arpie

Hi Hank Just checked with my buddy - Yes, it was Grant in the kayak (who has caught probably in excess of 20 marlin from kayak plus numerous 20lb+ snapper, wahoo, big spanish & spotties, cobia, tuna of all sorts & even sharks ......) He said that a charter boat had asked if he had a marlin on - but it was a bit spanish! Mystery solved! cheerio Roberta

You have to be very careful of what knot you use to join leader to braid - if it is too big, it can get 'stuck' in the middle of the rod. I have a 'lookalike' Interline (not Daiwa) and when I used it in NZ a couple of years ago, the knot got caught up & when I tried to pull it out, it pulled a part of the interior of the rod with it! I am in the process of fixing it now! A yak buddy has one & loves it. Roberta

Great day out on the water, Hank - shame the fish didn't play their part tho! Not 100% if it is Grant - but I know that he has a 'triple rig' that he puts up the front of his yak for his flag, bait rod etc, so reckon it could be him!! I'll try & track down some other pics of his rig as comparison. At least you were out there, giving it a shot! Better luck next time. Great pics - looks like "peak Hour' for boaties!! cheerio Roberta

Good points, SM - sadly I have major arthritis in both of my thumbs & just cannot hold the worms hard enough to pull them out by hand! I try by hand now & then just to 'keep in touch' - but if I want to get worms to go fishing, I just use the pliers! Sweet As! A few years back, a 'so called fisheries expert' (aka clown) claimed that worms 're-grew' their heads after being broken off ...... now THAT, I've gotta see!!

Great result, Hank - and very fair on both of you. cheers Roberta

Well done, Jeff! Tick that one off your list!! Great that your buddies were able to put you on to them! Roberta

Hmmmmm ....If the worms are 'slipping thru' with the plastic pliers - I reckon you may have just 'slackened off' the pressure a bit & are just not gripping them hard enough. Keep the grip really firm once you 'go for the neck' & all should be well. The teeth of the plastic ones 'wear down' a bit after a while anyway .... so I wouldn't file them down, myself - tho well done, if it has helped you get the worms! The springs on the Alvey plastic ones makes them easier to use than the brass ones, which you have to manually open & close - whereas the plastic ones 'open on their own' because of the spring, requiring one less step when they are 'on'. I've tried both & personally prefer & recommend the plastic ones as they are much lighter as well. Most gently sloping East Coast beaches should have beach worms - tho council spraying for Bitou bush has killed the worms on some beaches, as they spray when there is an offshore breeze - so the poison goes on to the sand & kills the worms as well, sadly. cheers Roberta

G'Day, Rut I was up at SWR back creek just 10 days ago, but wasn;t fishing much as my husband was doing the triathlon there. There is incredible flow at the foot bridge there - I've tried in the past to catch blackies there, with limited success ...... I'll try harder next time! Yes, it usually takes a little while to 'work it out' but if you have an experienced mentor - it will cut months off your 'learning experience'! Yes - patience, patience & patience are the 3 main requirements needed for blackie fishing To satisfy my curiosity could you answer a couple of questions on your choice of gear. What mainline do you use ? - I use use YGK Nitlon Top Water which I have used for the past 15 years without any trouble, no need to use vaseline/silicon etc. You just need to trim off a little line after a few heavy sessions which everyone should do. Quite a few of my fishing partners have been 'converted' to use this line - not cheap @ $25 for 100m. Run mainline at 14lb trough float with adjustable stopper, then a short length of 12lb line with a running weight, then finish with 8lb Vanish as leader. My logic is if you get snagged/hit a stingray/pelican etc the 8lb line breaks and you do not lose all your pre-weighted float rig etc Personally, I use 20lb Powerpro braid for the Breakwall with about 20lb+ 'sinker' line and then the leader is about 10lb ......I use much less breaking strains when fishing from the yak - but have been busted off by some whopper lease blackies ..... so will upgrade to higher gear soon, I reckon. The braid floats & makes it much easier to see & 'mend the line' and prevent big 'bellies' in the line so you are fighting the fish 'directly' once you set the hook after the float has 'dunked' - yet the leader is light enough to break if you get an 'unstoppable' rather than losing your float & have to re-rig! I use size 8/10 Mustad Sneck Ultrapoint hooks [green] - what's your preference ? I don't mind what hooks I use, so long as they are small enough to fit their somewhat 'small mouths' - so size 8 to 10 in general ...... I've even used Suicide hooks - they really just need to be VERY SHARP as they have tough bony mouths. So long as there is no 'kirb/bend' in the hook .... most styles are suitable (tho I wouldn't use long shank hooks.) What do you use as a stopper. I used to use fine cotton as a stopper but sometimes found if you tied it too tight and wanted to move it it would stretch the line. I have been using a range of rubber stoppers, some work better than others [some slip - you have to keep on eye on your depth particularly if you are getting plenty of action] I have used commercially prepared rubber stoppers, but I think they are less reliable now than they used to be - I now use wool, tied to the main line with a double uni knot & trimmed so it goes thru the runners nicely. It really 'grabs' well when you do the 'double knot' and snug it up with some spit! I would NEVER use thicker mono line tied onto a mono line as a stopper - as the friction will weaken the main mono line & it will surely bust under pressure. Yes, you need to keep an eye on 'where' the stopper is (relative to the runners on your rod when wound fully in) so that IF the stopper has moved you know you need to readjust the depth of the stopper before casting again. I have two Wilson Livefibre 10'6" rods which are just brilliant. I only fish estuary locations, no rock fishing. I've never tried a Wilson Livefibre rod yet, but have no doubt I will, one day, as they are considered superlative rods! I have a few blackie rods that I use off the Breakwall that were custom built for someone that I was lucky enough to come across in a local 2nd Hand shop ..... I have a Jarvis Walker Black Queen that I use in my kayak. I tend not to fish the rocks these days, too. Looking forward to upcoming blackfishing season. We are so lucky here in Forster - we can fish for Blackies all year round!! I must get back into it more often! cheers & hope you are catching heaps! Roberta

Looks great, Mate - shame your buddies couldn't join you! Damn! Better luck next trip! cheerio Roberta

Now THAT sounds almost pornographic, Paikea!! Had to laugh tho!! There is logic behind your reasoning of putting it on your lures tho! Let us know how you go?? Cheerio Roberta

Holy Moly - that must have been a pretty BIG shark to take such a large bit out of your reasonably big jewie like that!! Well done - looks like you've had a great few sessions on the water! Roberta

It will definitely be interesting to see which 'brand' were used!!! Pretty sure Hobies are still all made in the US of A! cheers Roberta

he, he, I have WAY too many fishing mags as well - some dating back to the 70s ..... but believe it or not - there is terrific information even in the 'older' mags - before a lot of the 'more modern' lures & Fish Finders were available to the general public! I tend to take them with me when we travel & try to read them whilst away - then leave them in the 'library' at the Caravan Parks we stay in!! Most are near water & there would be plenty of 'fishos' ready to read them - even the old ones! I hope one of our younger readers jumps at the opportunity - they have a wealth of information in them! Good on you for making them available, Paikea cheerio Roberta

Congratulations, Scratchie! Terrific fish - well done! And newbie bass fisho to boot!! cheers Roberta

I noticed that the tides were 'off' a couple of years ago & was told that they had changed from using the people who have calculated it 'forever' and were now using a university to 'guestimate' it, with a computer program! The heights of the tide appear to be 'off' as well! The chart may say that it is a 1.5m tide, yet it is overlapping the jetties here - which would indicate a 2m tide! (tho this may also be the result of a big water event following torrential rain, as well?) These inaccuracies could actually cause accidents in 'shallow lakes' like Wallis - as people may go too fast in the wrong spot & run into the shallow sand bars that are abundant here! We get extreme 'low/lows' following the 'high/highs' following the King Tides in Jan & April - depending on where you fish, you could even be stranded if you go across a shallow area at high tide & can't get back across in the low! At Forster, you can use the Coastal Patrol Bar Cam to actually 'guestimate' the tide - check it out here: http://www.marine-rescue.com.au/bom/liveCam.html Put the cursor on the pic & on 'Scale' click the 'Down' until it shows the pond next to the breakwall. Right now (10am) it is showing pretty well 'dead low' as there is no water in the pond. Obviously, in about 6hrs, it should be full of water - or close to high! If you click on this link & choose South West Rocks - it appears to have a similar tide time to the Forster Breakwall/lake! http://www.bom.gov.au/australia/tides/ To get the actual 'beach tide', you would have to allow it being 'low' 2-3hrs earlier? A Casio Tide Watch is relatively cheap & is a great way to keep on top of the tides, once you have calibrated it to your area (tho it doesn't work way up north, with the massive tides they have there.) cheers Roberta

Well done!! Great session! Enjoy the yak - you will have HEAPS of fun in it!! Yeah - Get one, Swordie!! Roberta

Well done, Scratchie!! Terrific session with your buddy! Congrats on your PB - they really 'go' at that size, eh?? Roberta Let me know next time you are up & I will join you!! (hopefully with more water, so less portage!) Roberta

Hi guys, I have copied this info from a post on another forum ...... it sounds like a good app to have on your Smart Phone!! Safety, safety, safety.... There is so much your phone can do to help you.. and I know (me included) not everyone is in a position to have dedicated GPS units and or PLB/Epirb's on board (yet).. but there is one app that you should have on your smartphone (it is available for both Iphone and Android) The APP is called EMERGENCY +you can find it on Itunes https://itunes.apple.com/au/app/emergency-+/id691814685?mt=8 and Google Playhttps://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.threesixtyentertainment.nesn The free Emergency+ app has been developed by the national Triple Zero Awareness Work Group (TZAWG) following concern about the release of smartphone apps that claimed to send location details to emergency responders, but which couldn't be guaranteed to perform. TZAWG is a national body that represents emergency call-taking agencies throughout Australia. It operates as a work group under the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA). Two-thirds of all incoming calls to Triple Zero are now made from mobile phones. The app requires users to first call 000 (for Police, Ambulance or Fire authorities in life threatening situations), the SES or the Police 131 444 line through the app. If the caller is unsure of their exact location, they are asked if they have the app on their smartphone and if they can then verbally read out their exact latitude and longitude GPS coordinates. It is designed to help people pick the right emergency number to call for help in emergency and non-emergency situations. THis will be of assistance both on and off the water ........ in bushfire emergencies, camping and tramping emergencies - any time you need assistance, they need to know where you are, to get to you!! If you are 'in trouble' & in the middle of a bit waterway with no distinguishing features (or forest or anywhere for that matter, where you don't know what the closest 'cross road' is ....) this App could save your life! Cheers Roberta

Good blackfish spot, with weed to pick there too! Roberta

Cool, Peter - good to see you are still out there, helping newbies get into their blackies! Well done! That Flattie would have caused a bit of excitement!!! Roberta

Hi Dave Lots of my yakking mates have made the same observation about the pagani siglet as you have. They have either put a treble onto it or the stinger hooks & the hookup rate improved. Glad to hear you are getting in to some good bass! I think we need more rain up here to get my spot 'firing' again, as it has almost stopped flowing!! cheers Roberta

...between two of the pylons that was supporting a (how do you call that?) shed (??) above the water.... Boat shed? ....I had loads of follows but to get them strike is another story let alone getting a hook up........ When they are actively 'smacking/kissing' at the lure, make sure you DON'T strike until you feel the weight of the fish on your line - otherwise you are just pulling it away from them! If you are out on 'open' water (like fishing the shallows), you can play round with different 'retrieves' more - sometimes I DO keep the lure moving slowly, to encourage them to come after it & chase it, but I always STOP retrieving as soon as I see that initial 'bloop', especially if around structure like poles & jetties!! It can be frustrating, but that is the discipline that you need, sometimes, to get the hookup! roberta

Good on you, Ray!! innovative thinking!! Look forward to reading of your first capture on it! cheers Roberta

Well done Huy!! It is VERY addictive - and you will find that the closer you get that lure to ANY pole/pylon/structure - you will get more hits!!! You'll be listening for the bream kiss from now on too! In leases, I hear it all the time, as they suck the shrimp off the racks! cheers Roberta

No worries, Bennoz - have fun in the outback, but try as many others as well, before you buy. ,,, as in be able to sit in it at the shop... When you try any yak - it must be on the water, not just in the shop. You can't 'test' the stability or your 'comfort factor' just sitting in one on the shop floor. One BIG tackle shop up in Coffs actually has a big indoor pool IN the shop, that they allow people to 'test' their yaks for stability - but you still can't beat being out in the open to test one fully. ..couldnt imagine getting past the breakers in a decent swell... I've gone out in perfect conditions & within 3hrs, it has gone belly up (in an estuary) and the waves that I was surfing home would have done any beach proud! Trust me - you have to be prepared for any conditions on any given day - cos it is just a matter of time til it happens to you. All the more reason to have all the safety gear, and even an 'escape' plan (land at the closest spot, not necessarily where you launched from) if things get tricky. Have fun looking & good luck on the hunt Roberta