GregL Posted October 14, 2008 Share Posted October 14, 2008 (edited) The time has come and now I'm officially boatless The Skeeter has been picked up and the new boat is still being fitted out. After 5 years of chasing bream pretty much exclusively, it's time in my life for a good change to something different. Still love catching them but the call of something that pulls more string has just to to strong for me to keep pushing aside. With almost 12 months since my last trip up North and still no trips up there booked something had to give and this time it was the Skeeter..... When I first started breaming I did it from shore. I use to live in Gladesville just next door to the Hospital. The place has some great shorelines that hold some good bream and flatties. I first started throwing small hardbodys like Manns 5+ and Yozuri slavco bugs but then I found plastics..... At the time it seemed very trial and error as even the guys in the tackle shop had no idea(not much has changed in some stores....) 2" Sliders and Berkley 2" grubs were the gun baits at the time. My first boat for breaming was a Quinnie Hornet 435 with a 50 Yammie tiller. Cracker boat and I caught a shit load of fish out of it. That boat could do anything, I fished the wave riders out of Bondi for dollies to mini makos off longy! It was perfect for breaming tho. Over time fishing the Harbour you start to notice the pounding the body cops smashing over chop. Specially the run from the heads back to Gladesville! Talk at the time was the start of the glass boat era..... There was talk of many companies bringing in boats from the States and even companies here that were going to try copy them. Going in totally blind, without even being able to try the boats I purchased a NItro NX750 with a Mercury 135 Opti saltwater. The boat was chalk and cheese from what I came out of and was a true 100kph boat. Being a "V" hull it cut threw chop nicely and didn't have to much hull slap. At only 17ft it was a short one for pounding the harbour in but felt SO safe in it. I took that boat fishing the sweet water to. I caught many firsts in it and many fond memories in it. Go the Nitro! First Yella First tourny win After a quick 12 months I was looking at an upgrade. I wanted something a little quicker but main thing was to jump up in length to try shorten the gap between chop. I settled on a Skeeter this time as Nitro were based in Qld. Servicing would them be easier. I picked a ZX190 with a Mercury 200XS Opti. What a combo, QUICK and didn't drop between chop. TBC ran out of global space Edited October 14, 2008 by GregL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GregL Posted October 14, 2008 Author Share Posted October 14, 2008 The Merc was the sweetist sounding beast I have owned and I was about to say heard but now Iv'e heard the Etec 250HO Here is a little clip of that motor. http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=8fJT_V5Y3CE The ZX series Skeeters are a gullwing hull design, this creates good lift plus stability which is perfect for smooth water fishing. I really enjoyed driving this boat. Easy to do as it was a very point and shoot sort of deal. Great to learn how to drive a boat on the limit without to much danger of getting out of control. Performance the boat was a 68mph boat all the time every time. Playing with props got us more speeds but the drivability went out the window. I learnt heaps about boat set ups and engine heights playing with that boat. It was great out at the dams! A phone call from Skeeter, "there's a new model coming, sell yours before people find out" was said. New boat coming and 1 extra foot longer. SIZE IS EVERYTHING, dont let others tell you different! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GregL Posted October 14, 2008 Author Share Posted October 14, 2008 (edited) At 20ft long this thing eats chop of breaky! 74mph day in day out, dry and easiest to drive out of all of them. Matched up with a Etec 225HO good pair of heavy Prada sunnies, with it's hotfoot and pro trim blasting across the harbour you could do the Putney punt to MAnly wharf in 12mins, once the speed limit under the bridge was introduced it took it out to 17..... Caught some crakers on this boat... It's a sad feeling that I'm not going to be able to go breaming or bassing at the drop of a hat anymore, especially since I live so close to the Parra river but things change and so has my fishing....... Wait for the next chapter in Greg Lee fishing...... New boat should hit the water next week fingers crossed...... Edited October 14, 2008 by GregL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickN Posted October 14, 2008 Share Posted October 14, 2008 You actually nearly made me shed a tear you spoilt brat LOL Shame to see her go mate but the casting arms wants what it wants. We'll just have to get used to seeing you holding up pelagics instead of breambos! You'll have to go back to shorebashing it from now on! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chocofallon Posted October 14, 2008 Share Posted October 14, 2008 Mate that is an awesome machine. My definition of upgrading is to change 2 stroke oil in my boat. If I was a bream and saw that thing coming I think out of shock I'd float to the surface with my white flag. Nice work hope you enjoy the new boat. Cheers, Joe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dreamtime Posted October 14, 2008 Share Posted October 14, 2008 Some wonderful memories indeed! Felt I was out there with you. (Dreams often take over reality lol) Can't wait to see pics of the new rig and the spoils that come with it. Did another competition angler aquire your Skeeter, or a reccie fisho? Undoubtably success in the bigger arena will come, as your passion seems equal to none. Great thread!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh88 Posted October 14, 2008 Share Posted October 14, 2008 You're a lucky guy Greg to have experienced all of them. Putney to Manly in 12min is crazy, sounds fun though What's the new boat? Or are you keeping it secret? Josh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diver1 Posted October 14, 2008 Share Posted October 14, 2008 awesome post greg. i too have had a lot of boats, from 10 foot tinnies thru to a 34 foot flybridge kestral, now ive got a 18 foot glass boat with a nice 90hp johnson pushing it and i use it a cple a times a week usually. (i live 100 metres from the boat ramp which helps) anyway great post mate! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justinp Posted October 14, 2008 Share Posted October 14, 2008 Sweet memories, I had the pleasure of fishing quite a bit out of both skeeters, Greg kind of reintroduced me into fishing, so my sweetest fishing memories are standing on the back of those skeeters throwing plastics and the like to bream and whatever else would jump on the end of our lines, so I myself will miss those days and the boats alot. I dont think that I would be the fisho I am today without Greg or those boats, I know it has been a tough decision to let her go, but the new beast should more than make up for it, oh and p.s lets jig work soon and see what the new one can really do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Iceman Posted October 14, 2008 Share Posted October 14, 2008 The first pic brings back memories Greg I reckon my poor little tinny is being dwarfed by the other boats in it somewhere and a few more of them boats have been upgraded Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boban Posted October 14, 2008 Share Posted October 14, 2008 Great post Greg. It's always good to reminisce, especially when you have memories like that. I still remember the trip with no sunglasses and having my eyelids literally rattling uncontrollably. That last Skeeter was as fast as I've ever been in a boat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pukunui Posted October 14, 2008 Share Posted October 14, 2008 Man all of those are really nice boats greg. I cant wait to see what the next one will be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gretsch Posted October 14, 2008 Share Posted October 14, 2008 You lucky bastard!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GregL Posted October 14, 2008 Author Share Posted October 14, 2008 Thanks for the comments guys. When the boat got picked up by the dealer for trade in I was so happy, a day on I'm starting to miss just having a boat.... Nick I have already been for a shore bash the other day. Had a cracker stack in a slippery drain already, bruised the crap out of my hip and a awesome scab forming on my elbow whilst collecting weed....... Went home scrubbed the hell out of the elbow and went back out. Got a few nice Blackfish for tea, was nice to just wet a line. I thought a few of you might remember some of your trips out in thos boats One thing bream fishing has done for me over the last 5 years is to let me meet so many great like minded people. Thos that made it out with me, fished along side or even against me while bream fishing, thank you! With compertitions and the internet, getting out there and fishing with others has never been easier. Doing this improves your fishing like no other. You see, hear and learn so much new stuff and even refine stuff you already know. Soon I will be mainly offshore, new goals and so much to learn. With a fishing arena that is close to limitless, where to start. I thought the river was hard..... So now I just hope the offshore guys are as accomadating as the bream boys were or if not more, fingers crossed. New boats a Contender, I'll post details when it's delivered, whats a boat report without pictures? LOL Greg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red Posted October 15, 2008 Share Posted October 15, 2008 Great read Greg . Several times we seen you scoot past in the Skeeter at lightning speed, obviously having a ball. Hope the Contender proves to be a great boat. It was one of the most impessive boats i seen at the boat show. I have a mate who is also looking at getting into one. He's tossing up on motor options at the moment. What engine or engines did you go for? Cheers Red Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GregL Posted October 15, 2008 Author Share Posted October 15, 2008 Great read Greg . Several times we seen you scoot past in the Skeeter at lightning speed, obviously having a ball. Hope the Contender proves to be a great boat. It was one of the most impessive boats i seen at the boat show. I have a mate who is also looking at getting into one. He's tossing up on motor options at the moment. What engine or engines did you go for? Cheers Red Hi Red I bought the 25 Open that was sitting at the back of the stand at the boat show this year, it's fitted with 250 etec's...... Fit out of all the extras is almost completed, things like upgrade to Nav-net screen, sound system, toilet for those days after heavy nights (nothing worse than needing a grog bog out at sea and no where to go!), padded combings, plumbed fish boxes and all the other little bits and pieces. Part 1, the base colour of the wrap gets installed today. Part 2 will be done once I decide what to put on. I have optied to put a wrap on the boat as it will be sitting out side all the time on a airberth. After fishing the Skeeter with the wrap pretty bloody hard, (my moto was "it's only a fishing boat"). Pulled the wrap off when I sold it, it looked new! Worth every cent for the extra protection it creates. Fingers crossed and it's launched within the week. NOt many days off booked in as people are on holidays at work Lucky it's daylight saving, will just have to go every day after work!!! G Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickN Posted October 15, 2008 Share Posted October 15, 2008 I want first dibs at doing a photoshoot when the boat is on the water Toaster Boy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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