DerekD

Hi Neil, It is times like this that I realise how inadequate the language we have to work with is for expressing condolences. A simple sorry for your loss doesn't convey the deep empathy that people have for you in a time like this but I don't know of a better way to put it. Over the last few years I've heard the concern in your voice when you have talked about your partner's health and the treatment. I was hoping for a good news story down the track so seeing these messages on Fishraider to you about Susan's passing came as a shock. All the best to you and your family in these difficult times. Sincerely, Derek

Hi Hustler, How did the research go over the weekend? Any follow up questions? Regards, Derek

Hi Hustler57, SP are a joy to use with the right gear. Most people I see that are struggling when starting out are using their old fibreglass rods with mono (feels very spongy & reduced casting distance). Where I like to start people is with a 7 to 7.5 foot 2-4kg graphite rod with short butt and a 1500 to 2500 reel and a 4lb or skinny 6lb braid and an 8lb leader. The stiffness of the graphite rod and the lack of stretch in the braid makes the difference in that you can respond to what is happening at the working end of the line. I can make some suggestions on rods and reels if you do not have quite the right gear yet. I'll just need a budget to work with. You can use ultralight (1/16, 1/20 and lighter) jig heads but it is not the place where I recommend starting. It will help your catch rate but is also far more likely to result in birds nests when starting out. If I had to drop my plastics down to almost nothing I'd be starting with grubs in either 2" or 2.5" and 3" minnows. The jig head weights I use will vary between 1/8oz to 1/4oz depending on what I am chasing. Once you have the gear it opens up your fishing to slices, blades, jigs. Out of curiosity, which part of Sydney are you in? Some of this stuff is easier to show than explain in text. I'm based on the lower north shore. Regards, Derek

Code.....??? Probably more like guidelines I thought. Been wrong before though.... Good luck and looking forward to hearing the results. My theory is that if my line is in the water I have a chance of catching something (and it is therapeutic just being out there).

Hi Strex, Fair call and a fair concern. I've had my kayak since 2010 and have easily done a thousand km on it over the years. I've been on a fair few waterways over the decades and seen a lot of kayaks on the water over the years and from memory (which I hope isn't slipping) I've never personally seen a kayak with a motor on it (a few here and there in forums and boat shows etc. but not in actual use.). Putting aside the fact that I am not the most observant of people at the best of times I believe it is far from the norm. If you want a motor then most people look at a boat as the layout is designed for it. I suspect it will throw the balance out a bit on a kayak. I have seen a couple of options where the designers have very cleverly incorporated it but most kayaks are not designed for it (no mounting brackets or battery well) so making it work well is a challenge. I got a mate from Fishraider out on a kayak for a fish about a year ago. He hooked a small king on it. Within a week he had bought an inexpensive kayak. First time out he did the typical thing of going hard. Was shattered pretty soon after. Once I explained that he only needed to go at an easy cruising speed then from then on he has found he can do hours on the water. The harder you paddle the less efficient you become. I'm floating around the 108kg at the moment. I also bring fishing gear, a sounder, several rods. On my Hobie revolution even fully loaded I can get along at a comfortable 6 to 7km an hour. Typical lazy trips out are often between 7 and 10km. If you are not in a hurry then you will be surprised out how far you get. Sometimes the wind or current can be a bit of a pain but I chose my days. As you are in Epping you have access to some pretty good Sydney waterways within an easy drive. If you are of average or even a bit below average fitness you might feel it the first 2 or 3 times out but after that it becomes a casual walk in the park (unless you get really ambitious and do some really long trips early on). I have a peddle kayak, whenever I have to use a paddle kayak I get over it pretty quickly and get back to peddle asap. The peddle kayak gives me exercise and keeps my hands free for my rods and fighting a fish. I put together a little piece as an introduction to kayak fishing 101 in this forum. Have you had the chance to read it? In the end it will be your decision but I'll help where I can. I can even PM you my number if you want to talk about it. It helps if we have a better understanding of where you are coming from. Your planned fishing location(s) or what type of species you are after. For the money you are likely to be spending with both the kayak, the motor, battery, charger & hassles making it work you might want to look at a peddle kayak before you financially commit to anything. Part of the philosophy behind the peddle kayaks is the legs are used to being used for long distances (e.g. walking or running daily) and they are a stronger muscle group than the arms. I have a Hobie (mirage drive). Another peddle system I have heard of is the Slayer. A mate that had both said the Hobie felt more efficient but the slayer with its propeller system could be operated in reverse and hold position more easily. The newer Hobies have a reversible drive system and the seats are more comfortable. Regards, Derek

Hi Strex, Out of curiosity - why an electric motor on a kayak?? Not saying don't do it but if you are getting into kayak fishing part of the joy is combining a bit of exercise with your fishing. Trying to mount a motor on a kayak is a bit of a pain and there are extra items to drag down to the water. You are literally only a couple of years older than me so I hope it is not a question of health. There are a number of pedal powered options (I own a Hobbie Revolution 13) which keeps your hands free for fishing and still get you around pretty well. I've done some big sessions on mine without too much hassle. Regards, Derek PS Have a look at the Hobbie Evolve electric drive to see you they did it: https://www.hobie.com/accessories/evolve/

I wonder if it is possible to upgrade Waza's status from Gold Member to Platinum member? In recent times I've seen the worst side of people too many times for my liking in some of the sensationalist media. It is wonderful to see the best of people so close to home too. Well done Waza - talk soon.

Hi MD. In NSW it is not compulsory to dispose them out of the water but it is encouraged. See: https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/fishing/pests-diseases/freshwater-pests/species/carp/groups/recreational-fishers In the case of Manly Dam seeing someone killing and then disposing of the carp could have a traumatic effect on some of the many families there on the day. In other states the rules are different. In Queensland it is an offence to release dead or alive carp back into the water systems: https://www.qld.gov.au/environment/plants-animals/animals/pests-diseases/invasive-fish/legal-obligations https://www.daf.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/1238075/IPA-Carp-Fact-Sheet.pdf In Queensland there used to be a fine of up to $220,000 for people caught releasing carp into the wild. http://www.fishingworld.com.au/news/noxious-fish-net-big-fines Regards, Derek

Too many weeds there. Start between the memorial stone and undercover picnic table at the beginning of the dam wall. Then work your way to the left towards the boat ramp. Pretty flat and not too many snags but don't let it hit the bottom.

Hi Fletch, Good to see the information came together. We have caught some bigger specimens at Manly dam so they are there. Unless you can find a place that consistently holds big carp it will be a numbers game. The more carp you catch the better your chance of having a few bigger ones in among them. I've seen some streams with bigger carp and to a degree we could target them by sight fishing to them but in Manly dam it will be a struggle. Looking forward to your next report. Did you try at all for bass with the Celta spinners and light gear as I suggested in your last post? Regards, Derek

Hi again Lory1, From what I know of the area and depending on the direction of the incoming swell I wouldn't have considered it to be a high risk area till I read about the family that drowned there. I suspect one or two went in and then rest drowned after trying to rescue the first victims. I couldn't find the article but I found an interesting report with a breakdown of deaths from rock fishing in NSW: https://www.watersafety.nsw.gov.au/Documents/Publications/Reports-Historical/RockFishFatalitiesReport_Sept03.pdf This report was September 2003 but I suspect the demographics and statistics would follow a similar pattern over the last 17 years. As Middle head is technically within enclosed waters rather than offshore waters by definition I do not believe (but don't quote me as being fact) the life jacket is compulsory but I strongly recommend getting rock cleats and a comfortable life jacket as it is cheap insurance. Also have a plan B location and be prepared to walk away if it looks remotely uncomfortable. Regards, Derek

Hi mate, You haven't specified how you are fishing Middle head, Mosman. Boat/kayak/shore-based. Assuming some sort of water craft see https://www.rms.nsw.gov.au/maritime/safety-rules/other-boating/canoes-and-kayaks.html Even shore based depending on how good a swimmer you are I'd be recommending one as several years ago we had almost a whole family die while fishing there. Regards, Derek

I don't have an issue with using clips on hardbodies and metals on salmon or tailor or kings for that matter. I don't like to use them on plastics as it is a bit of extra junk on the lure.

Hi Squ!rt, Ok. Now I'm jealous. I only went to Stradic. How about I put it another way? If I got you to close your eyes and gave you a 2500 Sienna (last series not the red one as I haven't tried that) and a 2500 Sedona to play with and told you that you have to go fishing one hour every day flicking around small soft plastics and hard bodies and you have to use one of those two based on feel, smoothness and handling which one would you pick? In my case the Sedona. I know that we could do Sedona and Nasci and so on up the Shimano food chain but with the $150 budget from the original poster which is the best bang for buck? I agree with the two Sienna for one Sedona approach but since with a little bit of care they fish for a long time (I still have a 12+ year old Slade guest reel which works well and has seen a lot of fish but bushes instead of bearings) you are not likely to wear either out so it becomes a case of which feels nicer on a scale of diminishing returns. Working within realistic budget constraints, every person I've been through this exercise with went with Sedona for the $40 extra. At the time as pretty as it was I would not have gone the extra $40 plus to make the jump from the Sedona to the Nasci. Depending on the shop I was at I asked the sales person to show us the reel they would pick if there was no budget - I couldn't justify it but I soooo wanted some of the reels they showed us (I don't remember the name but it was about $500 which I wouldn't spend on a sub 4000 sized reel). At this stage if I took the original poster in to a store to find a reel to match the 1-3kg I'd be suggesting a 1000 reel with either 4lb braid or a super skinny 6lb braid and most likely the Sedona as a baseline. This has been an interesting topic. I'll be looking forward to seeing what the original poster decides on. Regards, Derek

Since I use my 2500 reels so often in my case it was worth spending the $40 extra to get the Sedona over the Sienna for the added smoothness of the reel. I also own several Siennas as a guest reel (for when I'm teaching people soft plastics for the first time and as an object lesson as to why you might want to spend the extra money if you are not on a tight budget).

Historically I agree with you 100%. I'd heard it from multiple sources I trust and was unimpressed with them the few times I'd dealt with them. Shimano on the other hand when I used to work near their offices in Taren point bent over backwards to help me beyond what I would have expected. I used to take my reels and those of my friends in for the annual services. It is why I recommend Shimano to people starting out. The proviso - I think Daiwa make excellent product and I have no issue with using their gear. When I found an ex-Daiwa technician that would service both the Daiwa and the Shimano gear I own at a reasonable price, quick turn-around and at a location convenient to me in Sydney I started to buy some more Daiwa gear. The other thing that has changed according to sources I trust is that Daiwa have improved their after sales service dramatically. I don't have personal experience of that. In the price bracket the originally poster is talking about it becomes a borderline throwaway item. I'd service my Symetre 1500 (at least used to) and the Stradic 1000 but not the Siennas or the Sedona. In fact when I started using the Sedona 2500 I bought three of them. One set up with 4lb braid, one set up with 8lb braid and the third remains in the box as a spare body for if and when one of the other two dies. In my case a $270 outlay is close in price to that of one Stradic 2500.

I was leaning towards the 30lb multi-coloured braid as a suggestion but it was dependent on the rod. The braid will give you a good idea of the distances you are casting. I'd suggest matching it with a supple clear 50lb mono. Maybe Black Magic supple trace for example. While I use fluoro on my light gear I find in the heavier ratings it is a little stiffer than mono. The FG will tie really well with that line combo with a bit of practice. If you find you are getting busted off then maybe up to a heavier leader but for what you mentioned above I think you will have a sweet outfit. I suspect you will find the sweet spot for casting that rod will be around the 90 grams (3 ounce). Yes you can cast 150 grams but the way the rod loads up will probably feel better with a slightly lighter lure. You swap casting mass for casting speed. Just as a teaser as to how a Saragosa sounds like when line is peeling off watch this video. Looking forward to hearing how it casts when you finally give it a go. Just take extra care not to drop it in the sand when on Fraser island.

Hi Mat, People rave about braid for a good reason. Better strength for diameter results in improved casting distance. The sensitivity is such that I can feel a bite from 100m away. Supposedly it has a 1% stretch compared to mono with its 10% stretch which means I can work my lures without that spongy feeling. It also helps set the lures. I've been using it for over 15 years. That you had such a bad early experience suggests something was not quite right. Maybe a nick in your runners. Maybe cheap braid. Maybe incorrect line class. Maybe poor knots or a combination. When teaching someone on the 4lb braid I start with I ask people to gradually load it up till they snap it and then point out they will likely cut themselves before they can. It doesn't like shock loading but that is difficult to achieve when fishing (rod flex won't allow it). Line twist may have been a reel issue - were you using an Alvey? When I started with braid the general consensus was at least a rod length of leader. In practice I could feel the knot (double uni knot pass through the runners) which indicates there is repeated impact on casting. When I snagged up the line usually broke at the leader meaning I lost several metres of fluorocarbon unnecessarily. The solution to both issues was to shorten my leader to about 80 to 100cm maximum depending on which rod I use. Think about why you are using the length of leader you have in mind. I've caught plenty of fish on 10 to 15cm of leader when I figured I could get one more lure change out of it. With the exception of being able to handline the fish up when it is at your feet on say the rocks or of some of the superlight bream fishing lines I haven't heard a justification (yet) for a long leader that made sense to me. Mostly it seems to be people repeating what other people have said. The trendy knot these days is the FG which is an elegant knot and one of the stronger ones out there. The method I now use as it doesn't require special tension and can be found in this video but I use a different finish than the half hitches shown and you will see that in the second link: Now the finish of the knot can be found at a little after five minutes on this link: I can manage to do it with the really fine lines but that has taken a bit of practice. With 10lb braid or heavier it comes up a treat. Generally my leaders are 50% to 100% more than my main line. It will cast out through the runners but in my case it can catch on the top runner on the way back in but as I use a leader just long enough not to pass through the runners it is a non-issue. There is so much competition out there in the braid market that if you are not at the top of your game it could hurt your reputation. Don't buy ebay just because it is cheap. I stick with major brands such as Daiwa or Shimano or Berkley as I won't go too far wrong. Personally I'm using PowerPro, Berkley X5 and X9, YKG jigging braid, Platil Millenium, YYKG jigging braid and a couple more. The MorningTide fishing crew do a lot of fishing off the rocks up your neck of the woods. Worth watching their videos on YouTube to see what they are doing. Why use a swivel (or if I do it is at the lure such as Halco twisty)? It is a great way to damage a rod tip when ripping a lure back if your timing is off. If you have to use a swivel then the palomar knot two or three times through with the braid is a very strong knot. I'd be rethinking your idea for wire. I do have a flexible shielded line for the working end of the rod but I think mono leader should work for most circumstances. People with a bit more experience up your part of the world will be able to give a better answer than I can. To answer your other questions can you tell me the line and lure rating on the rod.

Sweet corn on a size 1 or 1/0 hook. Throw some extra kernels in the area you are fishing. Say 5m straight in front of you. Maybe a running sinker. Two rods if you can. Back the drag off. Usually only a waiting game for the carp there. For the bass the genuine Celta (Rublex) spinners in size three on a light bream rod with braid are pretty effective. Cast out as far as you can and retrieve as slow as you can without snagging up. They are very aggressive. Just watch the gill rakes when unhooking. Consider flattening down the barbs.

Hi Rebel, Please elaborate?? No offence meant to the ladies as the following comments could apply to either gender. Everything you learned in the past about how things work may or may not work - there is usually a learning curve. It isn't quite as good as the expectations you have from the sales brochure (Tinder comes to mind). You are short of money and can't work out how you ended up with all these accessories. All shiny and pretty the first few times till things settle down and honeymoon period is over. Could also go the other way but it was too open a statement.

Hi Leon, I know you mentioned the Nasci but can you confirm the budget or price range you have in mind. On my 1-3kg I'm using a 1000 reel but in the 2-4kg outfits I like the 2500 sized Shimano reels. Shimano Sedona 2500 at around $90 - $95 is probably a good starting point. You won't cry too much if they get a dunking. For the $40 over the Sienna you will notice a difference in smoothness. Regards, Derek

Sienna 4000 on a 1-3kg rod?? A bit over-gunned and it probably won't balance well or did you mean 2500?? I use 4000 series Shimanos on the 5-8kg rods with 10 to 15lb braid.

Hi Jacob. Advice I had many years ago and this is generalising. If I'm fishing for kings I fish about 4m of the bottom in middle harbour in about 10 - 12m depth of water. Being mid water column it puts it in their line of sight. When I'm fishing for jewfish I like to fish the bottom 1m of the water column. I try and find locations where they are likely to swim past. I've had both kings and jewfish in the same session a few times. I also like to stagger my baits through the water column. Regards, Derek

Hi APM, Welcome to the forum. If you are fishing down near Brighton then learning to catch your own bait is a good way to start. There are sandflats near Dolls point where you can go Yabby pumping on dropping or low tides. One video showing how to do so is: I put them next to the holes rather than on top. At a slight angle from vertical but pointing towards the hole. The intention is to collapse the hole. If I keep these somewhere cool in a bucket of saltwater I can use them for fishing the next day. Whiting and bream love them. A few things. I like Wilson or Alvey yabby pumps. I've got one of each which are decades old and still going. Stainless and made to last. The longer ones might look good but from what I understand they can be a bit hard to handle. When I start I tighten up the wing nut inside to compress the washers and loosen it at the end of a session. A quick flush with water and it gets put away. When rigging you can use a running sinker up to a swivel. I like using size #4 or #6 long shanked hooks and feed it either up through the poop tube and out the chest or from the head down. Cast them out then with 10 to 15 second pauses move them across the sandflats about 30cm at a time to create a small disturbance to attract the fish. When I go yabby pumping with the nephews I put the bucket down and the kids have a ball picking them up and putting them in the bucket for me. The youngest one tries to let them go at the end of the bait gathering session so I have to watch that. Regards, Derek PS: This guy also shows how to rig them:

Hi Jacob, Glad to hear you got out there. I've noticed over the years that sometimes store bought squid can have a pinkish or purplish tinge to it. While it may only be part of the freezing process they use I find I get that same colour as the squid goes off in the sun. One of the reasons I'm a big fan of catching my own is that I know how it has been handled. Regards, Derek