CarlRak

sweet

Black Magic KS in 01 or 02, good value in packs of 32, I seem to lose a few each session..... I like the heavy-ish gauge for little hooks, but still very sharp. Though once they've been in saltwater they rust quite quick, so basically a single use hook.

Good fishes dude

Awesome fish.

Awesome fish

Beautiful fish.

They won't ever forget it, nice of you.

Thanks, too kind.

I've got a 9' Starlo Stick Shorespin which balances to a 5000FJ Stradic pretty well and you can probably get one for about $100 if you sniff around. The rod is fine, I've used mine extensively over the last two years from the rocks, caught small jew, drummer, bream, salmon, bonnies on it but I'm not really in love with the thing. If you're happy to chuck pencil poppers and just skip them over the surface I'd actually go a 10' rod instead. Gives you some extra distance when hurling metal and it's easier to lift small pelagics with. If you want to throw big cup-faced poppers you'll need a second much heavier set-up, preferably even shorter than specified. Other options to look at are the Samaki Rods (Allure Surf/Zing). I've got a 10 footer which works well for the above species/applications and wasn't particularly expensive. Or some of the NS Seabass rods aren't super expensive and come in 9' models. Never fished one but they felt pretty good in the shop. Maybe figure out the 5 lures you think you'll use most and buy the rod based on their weight etc. Hope that doesn't confuse too much.

Thanks Shakeel. Thanks Jeff. Been a fun couple of years of up-skilling, thanks mate. Cheers. Thanks Ian, pleasure.

Thanks for the kind words, but the technique is quite an old one from what I understand. Those lures are pretty big and heavy, all 15-20cm long, the yellow one weighs about 55g, the blue and silver one about 85g and the greenish silver one also about 85g. Just pick an outfit that can cast them comfortably. Try to get past the wash-line and then roll them in as slow as you can without letting them float too high up in the water column. And you gotta fish pretty shallow spots with lots of foam, wash and my preference is for a little stirred-up sand as well. Hope that helps.

Cheers Pete, worked hard for him as I'm sure you'd understand.

Nice mixed bag from the wash.

Thanks Prawns, super happy. Just fish hard and have fun, the results will come eventually.

Only one way to find out mate

That's such a ridiculously thorough report, looks like a great week. Well done on some awesome fishing.

Raiders, Holidays began well under cloudy skies and some fishy ambition but the size of the fish I was catching didn't really warrant the tackle being used. Nonetheless couldn't have asked for more on night one. The next afternoon I dragged Smoko Joe out to a different spot and decided to fish plastics into the wash on a light rod. Second cast of the session I feel a tap, set the hook and then struggled to control the fish in the wash and surge. At one point I thought I'd lost him as he ran into a cave at my feet and my braid was on the rocks. Quick little freespool move had him swim out and from there I got him terrestrial for a picture and dispatch. Two hours later Benni the Butcher turned him into an exquisite camp meal. Same session saw me catch his little brother on the same plastic, this one got the picture-only treatment. A couple of days later I found another cousin lurking in a washy hole and seduced him with a big paddle-tail. The rest of the trip was great, the camp BBQ set-up evolved, the afternoons were beautiful and I got my spin on pretty often but failed to connect to anything heart-pumping. Back in Sydney I was a moochy brooding mess with another year of work looming so the Miss sat me down, looked me in the eye and said "You've got three days till work starts. Off. Sit on a rock, play with your toys and find Nemo." I didn't need much more impetus. I hatched a quick plan to fish a new headland complex. Did some google maps scanning, packed the car and drove off to chase a dream. 36 hours later the tide was about to peak, the wind was blowing into my face and I had about 5 mins of light left. "Two more casts Nibbles or you're gonna get into trouble with this swell" I said to my alter-ego as I tried to punch the big minnow past the wash-line. As I retrieved the lure I got slammed 3 feet from the low ledge. I tried to hold my nerve through the headshakes, runs and the 6-7 attempts it took me to wash him onto the ledge and finally got rewarded when a 117cm silver slab lay kicking on the rocks. After the ordeal of hiking him out and getting him home in one piece the Miss just looked at me deadpan and said "Nemo's fattened up a little". Anyways, Happy New. Nibbles

Great report, better fish. Well done.

^^^ Hehehehe I've done the smell equivalent of visualising this.....one day

Two! That's just showing off

Very nice. What jig/lure did it?

Awesome first fish man.

What Scratchie said. And try find a drop-off to cast over and then retrieve back bouncing the plastic on the bottom. There's lots of flatties at this time of year in the shallows on warm afternoons. As the sun heats the shallow water the flatties come out to feed. You just need to find some underwater structure and have a good feel of the lure doing it's thing. Heavier jig heads make it easier to cast/feel and won't put the flathead off too much. I'll go for a flick with you one afternoon if you're keen, just PM me your details and we'll figure something out.

I can understand buying gear online in some cases but footwear probably not, gotta be comfortable. I reckon the most comfortable option is a pair of runners/joggers with a pair of griprox over the top. Also saves dragging two pair of shoes to the ledge, can just walk-in with the runners on then put the cleats on when you get to the stone. Also saves walking out with wet rock fishing boots on your back which must way at least a kilo or two. Cleats over the top of old fishing boots works fine but as luderick59 suggests they can be heavy if you go in.

Looks absolutely awesome.......