slurm

Plenty of good info here. Pelagics can be very fussy at times so it's best to have a bunch of lures of different colours and sizes. Some of my best sessions have come from firstly getting an idea what they are eating on that day and matching that profile. This is done by just observing your surroundings, watch for birds, small schools of bait moving around etc. You'd be surprised how locked in they can get, often throwing a 3 inch lure when they're locked in to a 2.75 inch profile will mean the difference between a fish every 20 casts or one every cast (this is golden advice I received from another raider a little while ago). For this reason, I always go out with a bunch of metals (Any will work) and soft plastics in the 4-5 inch range (Jerkshads and paddletails). If I can't match the bait with a metal, I will trim down a plastic to the profile of bait I see swimming around. In saying that, often being unconventional can be rewarding. Many times I have been side by side with other anglers spinning metals and it's my big obnoxious popper that gets the bite. In short, take whatever you can with you and don't be afraid to switch it up.

Thanks for the report mate. Very positive sign for things to come. Cheers

Hey mate, Last summer I got away with using 20lb mono and 20lb leader for most of my bait use having no trouble hooking whiting, bream, tailor and the odd salmon around Sydney. As long as your bait is presented correctly you shouldn't have too many issues going heavier. On some days I would go down to a 10-12lb leader if I was struggling to get any hits which would help.

The Samaki Flashs are a gun little lure. Cast like a metal but have the action of a stick bait when swept. Unreal

Great Report mate. Stoked to see that the ankle held up for a session! Heres to many more

Casting distance is often misunderstood by many. Bigger casts can hurt your chances of finding the fish. A few threads similar to this one always advise that sometimes the fish can be within a few metres of shore which is often the case. I have found some of my most productive beach fishing days not needing to cast further than 10-15m. You'd be very surprised the size of some fish that come in close to feed. You want to cast into the gutters or just aside them mixing it up if you don't get a bite. There's plenty of info available on identifying gutters both on here and on other sites so have a good read before you head out. Beach fishing beats the life out of gear so a good rinse and wipe down with a cloth or towel at home goes a long way in ensuring longevity of your tackle. Took a mate and I a few outings before we became confident fishing off the beach so don't beat yourself up if it seems slow at first. Best of luck

G'day mate I fish the northern beaches pretty regularly and it's great. Your outfit is fine for throwing pillies off the sand. I personally use gang hooks as it holds the bait a little better in my experience but the circles should be fine. I have two large star sinkers for beach fishing which I alternate between depending on the current. One is a 42g and the other is a 56g. Your size 1 should be fine if there isn't too much current but you may need to bring something heavier as the beaches have been very turbulent the past few weeks. Finding a gutter is ideal on the beach. Not too sure if the lagoon is running after this rain but I'd assume so. I have never really found a drastic increase in hook up rate when using berley at my local but then again it doesn't hurt. North Narrabeen is generally quite busy on the weekends so just be wary of others around and use common sense. For instance, I wouldn't be using berley with heaps of people in the water. The boys over at Narrabeen B&T are gurus of the area so I would highly suggest heading in for a chat. Cheers

G'day Will I'm not a rock fishing guru but I have picked up some solid tips from other fishos. Some great hard bodies that I see often include Rapala X-raps, Storm So-Run minnow, Halco Lazer Pro and Nomad Riptide stickbaits. Nomad and Halco make some wicked poppers for the price so it may be good to have one in your box. Having a range of soft plastics is also handy. Anything from a 2.5" Slim SwimZ in a natural / white colour to large 9" plastics. It's good to try and identify what the fish are feeding on and try to match your lure to that. In saying all of that, the humble metal should not be neglected. I have caught some quality fish with them and when you lose one it doesn't hurt the bank too much. Cheers

I have a Daiwa TD Black Wicked Weasel and a Shimano Raider in 2-4kg. My 2500 Stradic sits perfectly on both. Cheers

hey mate I have a 2500 Stradic FK and a 2500 Stradic CI4. I find the CI4 to be much lighter than the FK but performance wise I find them relatively the same. I prefer the feel of the FK solely because it balances perfectly with my light set up better than the Ci4. In saying that, they are both gun reels and you cannot go wrong with either.

Thanks for your reply mate. I think the A series will be the way to go!

Thanks for your reply mate. The 11.4 seems like a great mid ground to me! I have heard that Gary's rods are unreal.

G'day legends! After reviewing countless threads online I have decided to delve into the world of the Alvey. I am going to be buying from them directly and was after a little guidance from those in the know! I have been considering the SURF 60GVCR for beach work to target Bream / Flathead / Whiting mainly, however, my haunts are prone to holding the odd Tailor / Salmon / Jew. I'm thinking around 8-12lb Mono will be my choice (willing to consider others). The two rods I am tossing up between is the R60 (10.6ft) and the R62L (12ft). I have experience with 9ft Graphite spin sticks luring off the sand / stones so I think I'll be more comfortable with the 10.6ft. In saying that, I would happily consider going bigger if it's going to make a significant difference in terms of using the reel to its full potential. I am open to suggestions for a different novice outfit if anyone thinks I am not on the money with my choices! To say I am keen is an understatement. Any advice would be golden. Cheers! Conor

G'day mate, I can't offer you too much advice myself as I don't own a kayak but I have borrowed one many times. I found it much easier to launch from a calm bay where a park or sandy beach joins the water rather than a boat ramp. It is beneficial as a beginner as you don't have to worry about getting in anyones way or being intimidated by high traffic areas. This will also allow you to learn how to manoeuvre a kayak before you head out in rougher conditions. It also somewhat comes down to what you're targeting, but in general terms respect peoples property when on the water. For instance, if you don't have a very accurate cast I would be cautious casting into moorings / piers to avoid damaging property. But in saying that, this method can be very effective on the Kayak once you are consistent 😉. Aside that, you will also have to give some consideration to how you secure it to your car if you need to travel. It's a start, but hopefully some more experienced members can point you in the right direction.

Thanks for your reply mate. It was to go on a Daiwa Lazy 9.6ft 15-60g but I've decided to stay with the Stradic following a great response from Shimano regarding repair. Big fan of the Certates and hoping to pick one up eventually.

Thanks for all the replies legends! Shimano were actually very helpful in regards to following up a warranty claim so that's a big up in my book. Will consider all of the above in the coming weeks on the hunt for a new outfit. Cheers

Thanks for your reply Paddy. I wasn't aware of this but am keen to look into it - definitely changes things! Cheers

Thanks for your reply mate. I'll be picking one up very shortly, cheers!

G'day all, I have been meaning to pick up a 2016 Daiwa Certate as prices have dropped recently but I am lost for size as I believe reel sizes are not universal across brands.. I'd be looking at something around the 4000-5000 Shimano equivalent and some research suggests I would be after the 3012h or 3500hd model. It is a replacement for my Stradic which broke over the weekend so I intend to use it for light beach work as well as a small boat outfit. Am I on the right track? I appreciate your time!

Hey mate, is it as simple as painting the whole lure white? I'm a big fan of metals and am always looking for different things to try. Cheers

No clear tip, but I did think it was an Ugly Stick at first. I'm gonna take it for a flick this weekend and cannot wait to give it a flick. Thanks for the advice

Thanks for the tip. I have a few hours to tinker in the coming days and will see what I can come up with

Hi all, I was going through the old fishing gear in the shed and found an old rod that belongs to my dad. It's made by Shakespeare, but aside from that I have zero clue about any of the capacity. The photo attached shows the only print on the whole stick, I was wondering if anyone could give me an idea to what it means. I understand it's 10 foot, is 2 piece and has a wooden butt. The last thing I want to do is load it up and snap my dads gear. I sent a message to the manufacturer and they couldn't tell me jack. Cheers

Will likely just walk the lake I think. Ill pop into the local tackle shop and ask for further tips. Thanks

Hi all, Heading to Jindabyne this weekend and have a day to myself so was thinking of going for a fish. I've had a look on the DPI website and I'm a little lost with all the specific terminology regarding spawning streams and the such. As a result, not too certain with what I can and cannot target this time of year or if its even worth it. Purely after some catch and release fun to kill a few hours. Any advice would be tops, Cheers