i notice a lot of blackfish fishermen tie a half hitch or two to keep fish in keeper nets an easier way is to cut a one inch cut both sides of a tennis ball and thread rope through easy to slide up and down to lock fish in hope this helps peter
fish close in to rocks at old mans hat swell permitting berley with bread cooked prawns or cunji for bait fresh doughy bread also good use no1 size hooks and the smallest ball sinker 20lb line very big drummer near the waterfall 10meters east of the hat good luck and hang on and don't forget the landing net
tried that a few times but for all the hard work catching and carrying it was not worth it salmon and tailor would eat them all the time I take the backbone and tail out and leave two fillets still attached to the head put hook through mouth and out only on one side of fillet that leaves the other fillet to wave in the current try using a longer trace as well I use 4/0 to 8/0 hooks worth a try peter
learn to cast a centerpin by just using a ball sinker in the park using the tension nut screwed up fairly tight then slowly loosen the tension nut after each cast practice this until you get no overruns once mastered no swivels needed and no line twist peter
I hooked a pike eel in narrabeen lake years ago while fishing from my dingy after jewfish it was as long as the dingy 8ft cut it off straight away 20mins later hooked it again same fish good fight on a handline but scary looking fish
try nth curl curl just in front of steps to pool rod holes are there in rocks safe spot in any tide cast in direction of south curly surf club fresh baits of tailor squid and slimeys are best this spot can really fire but you have to fish it often to get it wired
tip
allways take a 6ft gaff and have it handy put it in one of the rod holes
nice fish don't they fight at that size,good effort at landing it.
I have been after a 50cm for years had a few 47cms but cant crack the magical 50cm has any body caught one?
I know the record for blackfish is 8lb4ozs and 60cms
peter
a 12ft beach rod from Shakespeare at $65 will handle salmon from the beach as long as the line breaking strain is 6 to10kgs it should be marked on the rod
I think it is a good deal for a beach rod
peter