The Woes Of A Rookie

[catch this]

Hey raiders

I've been reading the forums for a few months now (and even searching the archives ) and really love the atittude and knowledge base on this site.

I haven't had very much to contribute but I need some help getitng over my latest debacle. Went out ona hireboat from barrnjoey. Tried a few different spots for one small flounder for me and 3 baby snapper for my mate. Then I got into something that pulled my rod tip right down to the water. Landed a nice trev. 33 cm. Let me explain a bit about my gear, was using dad's old abu reel with a lever drag that I still havent mastered (I mean OLD) and my rod has the eye of the top guide missing, which makes it a rather jerky feeling out fit. No fish wanted to touch my better set-up

Anyway, was happy to land that trev, was playing with the newer rod when off goes the old thing again. This time the trey (I assume) was pulling HARD, and taking me straight under the boat. During the fight I was battling with my drag, trying to filter through the good bits in my mastes "advice" and trying to keep my rod tip low to avoid getitng busted off on the tinnie. Was this the right thing to do or should i have musceeled the fish from the word go, considering I had 4kg line i think i should of locked the drag up a bit more and tried to keep the nose up but again Just had no confidence in my gear! Anyway, ended up getting the hook spat after the fish had wrapped around my other line, still in the water

Was very unhapy after that. Got a little unhappier when a similar thing happened 15 minutes later, although smaller fish this time I think I was pysched-out by the second bite. (have I said that).

I guess next time if im going to persist with bodgie gear I should expect this, but $$$$ = all in uni stuff atm! My fishing budget went on 150 bucks worth of a filled up tackle box.

Thats my rant. At least got my first decent fish of the winter (usually landbased). And there's always an excess of

Cheers

Phil

[Mondo Rock]

Hey Phil

Great work for a first post - a good story and some good fishing info in there amongst the probs that you are having.

Personally I'm a big believer in the idea that you don't need expensive gear to get stuck into the good fish (an ironic view given the $$ I have sunk into fishing gear over the years, but anyway). When fishing from a boat you'll often do just as well on a handline as those around you who are using rods, even if the fight isn't quite as 'sporting' on a handline.

If you are using older rods/reels your biggest problem is likely to be the drag - as you have already identified. In most cases you should set the drag before you even get into the boat, and as a beginner you should be setting the drag relatively heavy (if the gear is realy old it is relatively likely that the drag will seize on you during the fight anyway). You may get busted off by any really big fish that you hook - but this would be just as likely if you were using a light drag and a big King decided to take you on a ride.

Most importantly you should not be playing with the drag whilst fighting a fish! If you're using a lever drag then you should ensure that the 'strike' position is set at a heavy drag (1.5kg for 4kg line), and once the bait is in the water the reel should go into 'strike' and stay there until your next cast.

If you want to see what happens to smarty fishermen who play with the drag during a fight then just get the 2 Dan's DVD! Those hooligans lose three good kings whilst trying to manually adjust the drag during the fight - and then curse themselves afterwards for it (sorry Dans! )

Basically I agree that you should have set the drag heavier and then muscled the fish in. It'd be a big trev to bust you up on 4kg gear, even with no drag at all.

Good luck and let us know how you go next time!!

[James]

mate well done on your trip to bad about your tackle debacle. you don t want to be worrying about your drag failing or your line fraying on broken eyelets.

dude invest a couple of dollars on some decent gear that will get you trevors sambos and rats which won t break your budget but put you in with a good chance of picking up a good fish and put your mind at ease whilst bringing it in.

if you want to look at a couple blokes catching top fish from a little trailor boat there is great DVD out at the moment called xxxxxxxxxx.

Mondo i reckon adjusting your drag whilst in a fight is not the right thing to be doing, but in shallow water or around reef or structure fighting a big king as a last reort you may have to tighten the drag if it puts you with a better chance of bringing him in

[Guest Saqa]

Let me explain a bit about my gear, was using dad's old abu reel with a lever drag that I still havent mastered (I mean OLD) and my rod has the eye of the top guide missing, which makes it a rather jerky feeling out fit.

Mate bring your rod around and i will whack a new tip on it and show you how to work the lever drag. I remember having to put up with dodgy gear when i was a student

[Mondo Rock]

Hi James - I absolutely agree about the need to adjust drag in specific situations, however my view is that mid-fight drag adjustments are something best left to experienced fishermen with good gear that they know well.

Having said that - the xxxxxxxxxxx definitely fall into the category above and my comment to them was meant to be tongue in cheek (I hope it came across that way!). They're both way better fishermen than me, but in the grand tradition of all fishermen I am obliged to stick it to them over their lost fish (and I reckon you can hear one of them in the background giving it to the other over the decision to palm the spool).

I would expect nothing less in return, and now that I've publicly dissed them I reckon I'll get what's coming to me!!!

By the way Dans - my new boat is a big orange and white thing that I've decided to call COASTGUARD. Feel free to throw snapper sinkers when you next see me.

[catch this]

Mate bring your rod around and i will whack a new tip on it and show you how to work the lever drag. I remember having to put up with dodgy gear when i was a student

Thanks a lot for that offer. Thats awesome mate, can't tell you how much I appreciate it.

Will Pm you or call in the next few days

thanks again

Thanks for the advice guys, I will definitely try to keep my wits switched on next time and am always thinking about gear upgrades. Even looking at boat prices at least a year before ill be able to afford one.

[etay]

G'day Phil

Good to hear you got onto some decent fish! Trevs are great fun, and always seem much bigger when they are in the water.

If the drag sucks on your overhead, just put your thumb on the spool. No worries. 4 kg line will land any trev in any estuary (in NSW anyway!).

Will have to catch up with you sometime!

Cheers

Enoch

[starclassix]

By the way Dans - my new boat is a big orange and white thing that I've decided to call COASTGUARD. Feel free to throw snapper sinkers when you next see me.

Gold!!!