Benzeenees

I'll try that next time I'm at the coast. Yes, the problem occurs on the water. The first time the full chart came up was outside the garage! I've already installed the latest software. Thanks for the suggestion.

Yes, I've sent them an email. But sometimes Fishraider is faster!

I bought a platinum plus chart about 18 months ago. I used it without any problems in a Lowrance HDS5 gen 1 plotter/sounder. Recently I upgraded to a Lowrance HDS7 gen2 plotter/sounder. The plotter detects the chart but I mostly get a low resolution chart (a bit better than the built in Lowrance chart, but not very accurate). Occasionally I get the full Platinum + chart, but not often. The chart comes on a micro SD, with an Navionics SD adapter. Can I use a different adapter to see if there is a problem with the contacts? Can anyone suggest anything else I can do to get the Platinum+ chart back?? Help please!!

I'll try another batch soon. Perhaps I'll give the kiwifruit a go as I have 2 NZ daughters-in-law.

yesterday we caught a giant cuttlefish and a calamari squid and used both to prepare some crumbed calamari. I probably cooked it for too long as the oil wasn't really hot. It took 4 or 5 minutes to go golden. It was a little bit chewy but we couldn't tell the cuttlefish from the squid. As the cuttlefish was over a cm thick I had cut it into 5mm thick strips about the same as the squid. Has anyone else tried cooking cuttlefish. I have a lot still in the freezer so I need recipes.

But it was only 45cm! Then caught 1 small legal snapper, 4 good sized flathead and a gummy shark.

I have to say that after the initial few runs I was wondering what I had hooked. And when I looked at the GPS afterwards, I realised that the fish had towed me about 70m (away from the rocks, fortunately). Maybe that's what tired it out. And, of course, I didn't get to measure it. But it was big. And when I tried to lift it, its reaction was fairly violent. Salmon do grow to about 90cm and 6kg, but not as heavy as a 90cm king (over 8kg).

Well, all we've ever caught trolling there is salmon. And to be honest I think that kg for kg they fight as well as kings. And if you're sceptical about the length, all I can say is that I have landed a 90cm king in that net (with help) and I couldn't get this one in (on my own). And I'm still surprised that the fish didn't head for the bottom.

I think it was 20 kg braid - so about 40lb. But it was a bit worn! What surprised me was that the king didn't head for the bottom. It stayed up just like a salmon. I'm going to try again on Sunday but this time I'm going to anchor and burley. I'll pick up a few yakkas before I get there - there are heaps around at the moment. Might even get out again on Monday - the latest forecast doesn't look too bad. Anyone out there have any experience burleying for kings?

I haven't done a lot of fishing this year. We've had lots of rain right thru March and strong winds the rest of the time. The last couple of trips have resulted in very little- not even a flathead. But we did pick up a few salmon off Moruya Heads. In addition there are a few leatherjackets around, always ready to snip you off. So I wasn't very optimistic on Tuesday when I hit the water. My regular fishing partner was on grandfather duty so I was on my own. The day started like the previous few. Nothing at the snapper reefs then "snip"! Nothing at the kingfish spots. No flathead. And then, at one of the flathead spots I got a 35cm snapper. Then nothing. On to another spot, and then another. Then I picked up a small legal mowie and a small legal trevally. As I drifted off the reef something grabbed my bait - it was a nice 55cm flathead. Then 5 more all above 45cm. Success at last. Things went quiet and it was time to go. But I decided to give the salmon just of the point at Moruya Heads a go. I had a 2m Halco Laser Pro lure on a fairly light rod I use for snapper and flathead. The el-cheapo reel was loaded with 20kg no-name braid from ebay. I was trolling in 6m to 10m of water above rocks and snags. Then - whack! Zzzzzzzz! It was a good salmon, possibly the biggest I have ever hooked so I backed the drag off. It gave me a real fight, but finally I got it close to the boat and ..... hang on ..... that's not a salmon! A few more runs and I had an exhausted kingfish of about 90cm (or maybe more) next to the boat. But I couldn't get it into the net on my own. And I forgot I had a gaff! So I tried to lift it in. That's when it went berserk! Snap! Goodbye kingfish.

280 hrs is basically a new engine. leave it.

The fishing around Moruya Heads has been dismal lately and the weather looks to be bad for the next few days. Last week we ended up trolling around the heads for salmon. Got about 6 - quite good smoked. But on our last run we hooked a small Samson fish - at least that's what it looked like. Couldn't take a photo as I had killed my phone by immersing it in water at Tuross the day before. Do Samson fish go that far south?

Has anyone opened one? I am considering opening up my HDS5 to see if there is any internal water damage. The beeps, including alarms, have stopped working. But I'm not sure what type of screws hold the back on. And are there any special precations concerning the water seal or anything else?

I have a custom made one for my 490 topender. Cost about $1000 seven years ago. Its secured on each side by three stretchy cords with plastic hooks on the end. They clip around the longitudinal member of the trailer. Very quick and easy. At the stern there are 8 stretchy loops that fit over little studs on the boat. At the bow there is a pocket that fits over the the thing that the anchor runs through. Sounds complicated and expensive but its very quick and effective. Designed so that water runs off, but the canvas-type material is waterproofed. A friend had the studs - a real pain to put on.

Try the beach at Mollymook or at Tabourie lake. Also Burrill lake on the sea side of the bridge.

I haven't had a problem with the graphics (using Navionics Platinum on an HDS5), but there is a more serious problem. The depth data is incorrect. I have found (without trying) 2 locations where the depth contours are totally wrong. Navionics say there is nothing they can do about it. The reason I bought the Platinum option was to locate potentially interesting structure. But its not possible to rely on the data, so what good is it? Perhaps the Gold option is equally incorrect?

For what you are planning either would be good, but perhaps stay at the lower end around 5.1 to 5.3m would be plenty. I have a 60hp Yamaha 4 stroke on a 5m Quintrex. Hasn't missed a beat in 7 years. Very economical. We use it offshore mainly up to 20km out, but mainly 10 - 15km.

Stacers are made by the same people as make Quintrex. My brother has a Stacer and is very happy with it. 5.5m is big enough to venture well out to sea but could be a bit big for some estuaries. My 5m quintrex is too big for the Tomaga river and even some parts of Tuross. But we regularly go 10 - 15 km offshore. If you really are focussing on bays and estuaries you might look for something a bit smaller. I imagine that Stacer has a motor around 100hp. So you would be using a lot more fuel than my 60hp donk.

Let us know when you're going to be at Ulladulla. Perhaps we could arrange a 2 boat trip out.

The ramp is good, but unless conditions are light you really need 2 people. One to hold the boat while the other gets the trailer coming in. One to drive the boat when launching. Pulling a boat of even 5m onto the beach is difficult with even a small swell.

I'm sure the report was OK - fish one day, no fish the next. That's kings for you. Looks like the place to be was The Pinnacles down near Aughinish Rocks SW. About 5km SW of the island. Oh well, there's always next time.

I think its important for others to know if things are quiet. Mostly I catch fish, even if its only a few small flathead. I don't count sub-legal fish or live bait. I'd like to hear from others about quiet trips, especially on the south coast.

There were a lot of boats out, but we didn't see too many fish coming in. There was a lot of movement - skippers hunting around for signs of fish. Generally when you see boats moving a lot its not good. And most boats had gone by about 11am. We got in just before 1pm which is early for us. As we were leaving the ramp a fellow on the wharf said there were kingfish at the Pinnacles on Monday. But I don't have a mark called that. There is a dive site west of the island by that name, but I couldn't find GPS co-ords for it. There are also pinnacles at a mark a few k's south west of the island -Aughinish Rocks south west. Does anyone know any other possible locations for "the pinnacles" at Montague?

The report said that the kings were on at Montague and that many were over the magic 65cm. And we knew things were quiet at moruya heads and off tuross. So we were up at 4.30am and on the road by 5. We arrived at Apex Park ramp around 6 and were on the water 15 minutes later. The bar was nice and quiet and we were soon trying for some livies. Live bait, jigs and squid, in that order according to the report. The report also said that live bait was difficult to come by - not wrong! We eventually had about 8 minnow sized yakkas, a few pike and some other rubbish. So, off to the island. The usual raging current was not there and neither were the kings. North, south, everywhere we tried - nothing. We did find schools of yakkas to the west of the island, in close. But they were not biting on jigs even when we added bait. But they loved our berley pellets. We did get 6 and tried the north end again just before the wind came up. So a big zero, not even a snapper, mowie or flathead.

fantastic report. Even though you lost a few, sounds like a great session.