zoddy

The only decent Bunnings pellets I've seen to date are the Jack Daniels ones... which are typically only good for steak Chunks wouldn't bother me, I'd just plane then down to 'shavings'. I haven't seen them at my local store/s before - but if other stores have them I'll ask them to order some in for me. Thanks!

Thanks for the reply Roberta, my local store doesn't have it but I'll ring around the other nearby stores now that I know they sell it.

Where does everyone get their wood shavings/chips/chunks from? I'd prefer Hickory if possible, but would be happy with any fruit trees (eg: peach, pear, apple etc..) instead, all depends on what I'm smoking. I've seen brickettes and stuff at Bunnings & BBQs Galore, but I'd prefer to buy bulk. I found one bloke on eBay in the US but postage was a killer and he (seller) thought I'd have trouble getting it through customs as it was untreated wood. I tried my local timber yard but they said they really only dealt with pine & mahogony - most of which had been treated in some shape or form. Where does everyone else buy their shavings/chips for smoking? Im in Newcastle, but I'm willing to pay for postage - within reason.

Thanks for the info - the area/s are basically rock breakwalls either side of a channel/inlet into a harbour or lake. I'm effectively standing on the rocks as close to water level as I can, but due to the nature of breakwalls the line is wound back up through rocks. Nothing special really - just a standard breakwall. I'll talk to the guys at the tackle shop nearest where Im fishing as the other store I've been visiting, whilst their prices are pretty good - their local knowledge is very lacking.

Hahahah... well said Is there a secret to reducing/preventing snagging when land-based, or is it just a game of getting the sinker weight right for the conditions?

Love eating them, never tried catching them. I bought a few cheap squid jigs yesterday so I'll throw some around next time Im out that way. Thanks for the tip!

Thanks everyone... I went fishing twice today to see how I went and god its official I suck! I spent 2 hours this morning in the rain over at stockton fishing from the breakwall only to give the fish gods eight hooks/sinkers there due to snags without a single fish landed. So this afternoon I went to swansea to see what I could get near the bridge (I was on the blacksmiths side) as there was some presentation near the rsl. Whilst I only got snagged on a rock once on this side I stood there for 3 hours without even feeling a nibble. I tried across both trips a variety of baits and sinker weights trying to get a feel for whats what... I did find I had a lot of trouble casting any decent distance using really light sinkers and once I bumped the size up a little I could cast, but then they must have just sunk and found the nearest rock to grab a hold of I had fun, so this won't put me off... I think I need to find some spots with minimal rocks or it will become a very costly hobby with little return. The main bait I was using (suggested to me by fishing store I was at this morning) were 2 inch and 3inch pumpkinseed minnows - slimy smelly things but the small fish near the rocks I were fishing from loved em as you could see them going nuts trying to eat it as I wound the line in. I also tried some frozen prawns/shrimp but no luck either. Oh well,

Now I understand it all much better, thanks for the diagrams too tumra Im definately a picture person so these helped a lot! As suggested by you guys I just ducked across the road and grabbed some 6lb mainline and some 6lb flurocarbon line to test out. I'll start by using a running sinker rig on one rod and a plastic jig on the other so I can get a feel for how they cast, wind etc.. and more importantly to broaden my exposure to whats available. I really appreciate everyones help in replying, you've made me very excited about going fishing this weekend as I feel I know enough to catch at least one fish now

This makes sense bar one thing. Where does the sinker fit in all of this as the sinker wouldn't fit or cast correctly if run through the rod guides would it?

Thanks for the reply Geoff, much appreciated! I actually have two rods, both second-hand given to me by my father as he no longer wants them - they are a few years old and are both Jarvis Walker jobs (rod & reel) although I have no idea of model numbers etc.. One is a surf rod and is maybe 7 to 8 feet long whilst the other is around 4 or 5 feet. I'm going from memory as I'm not near the rods at the moment. So I can use a lighter main line and a heavier leader? I didn't realise that. For the leader as I understand it I simply tie off the main line with a swivel and then tie the leader to this swivel? Is this the most practical way of joining the two lines? Then just swapping based on what I'm fishing for or whats biting? How do I know which one to use (ie: bream leader versus flathead leader), is it just a case of try one for a while and swap? You've mentioned a fluro line, so I can use a standard chearp 'clear' line for the main line and the more expensive fluro line just for the leader?

Hello everyone, this is my first post having just signed up for the forums and I wantd to introduce myself. My name is Nathan and I live in Lake Macquarie (Cardiff South) and I'm very new to fishing I signed up as these boards seem very friendly and a valuble wealth of knowledge... I've read the majority of the Lake Macquarie threads and they've given me some good spots to check out so thank you to everyone that has shared their knowledge as its hard to know what to do or where to go without such information. I'll primarily be fishing from land and was after a few quick tips: 1. The line I have at the moment is a 11kg line, is this too heavy? I've read I should only be using the lightest line possible, which would be around a 3-5kg line unless I'm fishing for Whiting, in which case the 11kg is alright. Do people take multiple rods with different sized lines, or whats the deal here as line weight is confusing me a little. 2. Rigging options. What I've read suggests some good tips, but the majority seem to imply I should have as long as possible a leader (i think thats the correct term) - what is the purpose of this? Is it to ensure your sinker etc isn't visible to the fish, thus preventing them from possibly being scared off? I don't have a lot to say nor brag about - just questions, so I'll slink away now.. but look out for some more newbish questions in the future