OneMoreFish

Nower where is a smile with the sound of a furneral dirge for the dearly departed reel? It could be time to admit it has had a good life and put it out of its suffering....the poor thing.

Hi, 1. Baitrunner reels are just not up to scratch for Kings... the drags are not usually good enough and the simpler you keep the reel the better (keep the baitrunner for the flathead and bream and jewies) 2. I have used an Epix reel with the stainless gears.... and must say they dont feel that good at the turn of the handle and often develop sideways slop on the main gear which can cause the reel to jam under load...not what you want on a king... I would suggest if budget is limited to under $200 then you probably want to look at say a Penn Spinfisher 650ssm (or if you can get your hands on it the previous 6500ss or 650ss as they were USA made)... The 650ssm is china built and probably not as good as its predecessors but it still has sintered bronze gears.. I have a 650ss which I have had for 20yrs and it still pulls the kings and has a good drag, and has never failed me. I would stay above a 500 size reel as the drags are bigger diameter and therefore have more surface area. As far as line goes... try 30lb mono backing and then 120m of 30lb or 50lb Kokoda livewire infused braid (very soft) .... and top it with 30-50lb flourocarbon or quality mono leader. (30lb will do if the fish are on the surface or clear of structure. but you will need 50lb of stopping power on anything about 80cm if you are near structure) hope this helps Cheers Rodger

Hi Guys, Havent been on for a while as I have been busy working.. and the fishing has been quiet (even quiter now as I am currently boatless...aaarrrgghh! ) I bought a new custom Fishfinder pro series rod from Tony at Fishfinder Bait and Tackle early in the year and really havent had a chance to give it a good flogging ...until recently! It is very similar to Sammy's rod in the attached link... Sammys rod but 7'6" long, still with the double handle, but double foot guides...lots of em actually... Tis super light... and I am waiting till I have enough dosh to put a decent reel on it... Currently I am running my old Penn Spinfisher 650 on it.. with 30lb Kakoda fused braid (heaps softer than fireline) and either 24lb or 40lb flourocarbon leader. but the spinfisher is almost corroding away from 20yrs of use!...but is still able to turn Kingfish.. (I dont know that the china-built spinfishers are anywhere near as durable) I gave it a good go on Kings in the harbour this week.... using 10cm poppers and sluggos.... it loads up superbly and cast beautifully... and much MUCH.. further than expected for distance... it certainly has no trouble handling the kingfish (and the 30odd flamin big chopper tailor that kept grabbing it before a king could!) I think I may get Tony to chop a couple of inches off the butt though... as I am just finding it could do without it. If I can find the money some time I will be chasing Tony for a bream special and a jigging rod I can troll for kings with too... I would like to see what he can come up with similar to the Jigwrex rods. Cheers Rodger

Well as your apprentice for that trip I wanted to know why you didnt rip any jaws out ... at least with the 80lb gear we were running at the heavier end... much fun was had...but it will be nice to get back into your Noble... hope the beggers at Mercedes get your tow bar sorted "this week" finally... Look forward to our next trip (PS looks like I have a new job which might give me some fishing time free ...possibly on Wednesdays ) Rodger

Mate, about 1985 towards the end of the drought these things started showing up in the mud banks of the upper georges river around East Hills and Milperra.. Namesay can vouch for me, we wasted so much time digging for bloodworms only to find these bloody things had burrowed down and swallowed the worms we were looking for. They vary in colour from deep red to pink, have nasty teeth, very slippery pink skin and are almost totally bind... if not eyeless. bloody ugly... look like a mutant penis from hell. never worked out what they were but they decimated the bloodworms and seemed to live burried in the mud chasing bloodworms... any ideas I would like to know too... and how the hell they got there as they must have been introduced... Seriously worse thing to happen to the food chain other than Bankstown council building the flood mitigation levy and blocking kelso creek completely, or the chipping norton lakes which silt up the river. Rodger

Well done Sammy, better than my trip in the Bay today.... Pitty the squid are so cagey... was good to catch you at Fishfinder on Sunday too Catch you round PS... I think the kings are going to regret seeing me on wednesday with my new Fishfinder Prograph... it is awesome... I'm in love with my rod...LOL Rodger

Hi Guys, Just thought I better leave a report as disapointing as it is.. Went out today in the Bay....trying to hit Kings with no luck at all... There seemed to be a bit of action around Molinaux Point, I saw Scotty Lions pull up a couple and one other boat... but no real size in them at all.. I could see fish on the sounder but thet dissapeared shortly after the tide turned... (wish I had thrown in my downrigger) I then tried the Hot water outlet and the oil warf with not a bit... (we were burleying heavily too!!!) We gave up after that and headed to Towra where we got one decent bream and a stingray.... poor consolation... We would have chased flathead but were geared up for Kings... Oh well think I will stick to the Harbour for a while... Rodger

now that rod looks familair sammy, Will be picking up my Kingfish killer 8-10kg version on sunday from Tony. Rodger

Heya kelvin... well done on the kings.... could have been worse than parting braid on the side of the boat.... a lost rod overboard is much worse... esp witha Torsa on it! I should be picking up my new rod from Fishfinder Tony on Sunday... cant wait... just got to get out there and try it. Rodger

G'day Brad, You are asking alot of range there (as I was)... you really need to break it down into "needs" and "wants" What is the majority of the fishing you are doing? Bream/Flathead or Kings/Pelagics? If you want the soft tip for bream flathead it is hard to get the butt to handle kings and your tip will be too soft to cast sluggos etc... the only compromise is something like a silstar crystal tip. but the tip is too soft for sluggos... if you want a rod for kings/pelagics and are prepared to use another rod you already have for bream etc (as I have decided to do... plus you can pick these up cheaply... ask tony to show you the cheap vista graphite rod I was looking at) I can give you no better recomendation that to Talk to Tony and Fishfinder and ask him to show you the rod he is building me.... (should be virtually ready now) Tony talked me out of trying to have a stick that would do both... with good reason... you just cant get it... unless you get a multi-tapered rod.like the wilson texallium... but this is composite not pure graphite and to me feels like a broomstick with a soft tip.... feels horrible compared to the one he is building me... Cheers Rodger Wearne

HAHAHA..... That is amazing ... the fish must be hungy.... I'm waiting for Namesay's report from his trip today.... Wonder if he will have taken some on bananas at the boat...?

Best to stick to smaller jigs size 1.5 to 2..... colour is a matter for probably the area you are squidding... if they dont take it and you know the squid should be there.... change colours... I would stick to the Yozuri as I know they work... even though they cost around $18 in these sizes... they will most likely outlast cheap jigs and they are designed to sit in the water horizontally.... hence look more relaistically like a prawn or yellowtail etc.... you wont regret it.... Give Fishfinder Tony a call on 9661 7967 as he has a huge range with discounts for forum members and is a wealth of information... If you cannot get over to the shop he will organise for it to be posted out to you..... Tell him Rodger sent you (or he wont have my cuppa ready next time) if you get over there check out the rods too. Rodger Wearne

Well Kelvin, sounds like Sunday must have got you exicited... you have been active a lot online today with posts and replies... (either that or your were bored at work) Can't wait to see your new boat.... Hope Danny's Jonah-itis improves so he fishes as well as he squids.... don't want to see you give any more of those kings the easy way off.... keep the rod tip up and the pressure on..... (Don't know about Kelvin's Banana theory... he has always been more ass than class he may be the only one rubbing bananas on the lure or bait works for...)..haha

Im not too sure... I have seen it from forshore drive as I went past... in Penryn estuary area...(where everyone skis etc) I suspect it has something to do with the new Port construction.... basically it will mean that at least 1/3rd of the area from the end of the exisitng port and boat ramp to the 3rd runway and back down into penryn estuary will be closed off and the boat ramp relocated to along forshore drive.... It will be messy for a long time boys.... and we will lose some good fishing ground.... thanks to the state government

Seriously... (and I recieve nothing for saying so)... give tony a call at Fishfinder Bait and Tackle (Fishfinder Tony on the site...look under sponsors)... Was there yesterday...he has a huge range of light rods.... and there are so many to choose from... and it all comes down to personal preference.... 1 piece/two piece, length.. feel etc.... worth a trip over... Rodger