Andyh

Thanks for that, hopefully repay the favor down the line. Andrew

Hey Mike, Well done on finding the fish today, is there any particular area the fish are? Don't mean to pry just heading out tomorrow and trying to save some valuable time looking for them. Any advice would be appreciated... Andrew

Croydon, I have Lowrance HDS8's on board with a 1kw B260 airmar trandsucer, which is through hull fairing block, to be honest I wouldn't recomend buying a HDS5 for what you want to do, you will need at least a 7 and prefferably an 8. I run three on board, two on the helm and one networked and interfaced via ethernet to a tower. The image is sensational for the money, it's as good as you get in my opinion, the only time I have seen better is when people have spent tens of thousands on Navnet and the likes. To get any sort of definition between bait balls and fish in depths to and around 100FA you are going to need a 1kw transducer and a descent head unit. I have seen the bottom in up to 500FA on 50KH no problem and mark marlin on bait balls as well. Just save for a little longer and get the HDS8, you will regret it if you don't. Any thing else you want to know just ask. Andrew

Andrew, Fished out of Broken Bay last Sunday, water was 22.6 degress around the 50-70 FA line any shallower or deeper it dropped to around 21.3. Marked plenty of bait but fishing was slow. I worked the traps up off terrigal and saw a few 2-3kg dollies lurking around but by the time I was there they weren't to interested in eating (2pm). By the looks of the sea surface charts water is coming in and down the coast at a good rate, I'd be going for sure. Good luck Andyh

I have just removed my Raymarine units and 1kw transducer to install the new HDS 8 units and also installed a new Airmar B260 1kw transducer. Yes you can cut and re-use transducers as a cheap fix but to be honest I agree with other posts and no way would i do it for any units. Also the B in the B260 lowrance transducer stands for Broadband, i figure without the correct transducer you may be selling yourself short? In regards to your question about capabalitiles they will read the bottom, mark fish and bait as well as or even better than the other popular brands, 500 fathoms will not bother the HDS at all. This is based on experience. Andrew

Ross, Do you realise that he caught that Blue on Broadbill around 18 years ago, where has the time gone. I was a seventeen year old kid working for him at the time and had the previlege of being on board that day. Do you recall it was taken on 15kg and faught for a mere 4 mins, it pulled the scales down to around 140kg for memory. I can still remember it like it was yesterday. The fish appeared on the short corner and was almost poking it's bill through the transom it was that close, it ate the lure pulled 50 metres of line off the real then sat there 20 feet down squirming like a worm, you backed up on it, Glen grabbed the trace and the next thing I knew the fish was slid through the door and we all jumped on it before it started to kick. In the twenty years of fishing I have never seen a blue do that again...we also hooked a mother later that day that emptied your 50/80 beastmaster in a matter of minutes, I recall you saying it was over 300kg. Thanks for the memory Andrew

That's definately a southern bluefin, approx 65-70kg. very nice fish and also a fairly rare catch off Sydney. They are mainly an early morning feeder before sun rise. Well Done Fish of a life time right there...

I have reelax poles and bases and find them to be good, get yourself a pair of reef rigger bases and 5.5mtr poles, this is an expensive way to do it but by far the best. Good Luck

Greg, Yeah I'm on the mend, well enough to go fish for spotted vermon up at Lithgow last weekend, how cold is that place. You'll be surprised how little playing you do with fish in a spread of teasers, more like get the teaser in and the bait out ASAP. If you can get Diawa's then that would be the way to go. I mounted two reels of the tower on our boat and run them straight through the first ring on the rigger, gives me something to do...works a treat too Just what your boat needs, more tricks and underwater lights, whats NEXT Been scaring anymore snapper lately? Andy

Greg, We used Miller teaser poles on In a meeting, all we had on them were TLD25's loaded with braid. We only used them for catching bait though, perfect for that as there are no guides to tangle the jigs on. Another use maybe? In regard to teasing fish though i reckon a TLD 30 2 speed would be my pick, don't be to bent up on spool diamater and ratio's just make the boys wind faster...he he he Andy

Hey guys, I have used and installed the black pete riggers before and i can vouch for them being top notch, for memory they do 12 and 16 footers. Give them a call at their office on 9905 7888 and they will advise you on what to use and where to purchase them from. Andrew