southie THE BANGA

bit of an update I have completed the rod, as in guides are all on, been set and finished epoxy.... Just put on the hook keeper, so thats off to dry..... All thats left is to put on the final special touch which I need to wait to arrive..... I am pretty happy how it came out, theres plenty i still need to learn but for my 1st go im happy with how it came out.... Now to load it up and give it a try on some decent fish Next rod i'll build will be a surf rod I reckon!

Nice carp Champ

Well ive put on 4 guides so far.. Bit hard to take pics but heres one for now.... 3 to go, then its time to finish it offf...

It all came with the kit from mudhole.com Prokote from memory....

So Ive just finished putting on the Handle, Reel seat, foregrip on.... Coming along nicely.... Will let it dry for the night then after work tomorrow will Start on the Guides.....

So i got my 1st blank and bits and pieces delivered this arvo! Can wait to build it up... its a 2-4kg live fibre blades and tails blank with Fugi Guides..... Will post my progress as I go along.....

just simple mate.... its going to be my "test rod" so just one colour binding, maybe a small sticker etc

Hardly man. Medical conditions have kind of put me to a hault for a bit, new medications aren't agreeing with me at the moment so things have come to a hault. Im hoping things will change and I'll be able to resume to a normal life again

Well after trying to source a local Rod building wrapper, I sourced one from America on a site called www.mudhole.com So after being told it will take 3-4 weeks to arrive to my door step I was quiet shocked to see a parcel from America on my bedroom.... Im spewing because I only just put my order through Motackle for my rod that I will be building up..... I have decided to start off with something simple as it will be my 1st rod i would of built. It is a 2-4kg wilson livefibre blades and tails blank. I love these blanks they are one of my favourites... It will be built with Fuji guide

I have heard and felt that after a few sessions the last model of Ballistic reels became very crunchy and grindy and not smooth at all... Just my opinion, however I have a Daiwa Caldia and I really like it, its a nice reel.... But I also love my Shimano stradic ci4 1000, had it for years and its still smooth as from the day i bought it... What your budget? and what are you going to target?

Match the hatch..... Shrimp patterns, crabs, worm all would work well on YFW... Here are a few examples to what i mean..... If they are surface chasing then small fly poppers work well too.... http://www.troutflies.com.au/store/index.php?_a=category&cat_id=8 That is the site I get my flies from... I havent caught any on fly yet myself but had a few follows late in the season last year. Will be hitting them hard this summer on fly though.

You can give me money to buy nice things if you like I got a $4k debt coming up which involves a new turbo exhaust snorkel and some other goodies Im hoping I get this new job so I can lash out on nicer things haha

Use to work in a tackle store so I have had a play with all of them. like the feel of the Okuma salinas...... I do agree though that some of the lower priced Okumas are pretty average.... The guys that worked there went over to the montebello Islands chasing the big fish and took an expensive combo and a "mid range" combo and had no dramas whatsoever with them, pulling in the big GT's time after time.

Well I have decided on what Im going to purchase rod wise! Will be grabbing a Wilson Aussie built 15-24kg rod. Still not sure on what length I will be getting, either 8ft or 10ft (probably leaning more towards the 10ft so i can use off the beach aswell) And will more than likely be teaming it with an Okuma Salina 3 16000 mainly due to the high drag pressure, line capacity, lifetime warranty and I like the EVA handle knob. Then spooling up with some decent 50lb braid... It should be a serious fish puller and stop a few decent fish in its tracks!

Im glad everyone is on the same wavelength as I am..... Unfortunately for now im just gonna have to use what I already have..... Repairs on cars bloody always get in the way....

rocks, and wharves however if the fish runs to the right Ill be fine. but if it runs to the left im in a bit of trouble.... Salina 3 was one of my choices.... Just seeing what other options there were.

Alright all heres the story...... I'm on the hunt for an Landbased Kingfish Outfit that will throw lures/poppers/sliders aswell as baits.... Now heres the kicker, these kings are not rat kings we are talking fish of 30lb to 60lb plus and being landbased its going to be a hard task but Im up for the challenge. I have a few ideas of what I wanna get but I thought I would get some discussion of what other people would recommend or use.... The budget for rod and reel is around the 500 mark..... So what would you get/use?

Nice one mate.... Nice fish and awesome video footage like usual! Fish of a lifetime!

I use a 9ft Samaki Zing 15-25lb Rod with an DAiwa Excellor Saltwater 3500 reel spooled with 20lb Daiwa Tournament 8 Braid..... Good combo i like it and cast 40g metals a mile!

Nice one digger

Marion Bay would be a good option.... Plenty of holiday houses and cabins at the caravan park... PLenty of surf beaches to explore, aswell as calm bays and the jetty there tooo... Plus there is plenty of good scenery to check out aswell

Glad you got one mate! Well done

Well done mate!!

If thats the case..... My pet stingray called stingy!

Moderators can't win the prize champ