Kiwi

I leave mine off. I ran a charter in Nz for 8 years and every time a boat came past with their sounder on the snapper would go off the bite for 10-15 minutes. A good way to stuff someone who anchored too close, put sounder on full and work up their berly trail. The ping sent down by the transducer affects the lateral line on a lot of fish. The only time I left mine on was and is when drifting as you are not bombarding the fish with the ping. Try swimming under the boat when the sounder is on. Even thick skinned people can feel the shocks hitting the skin. Let alone a sensitive fish. Cheers Rowan

Bayley, I agree with you that the 50w is a far more versatile reel for the 90 % of the fishing done for smaller blacks and striped marlin. I have several myself and also have a couple of 80w for when I go wide for the Blues. This happens maybe 2-3 times a year. I am a big bloke so can lean back against the 80 safely but enjoy the 50 as a more easily weighted and worked reel. I got my 80's because I was spanked by a double strike of blues a couple of years ago and could do nothing but watch as it happened. I wanted to give myself a better chance of getting 1 in. I also fish solo a lot and the heavier line allows me a bit of freeway when things get hectic in the first few minutes of the strike. Rowan

It is not just straight line distance but how fast the blighters can turn and go. You can have the line screaming out the back with the Blue greyhounding 200m off your bow in seconds. This is why most use minimum 37kg with 60kg for the chair rods. Also having the maximum length possible if you do a search you will find the most sucessful boats use full length leaders so as to not lose any lenght from having a windon. it is better to be a bit over gunned and have a chance than to hook and land the big one than lose it through being spooled. The line strength does come into play considering how many do the death dive to the bottom. All things to think about when the first screamer jumps on. As Dirty Harry said "Do I feel lucky today" Rowan

[Mother in Law???

I used Light house Charters last time down there 2 months ago. Good blokes very helpful and professional. I have used others and it depends on who is on the wheel and how big their night before was Cheers Rowan

Tabs boats seem to be the go. Good boats delivered where you want them. Not sure of price . Symonds loved them till he went fishing instead of training??

Hi Mark, Sorry can't help with gps but fish out of Tuross a fair bit also out from Narooma. Light House charters are pretty good and honest for charters out to Montague. In Tuross lake try the deep hole out from the Pickled Octapus towards the Port marker. Big flatties and bream also small snapper. The tackle shop in Narooma is the best around. They were in the process of moving when I was down there a coupl of months ago to the bottom of the hill near the ramp on the main drag. Cheers Rowan