DarkHorse

G'Day BassBoy888, I have spent a small fortune on braid over the last few months. I have used Sunline PE, Nitlon PE, Daiwa Sensor, Varivas PE, Yamatoyo PE. I was getting A LOT of guide wraps and wind knots with the PE types. I was getting that many that I nearly threw my rod and reel into the water in frustration The PE lines are VERY thin, almost like cotton. I ended up buying the Power Pro. I like it. I have found it very strong and ties knots really well. My biggest mistake was thinking that the more expensive braids are better, they simply were not for me. I used to use 30lb Daiwa Sensor on my Calcutta 400B, no overruns or birdnests. Good luck with it. Regards, Rob

All the best with getting your health sorted, most important thing! Good luck with getting a computer for home, if it is just for internet, then it does not need to be powerful. I use a an Acer netbook when not at home, smaller than a notebook but still quite powerful. Great little machine. Got it from JB Hifi. Will hopefully be some bargains around. Regards, Rob

I had a Humminbird sounder on my Brooker. Terminated the power wires off the humminbird with the little square connectors that slot over the battery terminals (see web site picture) simple and effective. I would troll and cast ALL day when in Darwin and the battery would last 2 days. You can also buy a small charger, that simply charges the battery, no cycling etc. It just plugs into the wall outlet and already has the square connectors on it. They are fairly small and relatively light for there size, a LOT more useful than a deep cycle battery. If you were going to mount an stern mount electric (as some guys do on canoes) then a bigger battery would be the go. Regarding the boat setup, my cranking battery is only charged from the boat alternator. It powers the engine (obviously) on startup, lights, electric trim and sounder. I thought about a VSR, but have read that most outboards under 100hp are not effective in charging large deep cycle batteries, due to small alternators and output. After each fishing trip, I just plug in the external charger, firstly for the deep cycle and every now and then for the smaller cranking battery, to keep it "fresh". My engine supposedly has one of the largest alternators on the market for its size, 17 a/h. Maybe a VSR would be a good idea?? Regards, Rob

G'Day Musty, Back in the old days in Darwin, I used a 7 amp/hour sealed lead acid battery from dick smiths. Worked a treat. Small sounders/plotters dont draw a great deal. Only small battery, dark blue in colour. About $35 if I remember as I recently purchased one for my house alarm. Here is a link: http://dicksmith.com.au/product/S3317/sealed-lead-acid-battery-12v-1-2a Obviously you can buy a higher amp/hour version. Cheers. Rob

Your naughty Murial!! When is 12 happening? Cheers. Rob

Iceman, well done for getting out, sorry I could not make it, spent ALL day driving backwards and forwards getting things done. Pitty about the lure How do you get the colours changed on the lures? I thought that the colour was combined with the plastic during manufacture. I have an airbrush with acrylic paints and clear coat.......... Glad your boat was ok. There was a tournament in GB. second place was a flatty at 89cm, winner was 93cm, I was told by a mate. I have always cut the tail flaps off the lobby and rigged it with the arms swimming freely..... never caught ANYTHING on them yet, which does not mean much considering I have only just starting catching the easiest fish on sp's. Regards, Rob

There in lies the potential for something to go terribly wrong. Great to see that you know the two are VERY different. Good luck with your search and purchase.

G'Day Mick. Fantastic report. Congrats on the big lizard! Pitty about the weather at the moment, it is still like winter. Like you the wind is pi$$ing me off as well Get some pictures of your mates boat. It sounds sweet, love the sound of those Yammies in full song, especially the 60! Like you said once he gets a bow mount, will be a great setup. Minn Kota have the new Saltwater Terrova with I-Pilot, which allows both remote AND Footpedal! Never been to Numbucca, might have to go soon. Regards, Rob

Thank you ALL for your kind replies and for all your help and encouragement! I am not very happy with the Squidgy heads. As mentioned by Musty, the little wire keeper kept ripping the plastic and then they would just slide down the hook effectively ruining the plastic. Will look at getting some TT heads instead. What head weight do you suggest? What about the Nitro heads by Berkley? Will also need to get some more killer tomato squidgy fish as well, thanks Musty Bloopin, it was the positions that you told/shared with me that had me hooking up today, especially my PB, so a big thanks to you Looking forward now to bettering my PB and getting a bream or two on soft plastics. Regards, Rob

G'Day Crew, Checked the forecast last night and woke up at 4.00am and checked again for Botany Bay. Wind was NE at 6 knots. Perfect. Loaded everything up, attached the boat and on my way. Got to Foreshore boat ramp at 5.15am Two other boats launching and wind was calm, great considering the wind and weather for the rest of the week. This is how it looked on the way out past the dredge: Went straight to Kurnell, nothing. Went to Towra Point, flick flick and this little fellow decided to grab my sp: Continued for the next hour, another 6 about the same size (or the same one 6 times). I was really hoping for something bigger. Decided to move to another location suggested to me by a fellow fishraider, nice shallows, then drop off to 2 meters. Again a few casts and this bloke decided to hop on 48cm, not bad! He was going to be joining me for dinner. Next cast and a 38cm specimen, just above legal, but in the live well he went. Got a few more littlies, so decided to move out wide off Towra. Changed to a squidgee fish in grasshopper. Flick it out, started the retrieve and boojah, it was taken and actually starting peeling off line. I knew it was a flatty and a decent one at that. Lot of head shakes and taking line. As I was boating by myself, loosened the drag and played it a bit. Got it near the boat, and it took another run. Boy I was nervous when it surfaced, it was the biggest flatty I had ever hooked. Some head shakes on the surface, so I remembered to lower my rod, grabbed the net and missed! Oh no. It took another run on seeing the net. Got it back and managed to slip the net underneath and boat it! Woohoo! I was in shock, I have never boated such a large flatty. My PB at 59.5cm! Oh and ALL fish were taken on my new rod, the Burkley Venom, Mexican Racer teamed up with my stella 2500. The drag on this baby is sweet. The rod is beautiful, light and sensitive. Nice tip and heaps of grunt down in the butt. After removing the sp, noticed that I was pretty close to losing my fish, it nearly straightened the hook. What a fantastic day. Probably my best days fishing. Everything came together, especially my replacement rod, it is an awesome rod. Do yourself a favour, call purefishing and organise one you wont regret it. Regards, Rob

G'Day Dan, Nice choice. Seen one in the flesh with a Honda 4 stroke on the back, all set up. They also had the cushioned esky behind the wheel so when you are driving long distances you can have a seat as well. Decent boat, lots of room and good design for what you want to do. Make sure you contact Craig from Huett Marine (site sponsor) as he is one of NSW's top Stacer dealers and can give you a great fishraider price! If you are buying new, you better get in soon as Stacer will start getting really busy this time of year and delivery times can blow out. Best to order the bow mount plate and rear step now and have them "fit" in the factory. The floor can also be modified I think as well in the factory, Craig will be able to let you know. Your idea's are great, you have done some research and know what you want, a great start for you and the dealer. I have owned 2 brand new Stacers. Great boats, made in the same factory as Quintrex, but you get ALOT more boat for your dollars. Ensure you get the running lights and battery switch and bilge pump kit from factory as well. Also Craig can supply I nice 24V long shaft 80lb Minn Kota Terrova with I-Pilot which would suit your needs perfectly. Both Lowrance and Humminbird make very nice Fishfinder/Chart/GPS plotters. Either way good luck with your purchase, be safe, have fun and tight lines! Regards, Rob

iMick, Congrats on the new purchase! Was it a planned purchase or just on a whim? Where is the new reel? How do you test your drag? My 2500 is supposed to be able to pull 9kg. In saying that, the new rod I got yesterday says maximum of 2kg drag on it???? Tight lines mate, I hope your new combo is blooded soon! Regards, Rob

Great effort guys! Good luck with your HSC results. I am sure all your hard work will pay off. Good luck with your Minn Kota. I dropped mine off at the Sydney Office on a Monday morning, they assured me that it would go to QLD that day............ It arrived in QLD the following Monday! It only had a bit of corrosion on the seal around the prop shaft, 5 min job. The tech guys in QLD are great though, very friendly and knowledgeable, I managed to go see them on a recent trip. I have a co-pilot, remote and spare foot pedal if you are interested. Your Minn Kota needs to be 2008- model with the newer round plugs though! Bloody weather is pi$$ing me off. Sick of the wind and rain already. Although last Saturday was 30+ degrees, but wind picked up BIG time. Might see you on the water. Regards, Rob

Well done mate, fantastic effort! I went out Saturday and only managed a small 40cm specimen. Lots of traffic on the water, especially those horrible jet ski's. I am sure the fishing gods will be smiling down on you for releasing the BIG 80cm pregnant girl, which will spawn alot of little baby flatties. Better than eating her. I let my little bloke go, great to see him swim away and settle into the sand. Regards, Rob

G'Day Fezza and Hodgey, Fezza, I did NOT mention I was a Fishraider member. Did not think it would be appropriate. All I need is to actually start catching some fish. Seriously. Waiting for this wind to go away. Then go out and keep at it. Hodgey I was hoping that you would have "caught" the lost piece by now hahaha. Cant wait to blood it and get that monkey off my back. Thanks for the replies. Regards, Rob

Sorry guys, I forgot to mention that I got the Berkley Venom "Mexican Racer" 7'4", 2-4kg. It is nice and light in the hand and balances perfectly with my 2500. As I said the components are good quality, build is excellent and it actually has a hook keeper! A few manufacturers dont include a hook keeper, I have never like hooking onto the guides. Won the AFTA 2010 trade award for best rod! Designed by Adam "Maddog" Royter. I paid $350. They also have the no questions asked expediter warranty, outside the 12 month manufacturer warranty, where you pay half the purchase value and they give you a whole new rod. Tight lines. Rob

G'Day Huey, THANK YOU for the info. Purchased some of the triple guard today, from what I read it was originally made by OMC, but with the buyout and newer grease technology? It is now sold by BRP. I would have purchased some from you, but I live half a world away, sorry. I now need to find good "water resistant" lithium high temperature wheel bearing grease............... what a mouthful. Still I wouldnt ming getting a new set of buddies (good quality) or the durahubs. Regards, Rob

G'Day Crew, On a recent trip to Tuross, I lost the top half of my rod over the side of the boat doing 25kts, gone! It was one of 2 setups that were identical, luckily it wasnt the bottom half with the reel. Unfortunately replacement top halves were not available. I have also recently consolidated unused combo's and various bits and pieces that were usually purchased on a whim. Anyway with quite a few new rods coming on the market and existing types, I started gathering information on the web. I wanted something 2-4kg, 7'4 or 7'6, light, to balance my 2500 shimano. Looked at Lox, Nitro, shimano, samurai and samaki. I have had G.Loomis in the past and wanted something different. Not many fit the requirements, either too short or too light. Then I stumbled accross Purefishing's website and the new "Venom" rods, very recently released. Called customer service and spoke with Rodney. Asked if there were any retailers in my area that stocked the rods, because they are so new, the answer was no. I was then invited to visit their offices to have a look, but because of the distance it was not an option. Rodney then offered to have one of the Reps drop the model I was looking at to my local for a look. Picked it up today! Very nice, light and 7'4. Has Titanium Fuji Sic guides, Fuji reel seat and high modulas graphite blank. Grips are EVA, which is a first for me and intially put me off, as I have always been a cork person. Yet to blood it obviously. Can't wait. All I need is this bloody southerly to go away Here is a link to the purefishing site: http://www.purefishing.com.au/rods/berkley/test-6/ Regards, Rob

G'Day Guys, Thank you for the replies and those that replied via PM. Unfortunately I lost my Botany map, so will have to get another to identify these area's. I have nearly every squidgy/gulp under the sun, so I change frequently. Are 9g Squidgy jig heads ok? Iceman, will send you a PM. Regards, Rob

G'Day Crew, Sometime this week when timing allows, I am going to try and hit Botany Bay again. Went on Saturday, for a single 40cm flatty, casting sp's at likely area's. Mainly weed patches. Got the flatty in shallows at the "entrance" of Wolloware Bay. Fellow Raiders have suggested Towra Pt. and drifting along Brighton. Any further tips? I am determined to get a PB whilst on days off. Regards, Rob

G'Day Huey, Thankyou will definately take you up on the offer. I have a few weeks off at the moment and would be nice to have a fish on the Hawkesbury. Thank you. Whilst I have your attention, what should I use to lubricate the steering arm and pivot points on my engine? Previously it has had a red type grease applied, which quickly goes a muddy colour after getting wet. I have been told by one boat shop to wipe away all grease and just use WD40............ Another said to use any type of grease. Also read to use power steering fluid? I have a post here: http://www.fishraider.com.au/Invision/index.php?showtopic=52212 I appreciate your help. Again Thank you. Regards, Rob

Thanks for ALL of the replies! Will keep the grease filled. I was told by stacer dealer NOT to have covers (red) on during launching/retrieving as it traps in the water. Stacer does not recommend there use and no longer supplies them for their trailers? One of the bearing buddies does not sit level, never has. Even when filling yesterday with grease it moves outward on an angle. Even the new grease yesterday (blue marine, lithium based) has started to seperate into a liquid and pool at the lowest point on the buddy housing! Regards, Rob

Hey Huey, Thanks for the reply. Nope was never shown...... In saying that the stacer trailer only has small wheels and find that with most ramps, because of the angle, I have to get the running gear wet. What shall I use to keep the rollers on the trailer running smoothly? I believe in maintaining all my gear, including the boat and trailer. I have always been proactive rather than reactive. Probably OCD. Regards, Rob

G'Day Vipernut, Awesome catch, I am sure a fish that big provided some nice fillets! I think I saw you on the water, I stayed out until 3.00 but used the foreshore ramp, as it seemed more user friendly when solo. I was on the water from 5.30-3.00 and scored one little 40cm flatty, after 300 casts. Changed plastics, tried blades/vibes, more plastics, drifted, motored used the new i-pilot................. Oh well. Rob

Thanks for the replies guys! Fezza when you say get axle machined, do you mean machined to fit or get a new axle machined? Also the trailer is braked, so has discs etc. I take it more of a problem.......... Got a few weeks off, but dont want it to interupt my fishing too much. Regards, Rob