LittleNoah

I've got a shimano sedona 2500 spooled with 4lb rapala braid, it hasn't had a LOT of use but so far im impressed, prety smooth and no dramas. Before that I had 2 pflueger reels, can't remember exactly what type but one of them I paid $200 for. Had to take them both back under warranty, the 1st one cost me about $130 from memory, that was crap so I swapped it and put about another $70 and got the 2nd one then that failed too. I ended up swapping that for a charter special (completely differfent I know) and bought the sedona for about $90 and guess what, it shits on both the pfluegers. Good luck.

Nah mate, get the donut. My family have been going down to sussex inlet and fishing in the basin since before i was even born (im 25) and more recently skiing and we've never seen or heard of any, You shouldnt lose any kids mate.

I saw that bloke on the news about 6 or 12 months ago, I think it was when he actually "caught" the first 1. Couldn't believe what i was seeing. Can't help but wonder though, is this bloke attracting them up the canals if he is constantly/regularly fishing for them.

I've never heard of this before, I'm right handed and hold the rod in my left and wind with my right. I reckon it would feel pretty akward to do it in reverse

As has basicly been said above, it's not really a question of is the boat capable, it's more about are you capable and will the weather allow it on the day. Before my old man bought the bigger boat (17' 1/2 cab) I have been outside fishing off the beach and around the islands at Port Kembla plenty of times in a 12' punt with a 15hp, you just got to pick your days. I have put the boat in, left the harbour and then turned around and went straight back in a few times because it was worse than it looked when we got out there, got to expect it in small boats. Good luck.

Yeah mate, the 5hp will be working pretty hard to push that. Used to have a 5hp on the back of a 12foot tinny and it struggled, I would recomend a 9.9 or 15hp.

Have a go off the rocks infront of the lighthouse, can't tell you how to get there because I can't remember but I think it's called lighthouse point so you can ask for directions. It's a bit of a hairy walk down from up on the point to where you fish, it's not too bad but don't go trying to do it pissed or anything. If you go on low tide theres heaps of cunje next to the little beach thats around to your right when you get down to the rocks. Where I'm talking about fishing is in a big alley so it's very protected from basicly any sea, theres a small island out infront of you and you fish towards it, would probably be good for snorkelling aswell. Maybe have a look at it on google earth before you go and you'll see what I'm talking about, its a little hard to explain it exactly. Good luck.

Hi Boban, beautiful boat mate, I hope to own somwthing similar one day. Just curious on your choice of outboards. I was doing some reading about ETECs and a google search I done gave me a link to a fishraider thread about ETECs from mid last year where you didn't seem to be real keen on them and much prefered your 4-stroke, and while I was reading your posts I remembered this thread from a little while ago. So I'm just wondering what changed your opinion for you to buy a boat (a bloody spectacular boat at that) with TWIN ETECs. I've copied some of your replies into this post incase you forget the thread as I don't know how to post a link o the original thread. Would be very interested to hear about why you changed from 4-strokes when you seemed to be very happy with your previous outboard. Here is my opinion for what its worth. If you want ski boat type of acceleration, and will be working at high speeds constantly, then I think the DFI's are a more suitable option. If you any amount of trolling, with the motor at low revs, or spend large amounts of time outside, then I think the four strokes are more suitable. My experience with my four stroke has been all positive so far. The same cannot be said for that technology that has been around for ever, the humble 2 stroke. Today I got a call from an outboard engine mechanic of some standing. He is one person I trust and one person in the industry who many respect. After we discussed the matters which he rang me for, I asked him about which motor to buy for my upcoming purchase in the 225Hp category. He told me that the Suzuki 4 stroke is one sweet motor. He advised against the ETEC for a number of reasons but none that I will repeat, as I couldn't answer any in depth questions as to why he doesn't like them. He did say that "in the end its still a 2 stroke". I think 30+ years in the industry is a reasonable amount of experience. And I know for a fact that he has had a long association with 4 strokes and 2 strokes.

my oldies were up there for a holiday not long ago and my old man got a few blue swimmers in the witches hat traps just across from where they stayed at bar point. They werent huge but not bad. Don't know what he used for bait. Good luck.

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thanks for all the tips, yeah it is more than 10yr old, it's a 96 model.

Hi all, So as the title says I been having trouble with the motor stalling all the time while in the water at idle and then being a little hard to start. The reason I said while in the water is because it idle beautifuly and starts easy on the muffs in the driveway. It doesn't matter if it's in gear or neutral, still the same, when you back off the revs it usually idles for about 30sec or so, maybe more or less sometimes, then stalls. It then wont start without choke and some accelerator. It starts easy like that, but you shouldn't need choke or accelerator when it's warm and it never used to be like this to start. Once it was warm you hardly had to pull the cord and away it went, but it still starts easy like that on muffs in the driveway, I don't get why it is so different on the water compared to on the muffs. Any ideas?

aren't bluefin tuna worth top dollar

don't have any ideas on what you're after, just wanted to say that I've always found if you're light is too bright the prawns are spooked by it and swim away "at the speed of light"

Bit of both mate, they are running out to sea and they are active aswell. If they're not running they're just not there for you to catch.

That depends what lake you're prawning in. Where you're asking about in Lake Illawarra I was taught 4 days after full moon, but when we used to prawn down at sussex inlet it was 10 days after the full moon. For example, this week there's basicly no-one out prawning on the lake here, where as a week or so ago the lake was lit up like a christmas tree with prawning lights. Also my pop, my dad and now me have always gone by this rule for Lake Illawarra and last season I only prawned 1 dark, going by this rule, over 4 nights my mate and I averaged around 9 or 10kg a night between us, so it seems to work OK for me. I've got no idea how any other lakes or rivers work for prawns. The tide in the lake here is around 2 - 3 hrs behind the tide charts, depends on the size of the tide I think. There's only around 1/2hr of slack water and then the tide starts ripping again, theres heaps of water coming in and out now the lake is open again. Never tried a headlight but what roberta said sounds OK if you're walking.

Hi moldyform, Equipment - You will obviously need a prawning net which you can get at basicly any tackle store, kmrt, bigw, etc. A light (most people use underwater lights which you can probably get at the same place as your net) in which case you need a car battery to run it. Depending on weather you are walking or in a boat you could need waders, a floating box of some sort to hold the battery and a bucket to put your prawns in. If in a boat you obviously don't need the floating box. The other type of light (which i prefer, but i prawn out of a boat) is the old gas light, I reckon the under water lights are too bright and the prawns are spooked by the light but if walking you don't really have a choice. Moon/tide, when & where - I was taught to go around 4 days after the full moon. Has to be the run out tide at any time of night. Try either down the entrance or in the back channel if you're a walker or basicly anywhere along the edge of the channel next to a weed bed if in a boat. Hope this helps, good luck. P.S. There's no better prawn than a fresh cooked Lake Illawarra prawn

Yeh that looks a bit warm mate, you should try working with molten steel thats over 1500C, thats bloody hot.

snapper hunter, dude, take a chill pill. Why would you let something so minor bother you so much? Surely you must have bigger things in life to worry about mate. I'm only a new member here but read a lot of posts before signing up and never seen anyone get so fired up about a blury picture. I'd hate to see how you react when the TV reception goes bad??? Deep breaths mate, deep breaths. And well done on the kings.

You share a B'day with my mrs then, she hates it being on boxing day, too close to Xmas. I can understand that, but like you said, atleast its a public holliday, not many people can say their b'day is a public holliday.

Mate, I can tell you, it's bloody heartwrenching, I've been trying for ages now, I was so stoked winding it in, then that ending, I'm at home drowning my sorrows now.

Went out on like illawarra today fishing for flattys. After a alittle while I had hooked my 1st ever fish on a SP, got it up to the boat, a nice flatty,about 45cm at a guess, but no landing net ... As i had him swimming around the top of the water for a few seconds deciding how I was going to get him in the boat the bloody thing got off. I was devestated, so I still havn't actually "caught" a fish on a SP, gotta keep trying I guess

Hi all, probably not the best 1st post but I seen an absolute pearler tonight while watching the footy I thought I should share. It was for bundy rum, granny drops her grandson and 2 mates off at the footy, when they get out of the car 1 of the grandsons mates says thay should order a taxi now for when the footy finishes. The grandson says no need to, gran is coming back, I got her teeth and he holds up a set of false teeth. Absolute pearler I reckon. Any way, hi to all, great site here, shame my 1st post wasn't a better 1, anyway, good to be a member after reading for so long. CHEERS!!!