TailorNut

I'm also looking at an electric after using a Penn International 30TW to drag up the Gemfish at Browns. Pulling up 2-3kg lead 400+ metres is hard work. Only a couple of drops and I'm exhausted. Waiting to hear if they ban the reels before I invest in one. They're not cheap.

I bought a a Shimano 5"6' travel rod about 2 years ago. I broke on the first use. First and last Shimano flick rod for me. It was unused for 6 months before I took it out. Took it back to the store and left it with them. The Shimano rep thought it was misused. Didn't bother taking it further as the rod only cost $60. Shimano make the excellent reels but due to the bad experience I'll stick with the Ugly Stiks. I've got about 5 Ugly Stiks and two Silstar PowerTips about 1 to 10 years old. Never had a problem except normal wear and tear with the guides.

My understanding is that most of the Hairtail in the shops are imported from Asia

Great report and photos. Are the zandar good to eat

Just stumbled on this topic and have voted. This has really fired me up. Never voted Liberal at parliamentary election but if the NSW Labor implements this policy i'll be voting Liberal at the next NSW election. I think we should put our voice to the Liberal party and with the other million angler votes I don't think Labor will be willing to lose the election. If they do, we can talk to our local Liberal member about making this a topic at the next election. Say NO to marine parks restricting recreational fishing..

Congrats. the grin says it all

I haven't had too much luck at night. Had a hot session a number of years back at Avoca on live yellowtail in the afternoon. After dark the kings stopped and the tailor started. More of a daytime proposition I think.

Nice fish Jewiejoe. I think if it legal than its up to the angler. Imposing C&R views will just turn people off posting. Glad you stepped in early jewhunter. This forum is sharing of fishing reports and information, not debates on whats acceptable to keep.

All I can say is. nice fish....

nice!!!!!

Hello Stylo, I fish almost exclusively with baitcasters / overheads for no real reason except I just like them better for my fishing scenarios although i started with a threadline outfit like most other fishos. Nowadays, I think that they are comparable except when chasing gamefish where overheads are the norm due to better drags and more line capacity. Agree with the other responses. A long winded answer based on my opinion follows. I know this repeats a number of posts by others but may clarify some items: 1. Threadlines are more common as they are definitely easier to use, primarily if it is used to cast a lure or bait. If they are not cast properly then the line will probably work itself into a tangled mess However when cast correctly overheads are more accurate due to the ability for the spool to be slowed down by your thumb to hit a particular spot. I have found that you get better distances when using a threadline compared to an overhead. 2. If your using an overhead on a boat and dropping the bait directly down or letting line out to troll a lure then there isn't much of a difference in difficulty in using an overhead. Just set the drag and adjust the cast control cap on the side of the overhead so the weight of the lure / sinker and bait stops moving in free spool then back off slightly so it starts dropping again. This set the spool so it doesn't overrun and tangle the line when the line is dropped into the water or casted from the boat/shore. 3. Overheads are mounted on top of the rod instead of the bottom. My understanding is that the blanks on some rods are built with support along one side (backbone as mentioned previously) which means the guides are attached on a certain side. The support provides additional strength when the rod is bent when fighting a fish. Also I think the first guide is mounted at a different length from the reel. 4. I personally don't think there is any harm in using the same rod with an light overhead / baitcaster and spinning reel, especially the lighter class rods eg 2-4kg but there are drawbacks. Baitcast rods usually have a trigger which makes them more comfortable to hold when fishing extended periods. Also if using a baitcaster with a rod designed for threadline reels, I found that the thread on the reel mount digs your fingers after a while. Haven't used a larger overhead with a standard threadline rod but would assume the same applies. 5. Suggest you buy the rod to match the reel which is what I have done for all my outfits due to above. 6. The "wheel things" are roller guides which are found on heavier duty outfits such as those used for game fishing. This reduces the friction between the line and the tip of the rod where most of the pressure is when fighting a big fish. These are not usually used or required for smaller outfits. If you haven't owned a baitcaster/overhead and plan to use it to cast a lure / bait, the best thing is to practice at a local park or waterway to get use to the action. This will reduce the likelyhood that a birds nest ruins your first fishing trip with the new reel. Your local tackle store owner should be able to help to get you started. Best of all overheads just feel better when fighting a fish. An analogy would be overhead = manual tranmission on a car. Threadline = automatic transmission. Both work but depends on your preference. Hope this makes sense and helps

If your not looking at spending too much the Silstar Powertips are an excellent rod. I have a 5'6 version which has been used to about 5+ years with no problems. These are pretty durable. Graphite has better sensitivity but needs more care as they break if mishandled.

Mate, that's a nice kingy.....

Aron, Ditto. We should catch up one day on the water. Great being on the water with 3 other raiders. Here are a couple of pics from my camera. First one being me and a little Albacore Second one of pekingduck fighting the Yellowfin Tuna....

Hello Mic, Congrats on the blackfish. Any pics???