DerekD

I've not seen that design before. The expansion ones could split the holes they sat in over time. Your ones should be fine.

Once a year is usually more than enough even with a lot of trips out. I went several years without and realised it was getting harder to use and it really hit home when I tried someone else's drive. That is when I started researching servicing. Hasn't been an issue since. Careful about not over-tightening the allen screws as you can split the plastic (not admitting to anything here Those are the side clips. The ones I'm talking a about are right underneath the butt cr@ck where the part you sit on meets the back support. There are two velcro flaps and they are hiding underneath these. They stop the seat from sliding around. If you get the cushion then they lock under the same velcro flaps.

Looks good. It has the seat that some people don't find overly comfortable. You can still get a blow up seat accessory which you could slip under the velcro tabs. Suspect the grease in the drive may have dried out. It is probably the V2 drive with the bushes rather than roller bearings. See this for future reference but I use Inox MX6 grease as it is water resistant and the colour doesn't stain as much https://slhobie.com.au/how-to-service-a-hobie-miragedrive/ One warning - can you please get a photograph of the lock in location into the hull for the seat. Original design used an expanding plug system but this would damage the hull. They changed the design to a quick quarter turn type system (which I think the 2013 series had changed to). You can get adapter kits. The expander plug system looks like this The new twist lock adapters look like this but you need to glue a matching insert into the holes.

Depends on the charter but most seem to be chasing flathead and similar species. I did go on one with @Pickles and @big Neil and we did get into trag jew and some other nice stuff. Gear sounds right for what I've done before unless you get into some really big kings.

Thanks for that Pete. Normally I mentor 3-5 people each year. This year I think has been about 15 give or take. Considering a session is usually 5 to 8 hours at a minimum to cover the basics and some people have had two or more sessions with me it certainly adds up over time. On a positive, as I usually stay in regular contact with at least half the people I help my circle of fishing friends has grown. PS. Even if there was a badge like that there are several other people that come straight to mind that would also be deserving of that honour.

Hi All, @wazatherfisherman's bream batterer's do have real chip action. I gave one a try late last week. After a discussion with Waza I decided to use a Gamakatsu large eye hook for my first trial. I wanted something black (no reflective shine) and with a large gape to allow the point to be exposed. This was my first attempt at rigging it up. The tide on the day was too low to effectively fish the place I had in mind but I still gave it a cast or two. They catch the light beautifully, cast a good distance, being soft also bounce off structure if you misjudge the cast and have a slow sink rate. I tried another location and cast underneath the ferry wharf. This time I saw two bream (estimated mid thirty cm) race out quickly for a very close look before changing their minds. I was doing this unscented to set a base line for their effectiveness. This concept has potential. More experimentation to be done. Thanks for helping with this Waza. Derek

Hi @Mr.Wang, That was an awesome report. I really enjoyed the fishing session with you and seeing the growth in your technique and confidence. It was a shame Ryan was unable to join us but hopefully you can guide him using what you have learned so far. Losing the flathead wasn't necessarily you as we don't know how lightly it was hooked up. The good thing with them is I've known them to go for a lure again even after the first missed hook up. I was pretty confident we'd get a second chance at it. I'm looking forward to seeing more of your reports as you get out there more often. Regards, Derek PS. Thanks for treating me to a lovely lunch.

Hi @Marke, These are the TT bullet head jigheads I match them with (I struggle to get consistency with darter jigheads so don't use them). If we catch up then I'll show you the retrieve I use to get the sweeping motion shown in the video. You need to throw in the pause to give the fish a chance to hit it.

BTW the grease in drive dries out over time. You can service them yourself and there are a few videos out there about how to do it. I've got a 2010 Revolution with the most basic seat possible. I don't mind it but most of my mates got the blow up cushion for it. Worth getting a slightly later model for the more comfortable seat. Just check for cracks in places such as where the drives sit or where the seat locks into the body. Elastics get weak over time too. Can also be fixed. Check that you get smooth movement with the rudder up/down and the left right cables. Does the drive move smoothly. The cables can be too tight or too loose (easily adjusted). Are the fin rods bent?

Hi @robthefisherman It was a pleasure spending Sunday with you and considering we were at it from about 7am to 4pm it was a solid day too. My own journey into lure fishing began with a small white grub off a sailboat moored at Balmoral beach, Mosman in the early 2000s. The silver trevally I hooked that day has been a catalyst for my fishing and others due to the trickle down effect. I was more engaged in fishing and the joy in my hobby increased exponentially. There was a point during the day at which I turned to you and the smile on your face was gold. You got it. You were hooked. It also made all the teaching we went through worthwhile - the lunch you treated me to was a lovely bonus though. You've reached a point at which your skills are good enough that you will grow without needing me and what you get out of it will be proportional to what you put into it. Looking forward to seeing how your fishing journey progresses in 2023. Regards, Derek PS. that video of you casting makes it look bloody effortless now.

Hi @Marke the Berkley Power bait smelt colour also works pretty well as it flashes in the water. I do best in the 3 inch size at this time of year.

If you are fishing the Mosman area more frequently then I may have to see if we can catch up for a flick over the Christmas break. We've historically done really well in the Middle Harbour once we have located the kings.

Try a caspar clear power bait minnow (3 inch) from Berkley. I match them with the TT bullet head jigheads with size 1H hook. You may have to play around with jig head weight to find a balance between casting distance (1/4oz) or hang time (1/8oz). You may have to cut it down a few times to get it close to the size they are eating. Fish the edges of the feeding school and you will general need a darting retrieve like this:

Hi @Little_Flatty Do you wind to flip the bail arm closed or do it manually? If it is the former then start flipping the bail over by hand when the lure hits the water. Might be a bail design on that reel which is grabbing that loop. Had to look closely at the photo to realise what happened but puzzled as to the why. How often has it been happening? Regards, Derek

Looks like an Albright knot.

Yabby pumps and numb rays - that is a new one for me. We used to do fireworks nights on farms in the Bathurst area back in the good old days and someone managed to convince one of the more gullible young-uns to piss on the electric fence. Still puts a smile on my face. One of my farmer friends was teaching me how to get through electric fences properly. It involves getting a good grip on the wire with the meaty part of the hand as it is less sensitive to shocks. I did so and didn't feel a thing but my boots had very good insulation. However, another time I had to crawl under one by myself (put rifle down safely prior to doing so) and zap hit me just as spine was going under fence. That tingled.

Hi @Bluebenbomb, If you are not overly familiar with use of the topwater lures then happy to arrange a session with you and your dad over the coming holidays. I'm off from the 23rd to the 8th and am having a fishing staycation in Sydney. Location would be in the inner west as there are several bays I like to fish topwater. It is only early season so the topwater action will be getting better and better. I've had a few good results over the last weeks. Best being a bream of about 36cm. Derek

Funny you mention that. I caught my personal best numb ray a few days ago on a large sluggo type lure for the wing. I've caught several over the years and hadn't been shocked yet and wasn't planning on it this time. Took a bit of juggling with the net and some INSULATED pliers to get the hook off but was successful in the end. I've heard the jolt is not fun but haven't been keen to find out how bad it is.

Bent minnow, slippery dog, sugapen, mmd splash prawn or similar for the topwater whiting. Alternatively, pump some yabbies (ghost nippers) at Dollhouse point sandflats and then use them at your local sandflats. You are not allowed to pump yabbies inside Sydney harbour.

Hi @Green Hornet, This has been a project which has given @wazatherfisherman and myself far more back than we have put into it. It has also given us the chance to brighten up the day for some of the regular contributors to this site. The money is inconsequential when compared to the smiles it has put on people's (mine included) faces and the excitement for the chance to try something new. It has given Waza a fun project to take his mind over some recent stressful issues. I could hear the joy in his voice when we discussed concepts. Even if they don't work as well as we hope we are way ahead of the curve on this one. Looking forward to getting some feedback from the well deserved recipients. Regards, Derek

My original idea for scent was to hit the fat fryer at the local fish and chips shop....

Hi Rob, It was a pleasure meeting you and seeing the growth in your technique as the concepts started to sink in. Considering the amount of information I threw at you I was glad to see you were not a quivering wreck lying in a fetal position at the end of it all. At the rate we are going your handle of @robthefisherman will be as applicable as "RobThe4WDman". Looking forward to blowing your mind again on the next fishing session. Regards, Derek PS. I really enjoyed reading your report at the end of the first learning session.

When you say it breaks before the knot please clarify. Before joiner knot or before terminal tackle (lure) knot. How much before? What knots are you using for both locations? Was this after you hooked the fish and if so then did you check for scuffing. I've used FC rock before and didn't have any issues but not to say that is definitive and you could have a bad batch or there is some other factor at play. Glad to hear you've noticed the increase in casting distance.

Hi @FrigateMack I'm one of the people that loves fishing but won't eat fish. I'm highly unlikely to change that at this stage of my life either. Having said that, I appreciate an excellent article and I really like how you have presented the topic including photos Thank you for sharing. Regards, Derek

We've had some success with the Berkley powerbait Casper clear minnows. The paddle tails don't move well enough in my opinion as it is difficult to make them dart. Early season it is a bit harder as the baitfish are pretty small.