gregtech

What Wert said.
It's not hard and is a useful skill. After a couple of seasons, you can reverse the line again to so you get "new" braid on your reel. If you have a few reels (I currently have 6) it's worth learning. There are loads of videos showing ways to make it an easy process.

Load up the braid first, tie on the backing and fill to the spool's capacity then reverse it, can't go wrong this way.
It shouldn't take too long either and this way you get it perfect first go.

Thanks Greg, it was tough that's for sure, it was a good hatch of Caddis Moths too, one of the best one for a season or two as well. We don't seem to get the big insect hatches like we used to years ago which is a shame..Here's a photo of a massive Dun hatch back in November 2009, never seem one like since..The air was full of then as was the water surface..
cheers Adrian

Good work Adrian. Would have been tough going with all those Caddis moths as a easy meal for the trout!!!! Nice photos as always!
Cheers, 
Greg.

This spin session was a tough one, conditions were pretty good, but the trout were hard to find, I still managed to get onto a few wild brown trout thanks to the Mepps March Brown Bug spinner. Thanks for watching, enjoy the musical photo slideshow at the end of the video and stay safe on/in the water..
cheers Adrian (meppstas)
 
A few pics from the spin session.. as always, all the trout were released..

You can get anything printed on a reel in China😁
 
These are the same as almost all the other silver sub $50 reels and likely from the same OEM factories with just minor cosmetic changes. One of the clues is the Daiwa air rotor style design.
BEARKING Brand LT series Stainless steel bearing 5.5:1 Fishing Reel Drag System 15Kg Max Power Spinning Wheel Fishing Coil - AliExpress
Johncoo Anti Corrosion Treatment Spinning Fishing Reel Carbon Washer Drag 10Bb Saltwater Spinning Reel Metal Body - AliExpress
MEREDITH VANPES Series Rust Free And Smooth Bearing 5.0:1 Fishing Reel Drag System 8Kg Max Power Spinning Wheel Fishing Coil - AliExpress
EXIST Same Spinning Reel Full Metal Body Saltwater or Freshwater Fishing reels Ice fishing reel Ultralight surf Reel Best Reel - AliExpress
 
They are actually not bad reels if you buy then cheap. Instant anti-reverse, reasonable smoothness but probably 50g or more heavier than the same sized Shimano and Daiwa. 
I've got 4 and am buying more.

... too good to be true. Not genuine ????
 
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005005627462809.html?spm=a2g0o.pay_result.0.0.60533474AE7Wpg&gps-id=pcSmartCardPaySuccess&scm=1007.10668.131923.0&scm_id=1007.10668.131923.0&scm-url=1007.10668.131923.0&pvid=c37623d8-94d5-4b94-9d9a-46d8e466da44&_t=gps-id:pcSmartCardPaySuccess,scm-url:1007.10668.131923.0,pvid:c37623d8-94d5-4b94-9d9a-46d8e466da44,tpp_buckets:668%232846%238113%231998&pdp_npi=4%40dis!AUD!446.80!40.21!!!290.00!!%402103246c17010876980253250eca24!12000033799501525!rec!AU!722497547!

I'd eat the small brobzies,  Dust in fish seasoning and dry bake in a webber kettle.  If to dry a flesh to cook nicely, spraylightly with canola oil...
I'm salivating... just typing about it...

Nice work putting Bob in his place, clearly needed to have a lesson in manners, the upper gulf can be full of them this time of year, I've had up to half a dozen  of the buggers between 3 to 7 foot visible circling in the burley (in the boat thankfully) at this same time of off Price.
Bronzies around the 5-6 foot mark are 4 out of 5 times exceptional eating in my experience with a head and tail removed trunk of around a metre being ideal for turning into steaks and "fillets", Bob looked a little on the small side (tasty but soft v excellent texture but too much ammonia taste) and let's face it, those YFWs are probably even better, I'd take them over KGs.
Well done on your "poor" day fishing... I mean most would kill for that but I've seen your other write ups so you get a pass on that, hope you have plenty of good trips this season, I love following your flats adventures always but being banged up post back surgery and with fishing out of the equation until new years I need this.

A sunny Cup day meant getting out for a fish rather than be stuck home watching the races.
.
The flats were very crowded on race day. There were hordes and hordes of legal but smaller sizes Yellow Fin Whiting in the 25 to 29cm mark. They were a fish a cast for much of the day.  But …  Not the kind of horses I wanted to back.
With so many little mugs about it was inevitable that the sly and the opportunistic would be out there ready to prey on them.
.
A sunny day on the sandflats is such a delight. The clear visibility and water clarity makes watching the passing parade a pleasure. Such an array of different species that cohabit this shallow water ecosystem. Amongst all the delightful sights on a sunny race day, are the diverse collection of Rays cruising around mooching in the sand. But amongst the happy crowd a few seedy characters lurk.
Yup, “Bronzy Bob” turns up just when you least expect it. While you are distracted.  Intensely concentrating on a big Whiting chasing your surface lure, one of only a few on a lean day, your wading tub suddenly lurches left!
.
“Bob the Bag Snatcher Bronzy”   was at it again. He snuck up from behind and latched onto my catch-keeper bag that I have dangling in the water.
Shooing him off did not work. He was persistent.
When he made one too many swipes at my catch bag of whiting, I thought I should teach him a lesson.
I allowed him to feel comfortable for yet another swipe. When he was just about to launch into my keeper bag I scooped him up with my landing net.
It was a bit of a heavier load for the landing net.
He was a healthy looking 3 foot specimen.
I gave him a stern talking too, a slap on the snoot, took a couple of mug shots for the “Crim files”, and sent him on his way.
 

 
I am told they are very good eating at this size if they are prepared properly after they are caught.
However there is just not enough room in my wading tub to handle the job.
Lucky for the Bronzies!
These guys are frequent but annoying visitors on the sandflats.
Mostly in the 3 to 4 foot range.
They are not a threat, just disturbing. I can assure you they are discerning feeders and far prefer the whiting to the revolting taste of your waders and leg within!

 
On the occasional dull session I have targeted them with a whiting fillet on ganged hooks. Good fun landing them on your whiting gear, whilst wading the shallows !!!
 

   ~ One hooked up on a previous session.
The biggest I have come across on the shallow sandflats is a 6 footer, maybe 7 feet. I didn’t hang around for a closer inspection and accurate measurement!
.
My luck had abandoned me today as the weather factors negated each other to provide difficult conditions for stimulating the YFW bite. The wind speed and direction up the gulf, negated the small natural tide movement and the resultant actual tide was virtually at a standstill all day.
Even if only small, Some tide movement is a great stimulant for the YFW to feed.
It was hard work catching and releasing dozens and dozens of smaller fish.
But I still managed to back in a few good horses on cup day.
I finished with four fish around 40 to 41cm. And kept 10 of the better ones, that were mostly around 35cm.
.

   ~ "Bob" took a chomp on this one! 
Regardless of the fishing, it is always an interesting and enjoyable day wading the sandflats.
Cheers, Des

Hi Rob. As long as you don't drop your pipe and your lighter still works, you should be fine🙂

Hi Rob. As long as you don't drop your pipe and your lighter still works, you should be fine🙂

Hi Rob. As long as you don't drop your pipe and your lighter still works, you should be fine🙂

Hi Rob. As long as you don't drop your pipe and your lighter still works, you should be fine🙂

Here's a couple of photos of what has become a common catch here in Tasmania nowadays, not only that, they are big fish as well..
They now have a bag limit of 5 fish per person & a 10 fish possession (house) limit placed on them which is good, minimum legal size 35 cm.

Hi Greg, yes I'm still at for now mate, I'll be keeping at it for as long as the body allows me to, Looks like you've been spoiling yourself in WA, good trip by the sounds of it.. look me up if & when you get down this way... site member Soobz is touring the state at the moment too.. meeting up with him again near the end of the month..
cheers Adrian

The 'Trout Assassin' is still hard at it!!!
Great pics Adrian. Still on my bucket list to get down your way.  Just got back from Exmouth WA getting into the Marlin and Sailfish so Tassie is next!!!!
Cheers, Greg.

This trip was to the Mersey River on private property, the water was very cold and the level was still on the high side for my liking, good thing was that I did manage to get onto a few trout. The wind became a real pain in the butt as it always does when river fishing..
Thanks for watching..
cheers Adrian..





 

Regular post readers will know I like to fish the dodge tides for Yellow Fin Whiting .
I cover a variety of reasons in detail, in this previous post:
.
One very good reason, is that you will regularly find better quality fish on the dodge tide.
YFW movements and feeding are highly influenced by the tide. Revolving around the largest tide of the day, they tend to have a 24 hour digestive and feeding cycles.
So even when the tides do not move much on the dodge, they will still have a need to feed within their cycles. The larger YFW have greater food needs and will generally preference a bigger meal such as juvenile prawns or clickers.
With the small dodge tide their feeding will be concentrated to the smaller area, covered by little water flooding in. They will be easier to find.
The terrain/substrate that holds their preferred food will naturally attract a higher concentration of larger YFW.
That terrain you can feel under foot. The softer food holding substrate.
The small tide movement, along with a deeper low tide, holds water over these prime feeding grounds longer. It provides for prolonged access to this zone for both fish and fisher person.
A better explanation of productive terrain is in this post :
.
The dodge tide on Monday with a High of 1.77 mt @ 8.15am  and a Low of 0.97 mt @ 11.36pm provided a long drawn out, run off tide. With a prolonged spell under water, of some prime food holding areas. It looked like an ideal tide and I set off fishing.
YFW are always stimulated by tide movement to feed. These tides do not provide much of that stimulus. However there are other factors that come into play.
.
The day started slowly without a strike for the first hour. The warmth of the day gradually started to take effect and the first to stir were some small Whiting.
With the warming arvo came an arvo seabreeze, as well as a predicted strengthening southerly wind. YFW love a heavy rippled surface to take cover under and lose their feeding inhibitions. The bite picked up strongly and catches were now steady. In the constrictions of the upper gulfs any lower gulf southerly wind can force water up. A wind tide pushes in. It further stimulated the YFW and kept the feeding grounds covered with a perfect level of water for a wading fisherman.
.
I caught my bag of 20 in good time. This situation regularly provides quality fish, with10 of the fish ranging from 38 to 41cm. Most of the remaining 10 fish were around 35cm.
Sugapen 95 was the most successful lure. Then again I did not need to use a lot of variety.
The new Sugapen Splash caught it’s share when the afternoon breeze picked up. This is shaping up as the perfect lure for that strong summer afternoon breeze that kicks up a bit of chop.
A few were also taken on the Ecogear ZX, when I was forced to go subsurface as a pack of persistent juvenile seagulls are yet to learn lures don’t taste good.
.
Hopefully we have some more fine weather for the next dodge tide.
Tight lines all.
Cheers, Des

Googled earthed a possible redfin hole today - it wasnt smooth sailing trying to find an access point - and that theme continued for the short session.

Forgot the Mirage drive - Got my balls wet getting in and discovered I have no idea how to use my new sounder. (Not completely my fault - the stupid thing has a feature where it turns the transducer off for some reason - and I could fix it on the water no matter how many random buttons I pressed)

Thought I'd review a few things I've been buying that might help people out. I pay for everything, nothing is sponsored and I have no affiliation with any stores I mention.
Rod is USG-SP 461UL 1-3kg 7-18g, a 1 piece but at 4.6 feet that's not an issue. I bought this rod for flats fishing would you believe, mainly bait where I'm towing a tub behind me and casting sinkers. The length means I can turn around and drop the fish straight into the tub, no dicking with a net. This has worked out well.
However, the rod continues to surprise me just how versatile it is. I can cast a 7g lure almost as far as I can with my 7' rod, though not as easily. It's not as sensitive either but it's not bad, and is quite usable as a hardbody/SP rod even if not optimal - but where it's great is it fit's easily already rigged in my car, I can carry it ready to flick everywhere.
It is also a good squidding rod, again I can cast a 3.5 a good distance and the forgiving flexi glass construction is very suitable for squid.
And finally, it's got some guts, I landed a 56cm fat flatty with it no trouble at all, and had some decent salmon too.
At around $80 on special it's been a great rod, especially in the boat. I'm yet to try it on the yak, but no doubt it will be great there too. Best of all, these things are rated as close to unbreakable, unlike the several carbon rods I've killed, however if I did break it I'd buy another, it's been that useful.

I'm out here now. Nuff said
 

Ive used it and it hasnt hurt cath rates

Heres a brief history of the development of the scent by Dr Ben Diggles -

"Of the 21 different products that I trialled, 19 did nothing and around 15 actually repelled the fish (i.e. they were less likely to take objects introduced into the tanks afterwards). "
Ben D 16-04-2008, 09:16 PM Great to see some debate on lure attractants. Its clear from some of the replies here that there is a need for a fair bit of education on the matter. Basically I spend a lot of my time working in aquaculture dealing with sick fish which will not take their medicine, because the medicine tastes bad. Over the years we have tried various methods of masking the taste of some of the medications, and in doing so I have become quite well acquainted with how taste and smell receptors in fish work and what compounds trigger them. After trialling various fish attractants which are available off the shelf in the recreational fishing market, in the laboratory with aussie fish (aussie bass, bream, mulloway, snapper and barra, as well as others), I was not impressed. Of the 21 different products that I trialled, 19 did nothing and around 15 actually repelled the fish (i.e. they were less likely to take objects introduced into the tanks afterwards). All of the repellents were based on smelly fish oil derivatives of one sort or another. Other stuff that didn’t work fell off the test substrate used so fast I reckon the fish didn’t get a chance to taste it at all.

From this problem S-factor was developed. Over a period of 18 months in the laboratory testing hundreds of synthetic compounds and carriers on bream, snapper, barra, aussie bass and mulloway, I developed an attractant which is a balanced mixture of compounds designed to work in synergy while slowly releasing from the lure and triggering the taste receptors of aussie fish – in other words, they enjoy the taste and anything coated with the compound rings the dinner bell. To give an example of how effective this can be, I have coated soft plastics, hard plastics and even small pebbles with the attractant and thrown them into the testing tanks. The fish (all species) happily eat the coated items and in many cases the treated item comes out the back door 2 days later. Uncoated items which are otherwise identical are spat out within one or two seconds. This is the basic science behind the S-factor attractant that has been acquired by squidgy in their pro range.

So if the debate is on whether s-factor “works”, its a no brainer. There is scientifically rigorous laboratory data which says it does, and this is was backed up by a large amount of field testing by the squidgy team. I admit some of their results while using it have been remarkable. Bushy was originally a skeptic (he’d tried lots of the commercially available attractants in the past and saw no real effect), but he reported back that he had some days where he caught and released over 200 bream, all on lures using s-factor, when others were struggling to get a fish. I must say when I use it I notice I get more bites and the fish hold onto the lure longer, and/or come back to hit the lure repeatedly until they get hooked up. This means I catch more fish, but based on my past performances I’m not likely to hit a 200 bream day in a hurry. So to me this suggests that other factors come into play – s-factor will not manufacture fish when they’re not around, and angler skill will always play a role, but an effective attractant like S-factor on the lure sure will provide average anglers with a much better chance of hooking fish which they otherwise would never know were there.

Of course, no product is perfect, and like all products in the tackle industry there is continual development to make them better, that is why I asked those anglers who think S-factor is rubbish, please indicate why you think this is so. You may be surprised how closely tackle manufacturers monitor these forums.

If any of you fine people are over here in the lower EP send me a message. Always looking for deckies for a fish. My local mates are pretty elderly so don't handle offshore to well with bad backs etc. It is not a charter so you don't have to pay for fuel. Just mates going for a fish.

I've been fishing for over 40 years, so grew up with fibreglass rods, monofilament and bait.
Now I have rod rack full of carbon fibre rods, it took me a bit longer to switch over to braid, but up until recently I was still a bait fisho and just didn't use soft plastics or other lures (except squid jigs). I bought plenty, vibes, hard bodies, soft plastics, and would give them a try but next session I would be back to bait.
But this summer I have taken the time to focus on soft plastics. Sure I still pump nippers for YFW and use gents for garfish, but I've spent most of my time learning to use soft plastics.
My target species for learning more about soft plastics has been the humble tommy ruff and 90% of the time I've targeted them off Glenelg jetty. I think a common species of a local jetty has been a very useful way to learn and is basically full circle back to when I was a kid fishing for tommies off Pt Vincent wharf.
Tommies are an interesting fish on soft plastics. They are fairly abundant and readily take a soft plastic, but when hooked, they go nuts with rapid head shakes and early on I was dropping many fish. First thing I changed was my rod. I was using a Daiwa Crosscast Rockfishing rod, it's a light rod with a fast action, rated for 3-10gm lures. at 7'8" it was a good rod for casting distance, the fast action was good for the initial strike, but it was too fast, too stiff for tommies as it lacked the suppleness to have enough bend to keep the pressure on and soak up the head shakes. Luckily I had the ideal rod in the rack and started to use an Atomic Arrowz Bream Surface. This rod had an immediate impact on my success rate landing fish. I pair this with a 1000 Stradic Ci4+.
Probably the biggest impact has been trying different ways to rig soft plastics. I started out using the standard jig heads most people use. There are plenty of people who use these jig heads with success, but I'm not one of them. So I started to use the American style offset worm hooks, setup like a cheb rig.


 
This was an improvement, but I still was dropping more fish than I was happy with. Like a jig head, the cheb rig has the weight right at the front of the soft plastic and my gut feel was the tommies used the weight and violent head shakes to throw the hook. Next change was to use a running rig setup, or what the Americans refer to as a Carolina rig.

Since changing to this rig, I rarely drop a fish.
Apart from sussing out the right rod and rig, I've settled on S-Factor for scent. I tried Pro-Cure, but it's always out-fished by the S-Factor.
For soft plastics, I most commonly use paddle tail style, but also have success with curly tail grubs. I've tried name brand lures like Zman Slim Swimz and no name cheapies off Aliexpress.

Zman are certainly durable and if using the cheapies on a jighead they get destroyed quickly, however I've found the cheapies are pretty good on an offset worm hook, A jig head holds the lure very firmly and the lack of give means the cheapies have the tail easily ripped off, as opposed to the super stretchy Zman. But on the worm hook, the cheapies are not held on as firmly a get pull down the hook rather than tearing up and last much longer. I vary the size of the cheapies, sometimes using a 5mm and sometimes a 7.5mm, and change depending on what is firing up the fish. As a general rule I find the bigger tommies hit the bigger lures more readily.
It took me a while to get the hang of soft plastics, but now this old dog readily get a feed.



I look at the weather, and if fine, just grab a rod, reel and a few soft plastics; very minimalistic, but a great way to fish and I don't know why I didn't try earlier.