big Neil

On my wish list of "fish to catch" Waza. Won't be this Winter though. bn

How's life on the South Coast John? bn

I signed up...join in.

Teacher talk? bn

That's a cracker Jim. Always fascinates me that the fastest fish have that type of tail configuration. Cheers, bn

Does ur wife have any nicknames for you? Jonah, maybe? Lucky you're still with us I reckon. Entertaining stories noelm, keep them coming. bn

Geez noelm 2 fires on boats??? Do you ever get anybody VOLUNTARILY wanting to go fishing with you? Have any trouble getting insurance? Cheers, bn

Great read Waza, thanks for sharing it. bn

I was born at a very early age in the North of England, on the banks of the River Mersey. In those early post - war days the river was severely polluted. The Industrial Revolution had brought the importance of canals into focus as a form of transport. Canals and farmland storage ponds provided the opportunity to catch freshwater fish. By the time I was 4, I had 2 brothers and we did most things together through our formative years. Kinda like the 3 amigos of the North West. We weren't well off (though we wanted for nothing) and seldom bought things for our entertainment. Our travels as kids took us to lotsa places where there were fish swimming around in the lily pads. I knew nobody who went fishing when I first became interested in the exercise. I had no burning desire to catch fish and didn't even know what a fishing rod was. In fact it was many years later that I became aware of a hardware shop down the main street of town which sold fishing gear. I have mentioned many times (on Fishraider) that my brother and I (the other one wasn't interested) actually made our own fishing tackle and it provided us with the opportunity to catch most of the "coarse fish" which frequented the ponds and canals near to home. For those who may not have seen the descriptions of my home made fishing gear, this is it. A 6 ft bamboo cane which I tied some cotton thread to, a bent pin, and a matchstick (for a float), a small stone for a sinker. Bait consisted of bread, worms or maggots. I was never aware of a moment where fishing became a major passion (that came much later in life). While I lived in the UK i dabbled in many types of freshwater fishing experiences but it was never a "passion". Eventually I bought proper fishing gear. After moving to Sydney I had a job at Walsh Bay and used to fish during lunch time. I caught plenty of species but fishing was still not a significant pastime. So I guess I have slowly developed a passion for the hobby which now occupies a significant amount of my time. In the nearly 50 years that I've been in Australia I have had many amazing fishing experiences and tried lots of different methods to catch many different species. Without a doubt we are privileged to be anglers in this country. Great country, great people, great weather, great fishing opportunities...what else do we need? I'm not one to rubbish the UK. HOWEVER, there is a myth that Australians think that it rains all the time over there. I wish to set the record straight. I lived there for a long time and my experiences showed that it actually only rained twice a week...once for 4 days and once for 3 days. bn

Righto Baz, had me going there. These normally widespread species are (apparently) being moved onto the seriously endangered list as their numbers have dropped rapidly. It appears that a month or so back somebody valued them higher than a Rose Bay Mansion and that led to them becoming highly sought after. Subsequent stock assessments have shown that they no longer exist in their former habitat. Will they ever return to take pride of place in the little rooms of every household? Only time will tell. bn

The combo which you are looking at will get you started fishing for Cod. I think that the reel also comes in a left hand wind model. This outfit will certainly fit your needs. You will be able to chuck most spinnerbaits and hard bodied lures (up to the size of Stumpjumper #1) with it. Unless you find yourself catching metre length Murray Cod with every cast, it will do you for a few years. When you get your combo I would practice using it with an old lure (remove the hooks). Lure fishing with baitcasters is a finesse sport, the more practice the sooner the results IMO. 30 lb braid and leader and you should be good to go, once you get the all clear from the authorities that you can go fishing. Good luck bn

Great series of yarns there Waza. You and your mates must have been really keen anglers back in the day. Are you a competent typist too? A story that long would take me a week to type and I'd definitely need a few sleeps in between. Cheers mate, bn

Hey Pickles. I just Googled FDD and believe that I have it too. I have all the symptoms: Continuous looking out the window to see what the weathers doing. Regular visits to the garage to play with my tackle. Constant checking the boat has fuel in it. Extended periods of practice casting. Unpacking, then repacking the lure boxes in anticipation of some decent rain to fill the dams and rivers. Like yourself and Ryder I find it hard to concentrate on the jobs which need doing. I do hope that we all pull through these difficult times and get back to what gives us the most pleasure in life. Cheers from Wiradjuri country. bn

Hopefully it won't be too long before we can all get back to what you enjoy doing Andrew...in the meantime the chores you do should bring harmony into the household. Keep safe mate. bn

Hi Will. You won't get "Quality" rod and reel baitcast gear for anything like $200, but you will be able to catch most Murray Cod on a cheap baitcast combo. They are not renowned fighting fish, UNTIL you hook a big one. A few reels do actually come in a left hand wind model but most are right hand wind. If you intend fishing regularly for Murray Cod I would save a bit longer and get a better quality reel and pair it with a 4-8kg or 6-10kg rod. Good luck, let us know what you get and how you go with it mate. bn