Wednesday 2nd November 2016

Tackle specials and angling politics

from Downrigger Shop

Springtime is jig time! So many readers into it, big time. Here’s Brenden Wilson in SEQ:

 

 

Hey Andrew, trip today went ok and as promised here are some pics, the jigs also managed to foul hook about 6 undersized pearl perch, but size didn't seem to matter, I hooked up to 50cm AJs through to the 92cm one, which after a few drifts and hook ups they wouldn't touch that colour so I had to change to get another hit. image002.jpg

 

 

Big beautiful emperor for Adam Fewster. If you can get wide when the trade winds drop, FNQ fishing is as good as anywhere in the world:

 

 

Pity about the winds.  Been a bit average up here too mate but did get out from 1770 a few weeks back with some of the boys. Was a little slow as we had terrible moons but did manage to jag a few.

 

 

Ambos, sambos, whatever you call ‘em, everyone agrees they’re frickin’ awesome. Thanks Adam, grateful for your report! Nick from FNQ chasing big reds too. Glad to hear he’s been out on the water:

 

 

G'day Andy, sorry I've been quiet mate, have been meaning to touch base. Hope you're doing well. Some good largemouth nannygai and red emperor have been biting in the Cairns area. I picked up this 8.4kg fish on a trip recently.

 

Fantastic, Hamish. Just wish I was up there with you!

 

 

Hey Andrew, out for a morning session yesterday, a little bit quiet but still managed a feed. My PB trout on your 100g jigs, I was stoked! A large mouth nanny the same size & plenty of tea leaf trevally. Cheers for now, Hamish

 

What a great pic! Thanks so much, Cameron:

 

 

Hi Andy, been a while but with Summer just around the corner and university exams out of the way, the fishing is certainly picking up!

I have just placed an order for some 250g knife jigs and look forward to testing them out off the Gold Coast. I am also curious about your braid, how its diameter compares to J-braid and other more expensive options. Looking at the 50-80lb. Thought you might be interested, was fishing for flathead in the Broadwater around from the seaway when my drag started stripping. Thought it was a stingray until the I saw the tail on the surface. Took about 15 minutes to land on 20lb braid and leader - was certainly a welcome by-catch.

 

Norah Head, Murray Mcguire and his mate Richard. Break out the downriggers, lads:

 

 

Andy, how have you been champ. Went for a run inshore Norah head way today. Caught this 85cm king on a livie. Got busted off by a bigger model when the leader broke, it was frayed before we sent the livie out so lesson learnt. Also lost one that we just could not turn. It screamed off until it got us in the rocks and broke the 65lb leader. Weather was great. Picture is Richard with his king

 

Scott Parker visited for a stack of tackle and (surprise, surprise) we got to talking about kingfish. He and his friends found some red hot action at Crowdy Head last season. Planning a rematch this summer:

 

 

Hi Andrew here is the photo of Captain Mac … thanks again for all the gear, can’t wait to get it into action

 

Nambucca fishing machine Craig Marsay scores a bonus while out snapper chasing:

 

 

Awesome colours. Great on the plate

 

Dang right they are, as long as you cut that white tendon off the steaks. Anthony sends a short video showing a kingfish attack:

 

Andy - I'm going to call you later today about some gear I need to order.  But in the mean time have a look at this video which I took on the weekend from a homemade rig off my downrigger.  We hooked a big king - I reckon a fair bit bigger than last week's 92cm.  It busted off on 100lb fluoro leader quite quickly after the first run. Whilst the footage is not great, it confirms that kings do take the yakka from the front.  The king appears towards the bottom left of the screen (around 12 and 22 seconds in).  It comes to check out the gopro then it takes the yakka from the front (around 38 second) which is why I always tend to use smaller hooks in front of the livie. You can see the line between the downrigger and the braid release as the fish is on. I need to adjust the angle on the camera downwards a bit next session.

 

 

Closer to home and Nathan Clarke in Middle Harbour Saturday 29th. What a cracker lizard:

 

 

Hi Andrew, headed out this afternoon with my mate James for a quick fish. Sat in our favourite spot at Fridges and put a live yakka down and ended up pulling up a 78cm lizard. Wow did she put up a fight. Some quick pics and back she went to fight another day and hopefully keep on breeding. This is the 2nd big girl we've caught here. Cheers Nathan

 

To boats, and check this out, sent in by Wayne Tonkin. Ryan Eurell’s trailer boat at the recent Gary Chapman fishing comp, in Crowdy Head. Twin 300HP outboards:

 

 

 

After posting to Facebook some interesting feedback was received about this boat brand. I guess the challenge of outwitting and outrunning Fisheries was pretty addictive:

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Hi Andy, just chasing up your Camcraft post with a little bit of background on them, they are truly remarkable boats, basically, they were built to outrun fisheries, at 6.8m long, holding 700 litres of fuel, 30 degrees of deadrise and 600hp pushing them, they sure did. Numerous runs across Bass Strait were made in these boats by Cam Strachan. Just incredible that a boat is built with the motivation like this, I’ve always said that the Camcraft 6.8 is my dream boat, bar none.

 

David ‘Cam’ Strachan has been jailed around 10 times since the 70’s for poaching.

Here’s a few articles on the man and the boat

 

Mark D inquires about tackle ahead of starting a new charter business, this summer. The boat – which he made himself – is just incredible:

 

 

Cheers Andrew, this will be my first summer operating the charters … Spent over 4 years making this, hopefully a lot more years fishing!

 

Saturday 29th at Roseville boat ramp, where our man on the spot Mike Fitzgerald filmed another failure to launch:

 

 

Out on the water the weekend before last to support Gone Fishing Australia Day:

 

 

Crew, Rob Brown from the Shooters Fishers and Farmers Party:

 

 

The man is such a fashionista. We didn’t boat many fish but we did have a great catch up, on old times. Greg writes:

 

Hi Andy, just saw the post on your FaceBook page from 16th October (Gone Fishing Day last Sunday) and noticed it was from Watsons Bay Wharf (you can see the sign for Sydney Game Fishing Club on the wall behind).I was actually in the Clubhouse with fellow members preparing also for Gone Fishing Day/ Our Annual Kids Fishing Day. The organisers of the National Gone Fishing Day used our clubhouse as their meeting point to welcome local and Interstate Politicians and to try and raise awareness with the public.

 

 

The club took out over 50 kids for a fishing trip with their parents on Sydney Harbour. The event was also televised both in the clubhouse and on the water by channel 9.

 

Great job Greg! Kids are the future of our sport and we have to pass the baton on. I was at Bobbin Head last night with 1st Wahroonga Cub Scouts. Nothing big caught, but lots of fun had:

 

 

To tackle, and two questions about our reel knobs:

 

Hi guys I have the silver bait runner 4000 reel and am after a knob upgrade. Can you please give me a price on the knobs you have in stock and colours you currently have in? I am leaning towards a purple and black but if you don't have that then the red and black one & How does the free samples work with some of the products?

 

 

That size reel requires our medium knob. Two colours in stock, being black and gold, and blue and silver. Pics attached and here’s the link, if you want to order? click here

 

As to free samples will pop an envelope in the mail to you tomorrow. Thanks for writing!

 

Dear Sir, I have 15Twin Power 4000PG and I use it for jigging. I like to replace it with an aluminium knob. Kindly advice me if you have any knob designed for my Twin Power 4000PG. Thank you in advance and I look forward to your soonest reply. (SINGAPORE)

 

 

No problem! We have that size available in two colours, being black & gold, or blue & silver. I have attached a picture for you. Those are $35. Installation should be very simple but if more complicated than expected please just follow this video? Everything explained simply and shows how easy it is. Sure you will be very pleased at the results.

 

 

Let me know about the new ryobi reel for the 30lbs jigging combo. I am still keen for the original list of items that I sent to you but am happy to wait to see how the new reel stacks up vs the old. Send me a pick to compare and give me your thoughts on which you think is better and then ill place my order next week.

 

 

Just arrived this week! The Ryobi 4000. Polished aluminium Saltiga colour ball knob. Prespooled with 160m 30-pound colour change braid. 5:1 gear ratio, 7 ball bearings, waterproof drag. But the best news is only 518 grams, including our PE 1.5-3 Bay Jig rod and line.

 

 

You can jig with this all day, just so light and comfortable. Ideal snapper reel too: $245 for rod reel and line. Here’s a short video on its features:

 

 

Call or email for more details? Such a great combo. If you already have a suitable 4000 size reel, consider the PE 1.5-3 Bay Jig rod. Like the Gomoku but without the too-small tip guide problems. And, way cheaper. $95 for pick up, can be delivered for $15 to Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane. Good rod, good price:

 

 

Talking about jigging, gee this got me fired up. Big big thanks to Mathew Scott:

 

 

Hey Andy, my brother and I got into some big kings at Fish Rock last weekend. Stayed at Hat Head. Put the jigging combo through its paces. It's the Jig Day rod and Daiwa reel I bought off you a few years back.

 

 

Put together a video of some of the fights we had.

 

 

Matt’s kings full of big garfish:

 

 

And his trolling minnows damaged by big hits. That’s a nice problem to have:

 

 

Freshwater news, and Geoff Wilson sends a top pic:

 

 

Fishing the thirteenth Lake Hume Classic over the weekend, at which some $50,000 in prizes were on offer, was Michael Evans who caught this 5.5 kg golden perch, which was undoubtedly the biggest fish of the competition, remarkably though, he did not win a prize. Why? Well, the winning fish were all decided on length, not weight, so Michael’s Sumo size catch did not win any of the valuable prizes because it was pipped at the post by several longer, but lighter fish. (Picture: Victorian Inland Charters).

 

Readers know what a non stop nightmare it’s been for Sydney offshore fishos since August – what with relentless strong winds, preventing us getting out there. I’ve taken up carp fishing because luckily the spot we’ve found has carp up to (and may be over) ten kilos and can be fished in pretty much any wind. But where we’re fishing is crystal clear water only two to three feet deep and these big carp aren’t stupid. Those Crank hooks Roy so kindly sent me have massively increased my hook up rate, on carp. The reason being that the slightly curved shank delivers a way better hook set than either straight shank or circle hooks. Fly fisher Lionel expressed interest so I put a few in the post for him to turn into carp flies. The results are just fantastic:

 

 

There you go, some of the best carp flies. 1st and 3rd pics are hybrid carp flies, 2nd pic is a silibugger and the last one is a Spork. Thanks for the hooks and can't wait to fish them next week.

 

 

Lionel out using the carp flies. You really are an action machine, cobber:

 

 

UK pro fisho Roy Gibson, who supplied the hooks, comes up trumps despite difficult conditions:

 

 

Hi Andrew, it was hard work as they have had no rain for over three months so the lake was very low, but i did ok , I had 37 fish, 12 where over 40lb, 23 over 30lb &n two over 20lb, I had a lake record mirror at 49lb 4oz & lake record common at 46lb 4oz

 

To politics, and David Lockwood – who knows more about fishing Sydney, than the next ten blokes combined – writes in defence of North Head access. Which of course is the next sell out, planned by Mike Baird. Baird’s tactic of selling out his base for green likes didn’t work so well with the greyhound issue. I am hearing that his backdown over that one is no backdown at all because they are planning to bring in some kind of mean spirited tax, on greyhound owners. And, to shore up their tattered green cred, Baird wants to declare some marine parks before Christmas. I’ve got a pretty big plan for if and when that happens, so keep watching this space:

 

 

This is a copy of feedback submitted on www2gb.com:

 

Name: Andrew Hestelow

 

Message: Hello Ray Hadley

 

Thinking about Mark Pearson MLC, from the Animal Justice Party. Did you know he’s been arrested seventeen times for trespass and/or breaking and entering? Just wondering how a habitual offender like that gets into the NSW Parliament:

 

 

Only in Australia! Seal attacks three times, biting two surfboards and putting one surfer in hospital. Local greenie Shona blames the victims. It don't get more politically correct than that:

 

Lads, thanks so much for your support Visitor numbers down a little which you would expect, with the howling winds we’ve been experiencing. But ten new visitors every hour of the week is pretty good: J

stats oct 2016

 

Until next time and tight lines to all our readers and contributors,

 

Andrew Hestelow

Managing Director