Croydon

Hi Jimmy, I have the same sounder on my boat. Purchased it from the States about 12 months ago. I like the sounder and when set up correctly, works well at speed. It is the second Raymarine I've had and both suffered a little from fogging. So I wouldn't be surprised if you have the same drama. I've taken the boat out to the shelf a few times and get readings to about 120 fathoms then it becomes a bit hit and miss. The unit only reads in fathoms and feet which can be a pain. Other than the fogging I can't complain about it. Hope this helps........ Dave

Might just hold you to that Luke. Let me know in advance and we might be able to get out togethr for a play on the water. Dave

Hi Luke, Sorry to hear you didn't do too well. The water was a bit green and cold on the weekend. You struck a poor weekend by the sounds of it, the fishing is generally pretty good around that area. If your coming back down int he future, spear me an email and I'll get a few gps marks for you. Sorry I wasn't able to help before but been a bit busy with work and the like. Cheers........ Dave

Hi guys, Was trolling a dark and a purple jethead, along with a 4' bagleys minnow in a pilchard pattern, which got all the fish. A mate was at the ramp at Mosquito Bay (Malua Bay) and spoke to a guy who was out today. Apparently had a nice size yellow fin. He said they come across quite a few on the 68 - 70 fathom line!! Might have to go again this weekend..... Good luck with the snapper. Pick a good bit of ground anywhere around Sth Durras and if you find some on the drift, stop and burley. You should get a few. As for staying at Sth Durras. One small shop is about it. You have to come into town for restaurants and entertainment, but Durras is a beautiful place to stay. All the best guys for the weekend.... Dave

Hi guys, I went out with a couple of mates on Saturday. On leaving the Bay the water was around 17 deg, hit the 70 fathom mark and got to about 18.5. Trolled a few lures eventually hitting the shelf and just over for nothing. Heavy fog until lunch time, very little activity bird/fish wise. Stopped and cubed for 3 hours, but continually bitten off by leather jackets. What a pain. Decided to troll back after lunch and came across some water which was around 20.5 deg, with a lot of brown algae in the water. Picked up some nice stripies but that was it. As the wind got up we decided to head home. Great fun day with good seas, but not much to write home about fish wise. Speaking to a few mates, there are still some good snapper around and the advice to hit the Durras area is on the money. Good luck, hope to be out on the weekend but see how we go. All the best.... Dave

What a sensational trip, wish I was back up there!! Great photo's, looks like a heap of fun...... Dave

Hi Macka, The two days we fished Shady we didn't use the salt water ramp. We launched from the fresh side and headed around the back to a few runoffs and then into the Mary River proper. Came back the same way. sorry I can't help. Dave

Now that is one beautiful salty!!!!! Aren't they just magic.... Dave

Have you met the 'Guru'? Great bloke, needs to stop drinking red cordial though. He looked after us well.... Dave

Thanks folks, I'm really glad everyone enjoyed the photo's and story as much as we did. If you ever get the chance to do something similar, go for it. It's worth the saving, the organising and the occasional disagreement with the fun sherriff!! It's just got to be done..... To see every barra we caught swim away - gold! The look on my mates face with that huge barra says it all. Cheers... Dave

G'day Red, The saltwater barra we picked up Reidys B52's about 6" long. Very much like the mullet which were swimming all round the place. Dived to a couple of feet while trolling grass beds about 6' deep. The majority of freshies came on soft plastics of all shapes, sizes and colours. Just kept changing and catching... I'll have a look back and see what one's in particular stand out. Thanks.. Dave

Hi folks, I just got back from a trip of a life time. Last week, myself and 5 mates took off for Darwin for a little R & R. What a trip! The place lived up to everything you hear about it. First days fishing was on a deep sea charter out of Darwin Harbour. Ended up travelling 35nm from port looking for the fish as there was a huge 7m tide. This made things a little tough but when the tide change came, the fish weren't too far behind. My mate Dean got the below jew which was the best for the day. It went a shade under 10Kg's. This wasn't the last for his trip though.... The following day we headed to Shady Camp on the Mary River. This place is just paradise. Everything that swims with teeth could be found...... As there were 6 of us we fished three to a boat and in the one day we boated just over 160 Barra, from first year sprats to models in the 65cm department. Our boat pulled in 101 fish for the day and we must have dropped half that many again. Most fish were caught on a variety of soft plastics in various brands and sizes. Two days later he headed out, below the barrage to troll for some bigger fish. It took a while but we found some. These guys were around the 75cm mark which my brother and I picked up. Beautiful silver salty's........... But the best of the day went to Dean - again. A fantastic female of 108cm caught on 20lb braid and 60lb leader, on a Reidy's silver B52. A fish we will never forget! I've got to say it was the best holiday I've had in a long long time. My arms hurt from catching fish, my liver hurts from 1 too many beers and my jaw hurts from a week of laughter. Time to start saving for the next one!! Kind of makes it hard to come home and chase the humble snapper! But I guess I'll just have to make do. All the best and I hope you enjoy the photo's...... Dave

This weekend I head to Darwin for a week with 5 mates, a carton or two and the very real chance of a barra or three!! I can't wait...................... Dave And that was the last trip.........................

Hi Red, I also have a 560C, which has a 115hp Yamaha Saltwater Series 2 stroke, which is about 2 years old and done around 65Hrs. On my last trip out to the shelf I covered about 130K's for the day at normal speeds, nothing flat out and used around 120L's. This is a rough guestimate as I find the gauges on the boat aren't too accurate. I would expect you'd get better economy out of the E-TEC. Did you get the photo's I sent you of the outriggers? All the best......... Dave

Thanks for the thoughts and well wishes. The snapper have been pretty good lately, can't say the same for the kingies since the marine park started. All the best grounds are closed and I haven't found anything new and reliable as yet. Might have to head to Sydney Harbour, you guys have been braining them!!! Tight lines... Dave

G'day folks, Haven't posted for a while. Probably because I've spent too much time working in the garden and not enough fishing. Decided today was the day. Called up a mate last night and met at the ramp at a leisurely 6.30am. Headed out into a beautiful sunrise and the flattest sea I've seen for a while. Pulled up at Snapper Island (just out of Batemans Bay) and had 20 slimies/yakkas in about 10 minutes. Better than the last outing, couldn't get one in an hour and a half! Turned the Bar Crusher north to Pebbly Beach and headed to an area off some fish trap boys. We were in about 40m of water with the sounder showing 23 deg. and that beautiful blue you just love to see. Plenty of fish on the sounder but it took a while to get them to feed. Then this one takes a whole live yakka, I'd set close to the bottom. You beauty, dinner tonight....... It was the best fish of the day. We tried a heap of great looking ground, but in the end, took home 2 good snapper, half a dozen flatties about 45cm and a few good size nannygai. Not bad for a slow day. As you can see the sea was just sensational. A little better than last fortnight as in the photo below. Sea's were up but the snapper on. Took home 10 not much smaller than this one my mate hooked up!! Anyway, it was great just to get out again. Isn't this weather just fantastic, looks like summer has finally gotten here! All the best...... Dave

The water dreams are made of! Just fantastic......... Dave

Thanks mate, I've always got a can of the stuff in the boat, it's a great product. Much appreciated..... Dave

Hi Bob, Thanks for that, but I decided to give it a go myself, after the tips above, a bit of reading and some research on line. After getting onto the Cannon website I found that the rigger draws 25 amps at full load. Hopefully the way I've gone about things all should be OK. Much appreciated.... Dave

Jewgaffer, It all brings a tear to the eye!! With all the doom and gloom you see and read today it's nice to see what people are really all about. Get out there and enjoy life, she's all too short. All the best to you and little jewgaffer, I hope there are many more fish together....... Dave

Folks, After all the good advice from everyone above and a bit of searching on the net, I was happy enough to go ahead and put the rigger in. I tested the rigger befor installing and found it to be in top working order. Installed upper and lower aluminium backing plates, for the mounting bracket to sit on. All drill holes and plates we're repainted and sealed with marine grade silicone. I ran 6mm tinned and insulated wire from the battery terminals to the rigger wiring, with an in-line 30amp fuse on the positive. All connections were joined with heat seal connectors and wrapped in electrical tape. When not in use the rigger is removed and terminals covered by a factory supplied/fitted rubber gromet. This should prevent terminals shorting out on the hull. The cables were tied back and placed out of harms way and then turned on. Surprise, surprise she worked!! Now for the test run tomorrow. The South Durras kingy population better watch out. Hope to post some pics of rigger in action tomorrow. Thanks again to everyone for their advice, it's much appreciated........ Dave

Thanks folks, All the help above is fantastic. Once again this site comes through for anyone in need of good advice. I did a bit of searching the net and got onto the Cannon site which listed their owner manuals. Their directions for wiring are as stated above. The specs were interesting though. They recommend the use of a 30Amp, 32 volt waterproof fast blow fuse or circuit breaker on the positive and if running 0 - 15ft of wire, 10 gauge. The manual also has a 'blowback cart' giving estimates of your actual trolling depth dependant upon rigger weight, trolling and current speed. It makes interesting reading and if anyone wants the details let me know, I'll scan the chart and attach it. Once again thanks for the help it's much needed........ Dave

Thanks guys, the info and advice is most welcome and appreciated........ Dave

G'day folks, Got a technical question relating to wiring up my down rigger. As will become obvious, this is something I know little (ie. nothing) about! So to make things a little easier I've added pictures. I have an old Cannon Digitrol IV electric down rigger, which I intend on installing in my 560c Barcrusher. I've sorted out positioning and the like but not too sure on how to wire it up. The boat runs a twin battery system, to a red multi switch. The wiring loom is at the rear of the helm, and provides power for all the boats usual electronics. What is the best way to earth the down rigger and where should I pick up power from? Should I run an in line fuse between the power source and rigger? I've heard about 'copper coated wire' (I think that's right) which is more suited to the marine environment. What size should I use and where do you purchase it? Should I bite the bullet and pay someone to install it for me? The last set of driving lights I wired up in my car lasted 7 years, but you guessed it, the wire wore through shorted and created some overtime for the local fire brigade!! This, I don't want in my boat, firies don't swim too well..... Any help you can give would be much appreciated. Thanks.......... Dave

Can't find a decent Carlton Draught to go with the name, but I keep trying. And for the Canberrans, they're a bit like the cheese and kisses, you gotta luv 'em but occasionally it's nice from a distance. And your worried about backlash............