New Blackfish Rod

[Green Hornet]

I'm looking at building a new blackfish rod for the ocean rocks and had my heart set on an Exel Composites GP 3145G-2 piece blank.

After shopping around I can't find anyone who can supply it.

I've tried everywhere locally and that big store in Coffs Harbour (not sure if I can mention business names here) without any success.

Can anyone help me get my hands on one?

Preferably someone who would be willing to mail order.

Thanks.

[luderick -angler]

The kilwell 1365 is a good stick as an alternate otherwise a mag bream from Snyder I do know someone who has a Snyder 3145 already made one piece for sale its in a local store near me

[Green Hornet]

The kilwell 1365 is a good stick as an alternate otherwise a mag bream from Snyder I do know someone who has a Snyder 3145 already made one piece for sale its in a local store near me

Thanks for the reply.

It seems these GP 3145's aren't being made anymore. I've exhausted my contacts and nobody has one or can get one.

I already have a 1 piece mag bream but was looking for a 2 piece rod just to make it easier to travel with and from what I can see the kilwell 1365 only comes in a 1 piece.

What are peoples' opinions of a MT4144, in either straight fibreglass or the one with the graphite lower half?

[macman]

Did you try the rodworks? The other one to try is killer curves custom rods on FB. I saw one he recently made up on that blank. Don't give up on the 3145G- 2 piece, I have used one consistently for the last 10 years, very happy with it.

Matt

[Green Hornet]

Did you try the rodworks? The other one to try is killer curves custom rods on FB. I saw one he recently made up on that blank. Don't give up on the 3145G- 2 piece, I have used one consistently for the last 10 years, very happy with it.

Matt

Yep, tried rodworks and got the same answer as other places, exel composites are difficult to deal with and too much trouble.

Its a shame because I know how good a rod they are. I've had 2 one piece GP3145's in the past. One was stolen and the other lost its tip to a low hanging branch.

I looked at a 4144 and they're way heavier than what I'm after.

I'm now leaning towards a mag bream with a 30cm extension to the butt section.

[macman]

Its a shame you can't buy the composite rods anymore, really the best of both worlds, tough AND light.

[Indi]

Hi Green Hornet

Just googled the GP3145 blank and seems to available through MoTackle.com.au in one piece and two piece on the online shop. Does not say anything about being out of stock -so worth investigating. Price quoted for 2 piece blank is $131.50

I have an older all fiberglass rod I built from a Snyder Glas blank that I bought from the long gone great fishing shop on Taren Point Rd near corner adjacent to where old Caringbah Drive in Movies use to be. Very experienced and helpfull fishos ran the shop.

My thoughts are that this would have been laid on the original Snyder Glas GP 3145 mandril, its a 3 wrap unsanded blank in a cherry red colour one piece, very light in the hand and a great progressive action.

Have not rock fished for many years as I moved to Bowral but now back in Eastern Suberbs so intend to drag out my rock rods, get new safety gear and start slowly and safely with some experienced local fishos to get back into it.

Regards

Indi

[Indi]

Green Hornet, high mate.

Just a follow up on my last post. Didnt read your original post closely enough... the site I googled is in Coffs Harbour so looks like their website is not up to date on stock levels of this blank if you have spoken to them. Bummer!!

Further googling revealed an article by well known fishing writer Greg Finney in Fishing World 2015- Blackfish basics- where he explained he bought his first ocean blackfish rod from John & Ken Bruce's Tackle Shop at Taren Point. Thats the great shop I was referring to in my last post. Build two other rock rods from components purchased from them.

A one piece fibreglass MT4144 and a Sportex sanded blank- beach and rock rod very powerfull, good for drummer and salmon, cant remember the blank but I think it was a 7 wrap.

In terms of the MT4144 fiberglass blank, have not fished it for a long time but from memory it was a bit heavier in the the hand than the GP 3145 and the taper being very fast did not suit me as well when using a centrepin reel. But thats just my opinion... worth you checking out the MT4144 it has a nice fine tip action for blackfishing and powerfull butt if you hook up with a pig.

Indi

[Green Hornet]

Hi Indi

You're right, I originally placed an order for GP 1345 at MO's, figuring if anyone could get one it would be them but to no avail and was promptly offered a refund.

Granted, a 4144 would be a great general purpose rod for blackfish and pigs but I normally take 2 rods with me. A 7144 for pigs and a lighter rod like the one I'm after.

I'm now pretty sure the extended Mag Bream is going to be the most suitable blank I can get my hands on.

Thanks for your help, I really appreciate it.

Pete

[DMG]

it was cheaper for me to buy an off the rack rod than to make my own plus no labour involved unless your going to make several.

But my rod was only $40 + shipping from Queensland,its not a top of the range rod,lol its actually a Jarvis Walker mass produced rod.

[Sea Ranger]

it was cheaper for me to buy an off the rack rod than to make my own plus no labour involved unless your going to make several.

But my rod was only $40 + shipping from Queensland,its not a top of the range rod,lol its actually a Jarvis Walker mass produced rod.

Mate did you get the Aurora Ocean Blackfish model? I'm curious how this rod would stack up on the rocks around Sydney. Seems pretty cheap.

Cheers

Bear

[DMG]

yer lol

[DMG]

I havent used it yet.

Maybe I go tomorrow.

I got the reel too,only place I could find that sold it was in Tweed Heads so I had to pay for postage.

all up $120 rod/reel/postage,all delivered to my PO Box,in perfect condition.

The rod will handle the fish no problem.

[DMG]

Hey Bear,

I took the new rod out today,its awesome !

and the reel is awesome too.

The rod bends to the butt,like a Blackfish rod should.awesome !

By the way the runners are under binded as well,this give the runners a buffer zone so they are less likely to damage the blank under stress.

lol bit of an over kill ,they really only under bind in game fishing rods but hey its all good,extra bonus.

I looked at the wilson rods before this one,I chose this one and I got to admit its better than my old Mag bream.

I caught some niggas on it today,stood up to the test more than I expected not bad for $40.

I only have one problem with it,there is no small metal loop on the blank where you normally can secure your hook,when your rigged up.

The reel i got was an Alvey Blackfish reel 455B XL $60,perfect.

oh yer if you spend $125 you get free shipping.

Edited September 25, 2016 by D.G

[DMG]

One thing I have learned over the years is, yes expensive rods and reels are good to have if you can afford to fix or replace them every time you drop them or bump them on the rocks/in the car/on the roof,knocking off a runner.

They get damaged the same as any other rod and if not looked after properly (like washing in fresh water after use) they deteriorate cause of the salt water.

So to me $40 is easier to replace than $250 + every time I want a rod,that is just as good and will do the job you want it to do.

I bought a beach rod from Kmart cause I only go beach fishing every now and then cost me $30 does the job I want it to do and came with a reel suitable for beach fishing.

The average size for a Blackfish is 30cm and takes about 5 years for it to get to that size,NSW fisheries says they grow to 70cm,wow you would be a hero if you caught one of those,most people catch them from 30cm to 50cm,legal is 27cm.

so the rod im talking about here is well and truly capable of dealing with this fish nicely.

If I ever catch a fish that will snap my rod ,I will find that more exciting than catching the fish anyway,not going to happen with niggas,too small.massive drummers maybe ,lol thats why there called pigs.

Anyway nobody should be snapping rods,you should either run out of line or your line will snap first.only people that snap rods are people using massive kgs of line and not using the drag to play the fish.

I use a 3kg trace/leader,so if anything that will go.

This is the only thing i can think of when you asked will it stand up to the test.

Edited September 25, 2016 by D.G

[Sea Ranger]

HI DG

Thanks for the reply. I have a Wilson 10.6 Blackfish rod. I was told it is too short for using off the rocks. My local Tackle Shop has a JW Blackfish rod in 12' length and thought it might be worth a go. I haven't fished for Blackfish before so trying to read as much as possible. I have the next couple of days off with my son on school holidays so I thought we would give it a crack. We would not do the rocks but I think I would like to try the rock ledge south of Manly Beach another time.

Bear

Edited September 25, 2016 by Noo2OzFish

[DMG]

Yep Bear its better than i expected.

I have a mate in the same situation as you,and yesterday was a perfect day to take him out when it was low tide,no swell.

unfortunately he couldnt go but lucky for him he didnt as the tide came in the situation changed from being nice to aggressive within a few hours.

I have fished this spot for years and i know it well,so it didnt bother me that much cause there was no swell,just the water coming over the rocks from the high tide with a few small waves now and then would probably turned him off and scared him and without those poles in the rock to hold onto would have been unfishable.

In then end I had to abandon fishing just before high tide as it started to become a little dangerous although if you did go in its an easy place to get to safety again but without a lifejacket and wearing clothing makes things a lot different

.

Having said that I have fished this spot for 20 years + and know when and when not to fish it and when its time to get out of there.

Trouble is with Blackfish is most of the time the best times to fish for them is when its a bit rough 2 hours before and after high tide,not always but most of the time as they like the white wash areas,swimming in it or just off it in the current waiting for the weed to float past them to feed on,sometimes at high tide you can actually see them come on to the rock platform to nibble on the weed as your fishing at your feet. because thats where the weeds is being washed into the water from the rocks so they can feed on it unfortunately for us this tends to be around high tide and on low level rock ledges which at low tide are normally covered with water,add any swell or waves to that and it becomes dangerous also the rocks are slippery.

These days I try to fish places where i know if i did go in and can get out again,without help and for me traveling from Penrith is like going away for a long weekend,I find when i get home im so tried,such a long drive now..

Anyway having said that I dont like to recommend rock fishing to anyone its dangerous and sooner or later you will experience a problem if you do it long enough, its addictive and sometimes that clouds your judgement.

Even experienced people go over board and they tend to push the limit more because of their experience.

If you do it find a nice spot at low tide,wear your safety gear,know your limits when to get off the rocks.

Sorry if im turning you off but fishing off the wharf is just as rewarding and there are some big blackfish around in safer spots although I wouldnt eat anything west of the Harbour Bridge due to pollution etc.

Wharfs near beaches and headlands out to sea like Bundeena a perfect and you could catch anything there but i dont think Blackfish are there.

The harbour areas in Sydney I hear produces some good Blackfish and is a lot safer although people have still died there in some spots,like Grotto point.

Anyway bro, I love my new rod and reel.

[DMG]

Bro if your going to buy a Blackfish rod buy the one i said,im telling you its great from where i said.

There where only 2 stores in Australia selling it.

Jarvis Walkers website tells you who sells them but when you look on the site they dont have them.

I had to search for that rod.

My first fish on that rod yesterday and i was like omg the bend in this thing bent all the way to to butt.

Better then my Mag Bream that i have been using for years. and $39 + $20 postage lol.

Edited September 26, 2016 by D.G

[macman]

They are brilliant rods for the money, at 40 bucks how can you go too wrong? I've been recommending these as a cheap alternative for years. There is an estuary version as well.

Matt