had multiple 2+kg salmon under it belt now. I love it! I can grab the exact model of your keen

I highly recommend Shimano terez rods, I have 4 now, varied from 10-20lb, 2x15-30lb, 30-50lb. And they have performed great for me both on bait and lure, the smaller for mostly my plastics but the two 15-30lb are great allrounders. Handling 75cm+ kingies, snapper etc out of the boat and pulled some big salmon off the beaches throwing some long cast raps. I will be buying terez again if I need to replace or get any additional. The pre 2020 models will be on sale soon I would imagine, I know I’ll be getting any on special.

Actually I just search swains and found multiple post with the same questions I’ve asked, but by all means those guys that have been please give me some recommendations

Good info to see someone testing and giving specs on the knots. Personally I double loop every uni knot on the eye of the hook-lure-swivel if the size of the line and eye allows. Other wise use an improved clinch knot, where the tail goes back through the loop before pulling down, this I find really reduces slippage especially on the big mono with fewer twists.

Hi all, just seeking advice on what hardware and tackle I should take on my swains charter mid next year. Will be hopefully pulling fish out of the deeps, GT’s of the reefs and tuna and mackerel where we find them. currently have a few rods I was going to take penn reload 8ft 24kg popper rod with a 10500 penn slammer III, 80lb code red penn battalion 5ft jig 24kg with a 8000 penn conflict 65lb code red shimano terez 7ft 30-50lb with a 12000 thunnus baitrunner, 65lb power pro shimano backbone 24kg with a Tyrnos 20, 85lb power pro Gansel custom boat rod with a tld 20, 30lb mono shimano jewel jig stick with a curado 300E, 30lb wft hybrid braid So any and all advice for or against my selection and also terminal tackle and lures for the trip and quantities of those. Been a long time in the planning and now cant wait for this experience so I want to optimise my time up there and don’t want to go in under gunned or run out of tackle. cheers guys