1 Good Fight

[clem]

Hey there raiders.

I am back from my weekend at Windang.

Arrived late Thursday and after booking in and "shopping" I decided it was too late to throw a line.

Watched some t.v. but the need to wet a line was too strong.

Hit the beach at 10pm and packed up at 11pm.6 Rods to my left and 9 rods to my right and none of us even getting any hits.

The next morning had a late start at 8am and could only get bream and tailor which were all undersize so back they went and called it at 10am.

Later that day I am out there again but put in some effort and walked out to the headland.Within minutes I get live yellowtail and slimy's.Not having used live bait before I thought to myself, These baits are huge to use as live bait as they were easily 30cm but none the less out 1 went.Had no idea how to hook them up so all I did was stick it through the mouth and sent him out.Went on fishing for whatever was out there and all I got was more live bait.I got a hit about 30minutes later and it was on.

It took me all along the ledge and at one stage I could not figure out why my drag was not working so I started using my hand to control it.I must say a thankyou to the other 3guys who were out there as they imediately brought there lines in once they saw I was on.Because I did not know the ledge that well I ended up at a gap that was to big to cross or go around so all I could do was go back 3m climb up and go around and down.At this stage I thought that I lost him but he was still on.The fight lasted about another 3minutes but he was just to strong and fast and beat me to the front of the headland.Well all I got was a ping and a chorus of disapointment from the other 3 guys.Upon closer inspection I realised that the thread on my drag was stripped.That was it for me as I did not have a spare with me.Kept some bait as I was planning to head to that spot again the next day.

Well the next afternoon I went out there but the place was packed as this was now Saturday afternoon so I headed to another spot about 20minutes away.Getting there I realised that I had the entire ledge to myself and it was only a 2minute walk from where I parked.With my "gear intacked" I headed out and all excited as it looked really promissing to fish.Started putting my rod together only to realise that I left my TACKLE BAG AT THE CABIN

Back I went and when I got back the said to me it was a sign to stay with them.I should have listened as there was nothing out there besides the usual small fish.

All in all it was a good weekend away with the family and next time I will be going there for a week.The lake was quiet with all the reports heard and spoken about.

Anyway I am tired and I do not think I have ever typed this much in my life

Cheers Clem

P.S. might think of other happenings and post it up later.

[numbnuts]

tough luck Clem, but atleast you are now gaining some experience which will hold you in good stead for the future, hang in there that big one is just around the corner.

[jewgaffer]

Shame about the reel seizing up Clem on what sounds like a decent size fish off a good South Coast rock platform that gets crowded on a Saturday....... It might pay to set up a separate outfit and call it the Clem special and mainly use that outfit for your rock and structure fishing and get hold of a decent reel for it, say one of the new Penns ss reels or a Penn Captiva .....

To get good line distance on your spool without compromising the line by exposion the backing part of it to structure..... you could go the other way round to offset spool size by using 60lb braid backing which is approximately the diameter of 14 lb mono and top shot the braid with 30lb fluro leader long enough to cover the casting and abrasive areas that you normally encounter when rock fishing....

Like your old workmate Donny Numbnuts said, it wont be long before you catch a really decent size fish and with the new outfit, you will be able to give a massive drummer no quarter with the Clem special particularly if you keep on fishing off the platform at Windang.

Cheers mate

jewgaffer

[clem]

Thanks Don.

You mean the corner that he used to get away from me?

In case you are interested Robert is looking at hireing a boat on good Friday but I can only do it the Saturday so if you are boared and want to hook up give me or him a call or whatever tickles your ????????

Cheers Clem

Maybe you prefer your own one (HINT HINT)

Hey there Byron.

I do have a Penn Applause 6000 but it only has 20pound mono on it so I opted to use my nephews reel as he had stronger line on it.No idea what it is but the guy at BLAH BLAH BLAH said it was more than 20pound.

Anyway I will look into changing my line but because this is all new to me do I need to get a specific type of braid and when you say top shot do you mean just the leader or a good few meters of line?

I guess that means tying a different knot to the only one I use at the moment

By the way.

How is your back? Did you go for the opp. as I am supprised to see you responding on the computer.

I guess you one of those TOUGH OLD GOATS as they say.

Or is it COW?

Anyway nice to be chatting to you again.

Cheers clem

[scaffdogg]

too much dude

[jewgaffer]

...... do I need to get a specific type of braid and when you say top shot do you mean just the leader or a good few meters of line?

.........I guess that means tying a different knot to the only one I use at the moment

........How is your back? Did you go for the opp. as I am supprised to see you responding on the computer.

Cheers clem

Clem, may as well use a good, cheap dyneema braid in 50 or 60lb as the backing -you can rewind it and reverse it when you want the braid at the front for your beach fishing and boat fishing etc -.............To start the dyneema off on the spool ..... stick a square of duct tape to the front of the spool to stop the braid from slipping but add a half hitch to each side of the spool knot.... you top that off with about 100 yards of 30lb mono to give you after distance of mono at the front, preferably fluro leader material for the mono -

for the braid to mono knot I would use a 5 wrap uni in the mono and a doubled blood not in the braid and pull the braid knot into and under the first 2 wraps of the uni and plier tighten the tags and keep the mono tag in the centre of the outside wrap and cut the tag as short as you can.

Thanks Clem, My back operation was supposed to go ahead last Wednesday, but they put it off till Wedneday 15th April and performed the first one of my hand operations last Thursday. I've got my crook hand tied to a celing fan fitting with 40lb mono to hold it upright for a week.

Cheers mate

jewgaffer

[clem]

Hey there scaffdogg.

This might sound stupid to you but I seem to have lost you in translation.You might want to be a bit more specific with me as I am a male you know

Jewgaffer I will need a good few days maybe even weeks to figure out what you are trying to say

Will need to do some major research.

Clem

[jewgaffer]

........Jewgaffer I will need a good few days maybe even weeks to figure out what you are trying to say

Will need to do some major research.

Clem

Clem try this :-

1. remove old line

2. Add approx 150 mtres of dyneema braid to spool - tie spool knot over a square of duct tape to prevent line slipping as wind you the dyneema braid backing on - add a 1/2 hitch to each side of spool knot as described -for extra security should you look like getting spooled.

3. tie braid to mono also about 100 - 150 metres in length according to spool size- braid to mono knot as described in my post

4. fish the mono off the rocks... reverse braid to front for beach and boat fishing- add floro leader for terminal tackle to that

5. read posts three times before you go sleep

Cheers

jewgaffer

[numbnuts]

If you are after braid ,I can highly recommend Suffix .Last week my mate fought a 30kg Cobia for over an hour on a 3" plastic on 10lb suffix only to have the hook staighten.Top effort on bream gear.

Clem ,not sure of Easter plans yet but will let you know.