leatherjacket

You can try up Snake River, but I'd watch were you step. Leatherjacket

Hi Greg, Looks like a very practical boat for game fishing with the two engines, out-riggers and the ability to walk around the boat unobstructed to control a difficult Mako or Marlin. Congratulations! The only problem I see with centre consol design is that they provide less protection from the elements, but you have that cover in the centre, which is nice and wide. I'm sure the sacrifice is worth it as you will get plenty of hook up and are less likely to loss a fish with that set up I'm also sure you wont have any problems getting to and from Browns with that 500hp!! Happy fishing Andrew

Hi mate, Its not South Sydney, but maybe try Chinamans Beach. I know that it's flat and sandy therefore the right area for the fish you mentioned. I've seen fishermen bag out on King George Whiting first thing in the morning with worms! Cheers, Andrew

Wow! Thats a top fish mate, well done! Good to hear you let the old girl go. Cheers, Andrew

Hi mate, Try this link... http://cgi.############/Yo-Zuri-Flash-Dance...A1%7C240%3A1318 Cheers, Andrew

Hi mate, I'll be out there tomorrow AM in my 12ft dingy at Clifton just off the navy drum. The weather looks good and the wind is slight and therefore not much chop for smaller boats Say hello if your about Cheers, Andrew

Nice eating size. Well done! Leatherjacket

Hi fishraiders, I tried it out today and got four hook-ups in 1hr. One of my squid got washed out of a rock pool back into the ocean. Attached is the other three and I’m going to try and convert them into kingfish tomorrow. The jigs a 3.25 which is on the big side but so were the squid I caught. I'm working on the theory that the squid will be too big for all the rats in the harbour and I'll get through them to a legal sized kingie. At least it wont be destroyed by peaker. Cheers, Leatherjacket

Hi mate, I'm a Kiwi and there is heaps of snapper in NZ - they're everywhere and you'll catch more than you can eat! I know that the South Island is good for Blue Eye Cod, North Island West Coast has lots of Crayfish. Most of the Kingfish fishing I've done is in the Bay of Islands or Whangari Harbour (North Island). Also I've heard that all the fish at Three Kings Islands are on steroids and you should pack the 80lb braid and 120lb leader for those Hoodlums. Good luck!

Hi Andrew, Nice post and some great fish well done and may you have a even more successful 2009! Nice Tuna! Andrew C

Hi mate, Soft tip rods evenly apply pressure when a fish pulls and helps set the hook if the drag is tight, where as with a heavy tapered rod the tips doesn't give as much and a small fish is more likely to drop the bait. However, if you are targeting bigger fish they normally hit the bait harder and a stiffer rod will hurt the fish more and allow you more control over it. The only problem is if you rip the hooks out. Travelly have soft lips. That's why you some fishermen pay $300+ for live fibre rods that have a soft tip but enough grunt at the base of the rod to ensure it doesn't break and you can muscle the big fish up knowing the chances of it being lost are the lowest. I find the a 8-12kg rod will catch pritty much anything around Sydney, except off-shore game. I once caught a 25kg Gummy shark on 10 -15kg beach rod at Curl Curl once. So the actual kilogram rating of the rods don't match the fish weight unless your going to lifting that weight out of the water with your rod. Hope this helps... Cheers, Andrew

Hi mate, I've heard that Alvey's are the best option, but I use a couple of eggbeater reels so I can interchange between boat rods and beach rods. The important thing is to get a reel with a large spool for easy and longer casting and make sure you full the spool right up so the line flows off the spool easily. I use a Penn 8000 with 300 mtrs of 50lb braid, but started with a Diawa 6500 Emcast with 200mtrs of 20lb braid (for sale). Whatever you buy I wouldn’t go lower than a 6000 spin model for beach fishing and you need to keep the reel out of the sand. That's why Avery's are the best because of the simplicity of the design and less moving parts with a wide spool for easy casting. 12ft rods are better than 10ft rods and a 8 - 10kg will catch most fish including Jewies. But you may go lighter if your targeting Bream and whiting. Cheers, Andrew

Nice fish - well done. I've never caught a Jewie, probably because I fish closer to the harbour mouth. Cheers, Andrew

That's good advice, I'll give it a go because I keep catching weed when I let the jig sink for four seconds before striking. I havn't had any luck with the slow constant wind method, but have seen it used by other. Any thoughts on a second rig that works by itself? Do "Patinoska" (bad spelling) rigs work? Or do the squid unhook themselfs with out constant pressure? Andrew

I used to have fireline, but I stay away from it now - it used to snap when it gets old and your tying knots. I find that braid is much better, ask the guys who work in the tackle shops. Cheers, Leatherjacket

Great! I missed last year - can you put me down for two? Cheers, Leatherjacket

Just bought one of these things but don't know anything about them. Has anyone used one before and are they any good? Cheers, Leatherjacket

There is nothing better, more rewarding, than fishing by sight. Well done Doug77, sounds like fun...

Hi Wrongbait, I hit the bottom and about four winds (meters) up. I also used a #10 ball sinker to start when I had two live baits to keep them from tangling, then I went to a #5 ball sinker once they died and because of the constant swell and bouncing rods. I use a one-meter leader with a 4/0 triple on a uni-knot and a 6/0 Jay hook snelled about 25cm from the first hook. 60lb leader clipped onto 50lb braid. 10-15kg rod and a American 8000 Penn eggbeater. Cheers, Leatherjacket

Hi Fishraiders, I went out today at a lazy 11am start and went to my favourite bait ground and ended up collecting three squid straight away, this included two specimens measuring 25cm+. I was squiding with a 2.5 pink Yo-Zuri, of which I recently removed the swivel and then added a double uni-knot from 10 pound braid to one meter of 8 pound leader and it worked too well. Then things went quiet on the squiding front, so I moved onto Spot A - It was surprisingly quiet, with out other boats, but this was probably because of the lateness of the hour in the day. We sat there for one and a half hours, occasionally checking the baits, which had been attacked by peakers and were now headless. Then, Zzzzzzz, I picked up the rod and it pulled away for a small run. Tightening up the drag I pumped and wound the line. Zzzzzzz, then it started towards the anchor rope, so I increased the drag again and pulled towards the stern. Zzzzzzz, zzzzzzzzzz It's then I realised that this is not a rat! And I tightened the drag for a third time! By this time the fish was well off the bottom and was circling under the boat away from the anchor rope. When I saw colour a big smile came across my face By this time it had run out of gas and I could tell it was a big fish. I leadered the Kingfish onto the boat and measured it at 75cm. The first legal Kingfish I've caught This was great as I was sick of feeling that I was the only one to throw back all the rats I catch. Anyway I'm pretty happy now - sushi and beer are on the menu tonight!!! Leatherjacket

I live in Collaroy and was considering buying a Kayak to cruise Long Reef. Not anymore!!! Normally you would feel safe in a watercraft. I understand why surfers are attached, having neutral buoyancy and sitting 10-30cm under the water surface with legs hanging off each side dressed in a black wetsuit that looks like a seal. But in a yak you’re on top of the water in a brightly coloured lifejacket. Perhaps I'm not crazy and this is not a conspiracy theory, but when cage divers burly up to attract Great White Sharks to the cage they (the GWS) are being taught to associate humans with food. These tourism businesses operate in South Africa and the Caribbean. However when you consider that a GWS can swim from the east coast of SA to the West coast of Australia and back in a year. Its not too far fetched to imagine GWS in Australian waters being attracted to humans as food. Your thoughts… PS Did these guys try to catch the Shark? lol Leatherjacket

That's the best way to start! know you will be hooked like the rest of us, but with a great trophy under your belt already. well done again! It just goes to show you how unpredictable these fish are, however I've heard of Kingfish being caught just before dawn before. They must awake at 3ish and start hunting squid before the squid go to deeper water! Cheers, Leatherjacket

Hi mate, I think I recognise your picture and if you have "Andrew N" on your tinnie and were fishing at Clifton Gardens then you mentioned it to me that day... If you see any other rats and want to give the ofenders a serve I'll back you up if I'm there. I fish there all the time in a 12ft white dingy. I hate people who abuse it for all the others Part-time fishermen who will take any size fish as a trophy Cheers, Andrew C

Yum, nice green eyes! What size squid jig did you use and what rig? I've been playing with a patinoska rig and a squid spike in addition to casting jigs from the boat. no luck yet but I'll refine my technique/ combination. Leatherjacket

Hi Fishraiders, Does anybody have any recommendations for good squid spots on the Northern Beaches apart from Balmoral, Clifton Gardens and Palm Beach Wharf? I think they are being cained by both fishermen and kingies, or that the squid are leaving because the water is warmer with fresh? Mostly land-based, but also accessable by boat is OK??? Any help is greatly appreciated!! Cheers, Leatherjacket [/font]