Berleyguts

Get well soon, Byron. All the best. Baz

It was posted by 'crunch' (apparently a now banned member) on 13 March 2010, with photos. I printed it out and happened to be cleaning my desk out today and found it. It does look yum. Baz

Sadza, You are right 640 x 640, 5 inch diagonal. I couldn't find my notes! Craig's Fishraider price he offered bettered any price I could find online but I suggest you send him a PM or give hime a ring. He gave me a lot of feedback over the phone to help me make my choice. I was fortunate enough to have a big birthday bash recently and a bunch of friends chipped in to give me a decent store credit at Huett Marine, which I will be taking up next week some time. Regards, Baz

After talking to Huey (Craig @ Huett Marine) as I am looking for a combo in the same price range, I am leaning towards the Humminbird 788 as he reckons it has far better resolution (680 x 480). The Lowrance HDS5 scans far deeper than I will ever go and if you're in the Harbour/Botany Bay/Pittwater do you think you'll be fishing in 1300m of water? However, you can add side scan imaging to the HDS later but it need a second transducer and a box about the size of a ream of A4 paper - so ruled that out for my tinny! Huey - can offer a very competitive Fishraider price. I recommend you send him a PM. I'll be finalising my purchase in the next week or so. Baz

Or contact the local councillor for you ward. Get them on teh case. Baz

I have more success with a 3 litre clear jucie bottle but that could be because when I used them, I was in a better location. In a little inlet off the Swansea Channel on a rsining tide early in the morning, I set the trap and walked off to flick a few lures - came back in 10 or 15 mins and it was full of poddies. One of those poddies snared me a 87cm flathead! Get clear juice bottles with the little fold up handle on the lid, I'll tell you why shortly. Clean the labels off - try goo remover, eucalyptus oil, hot soapy water etc. Lay the bottle on its side and on the the (now) top side, make a cross-cut about 3 x 3 inches square (or whatever that is in the metric equivalent). Fold the traingular bits made by the cross-cut down into the bottle. Tie a snapper lead to the handle to weigh it down. Better yet, glue a small sheet of lead to the bottom side of the bottle (when its laying flat, that is). Now, why I like the handle - you can secure the bottle in the sand with a tent peg through the handle. This helps prevent it floating away in teh current if the lead is not sufficient. Good luck, Baz

Happy Birthday, guys. Have a good one! Tight lines and bent rods! Baz

Thanks Huey. PM Sent. Regards, Baz

At this stage, in a combo, I am leaning towards the Lowrance HDS5 or the Lowrance Elite-5, which are both in the $900-$1000 range. However, I think I'll need a fallback in the $600-700 range. Can you get a combo in this range, or am I better off getting a stand-alone fishfinder and worrying about GPS later? Thanks, Baz

Thanks Geoff. PM sent. That spreadsheet would be great. I expect I will need to find something around the middle price range but if I can subtly leave a list of a few options, taht shoudl give them something to choose. Cheers, Baz

Hi, I have not been too active on Fishraider over the past few months (or fishing) due to my Dad passing away around Easter and one thing or another but I do pop in and read posts from time to time. Anyway... I am hitting the dreaded half century mark in about a month and I have been asked if I'd like a new Fishfinder. "Hell, yes!" I said. The Navman that came with my Stacer is pretty useless really. I'm not actually supposed to know but my wife had to ask me what model I would like. A group of people will be chipping in so I have to have a few options depending on how much they get. Boat is a 4.0m Stacer runabout and I will mainly be fishing the Hawkesbury, Georges, Botany, Port Hacking, Sydney Harbour, estuary systems north and south and maybe sneaking in close outside on a good day, plus freshwater lakes for trout and a bit of bassing etc. I guess colour and GPS would be great to have, so a combo....? I've been browsing the forums for ideas and guess I should be able to find something in the Eagle, Humminbird or maybe Lowrance range? I'd appreciate some model ideas in the following price ranges: around $400; around $600; $750-$1000 and prices in between. Any tips greatly appreciated. Is it best to have an internal or an external antenna? Thanks, Baz

I haven't fished down that way for years but remember catching bream, yakkas etc. around Ulladulla Harbour. North of Ulladulla is Mollymook and if beach fishing is your thing, Mollymook beach is worth a go for salmon, tailor, bream etc. and maybe jew. The rocks at the north end of Molly beach are worth a go. South of Ulladulla, there are worthwhile beaches too, e.g. Racecourse Beach. One of my favourite spots was Ulladulla Channel, a rock fishing spot below the lighthouse adn I was alwaya able to get a feed of bream, pigs, tailor or salmon. I consider it a fairly safe spot, too, as it is buffered by a big section of rock/reef. Have a look on Google maps. Good luck. Baz

Nice couple of fish there Pete. Well done! I am heading to Wisemans after my soccer game tomorrow night and will fish with the on Sat and Sun. There are ski races on so I'll be fishing below the ferries. Baz

I will be fishing at Wisemans for the whole weekend. There are ski races on, so I will head below the ferries. Baz

Thanks for the report, Pete. Unfortunately, I didn't get up to Wisemans over Easter (or been fishing anywhere for some weeks) as my Dad has been very sick and I have been basically sleeping at the hospital until his time comes. Hopefully, I will be able to get back to the river in a couple of weeks and get a few fish. I'll have to meet you on the river one day! Baz

Back in '91, I took my 10/15kg game rod (Fuji runners/roller tips/straight butt) that I built up on JS980X blank. This rod would be about 6'1" I think and so the tube was a lttle longer. Had no problems and it did the job. I don't think you need a longer rod in a boat. I also took a 7ft (ish) 4-6kg spin stick, which I built on a Butterworth Superbarra blank and later cut to two-piece for backpacking - that handled the kings, too (although I did get busted off a few times...!). There are plenty of rods that will do the job. I think the majority of the flights from Sydney are on Dash 8's. The smaller planes like Cessnas and Pipers, e.g. out of Port Macquarie, would be more restrictive. I posted a bunch of lures and other stuff ahead to collect from the PO when I got there, to free up room in my luggage. If you choose this option, remember that mail other than letters goes by ship and there is only one ship every two weeks, so you need to allow 21 days. The ship has a 6-week layover twice a year (dry-dock), too. There is no air-mail option but if you pay the extra for Express Post you can get it on a plane. However, the airlines sometimes offload mail, particularly in peak periods and in heavy weather to give priority to fuel, passengers and perishables. They'll get it on a flight later in the week but you need to allow extra time for letters and Express Post as well. You are going to have a great time. LHI is a wonderful place. Baz

I usually use a swivel between my doubled main line and my leader and tie the balloon straight to the swivel with cotton, fairly close, so you don't get the wrapping effect. Baz

It's not a gee-up. Some fishos collect the jewels. There are a few threads hereabouts on the subject. Haven't collected any myself but I have seen them on display. Baz

You are probably right, which reminds me... a neighbour of mine years ago, who was a boilermaker by trade and he made his own boat trailers. He used fill the rhs(?) tubes up with fish oil (or it might have been sump oil) and seal the ends. Don't think he ever had rust issues. Baz

I think you mean POR15 - you just sand back the rust, clean it up with wax and grease remover and paint it on straight over (brush or spray) - it dries rock hard... but you must top coat with regular paint (acrylic, enamel or two pack) within 24 hours. POR 15 is UV senistive. Great stuff. Used it on my kombi but as it was under the windscreen seal and not exposed to lioght, I didn't need to top coat. Baz

It's a long way around for you but Bonnie Vale on the south side of Port Hacking is a nice spot for what you have in mind. Actually, it's not so far for you, as you can boat across but others would have to drive there. Baz

The first fish I ever recall catching on a lure was a flathead, on a 1/4 oz Wonder Wobbler, off the beach near Dolls Point. Sometime later, I also caught a flathead in the same area on a lure I made from a toothbrush. As you live near Botany Bay, that stretch along from Dolls Point to Brighton would be worth a go. Baz

My club has a social outing on Botany Bay this Sunday, with weighin at lunchtime at Frenchmans Bay. Guess I'll chase kings if I can get some squid and /or yakkas. Maybe drift for some lizards, too. Cheers, Baz PS. I really should try and find those rumoured yellowfin in Port Hacking!

Hmmm... now that might have been what I saw in Pittwater below the Newport Arms on Friday... Baz

Well, I know what I saw in South West Arm in the early 90s and it was a 40lb plus yellowfin... so, I know they go in there if the conditions are right! I wouldn't rule them out again... But I reckon if people are getting them, they're going to keep the news to themselves... Baz