Kelvin

Hook through the skin and out the flesh side. If the skin is thick the hook point can roll into the skin and affect the hook up.

Sounds like fun, I'll check my schedule

Is this Yak and lure only?

Spigot Ferrule. Used on alot of higher end rods. Some gap is normal but if it is too much you can sand abit back very gently. They are built that way to allow a tighter fit and allow some wear and tear over time.

5 spice for the submarket if fine. Fresh ground spices always taste a bit nicer and even better if you lightly toast before grinding.

Yep, just clean and give them a good wash. The skin and suckers go crispy

Here is my version of a quick salt and pepper squid recipe. It made a nice addition to dinner.

I used a handful of tentacles, cleaned and cut into smaller pieces. I then ground my Chinese 5 spice powder in a mortar and pestle.  5 spice traditionally consists of star anise, fennel seeds, cloves, cinnamon and Sichuan peppercorns. I didn't have cinnamon sticks so just used powder instead. I also added celery salt, coriander seeds and chilli flakes but this is non traditional. If just using 5 spice powder, add some salt for taste.

I ground to a medium texture then mixed in with the squid then mixed in cornflour till a thick coating formed then fried in olive oil. Some versions serve with chilli and spring onion flash fried and sprinkled on top but I was too hungry to bother. I enjoyed this dish with jasmine rice.

A

Spent 3 weeks on the Island as a medical student. Only fished landbased and only with fairly primitive gear. I had a cheap telescopic spin rod and 6lb mono and a 30lb overhead outfit. I managed plenty of sharks each evening in the lagoon as well as plenty of big mulet and gar. I would hike 1 hour each way and fished the rocks at old gulch for bluefish, drummer and also managed a rat king and a bigger shark. Got spooled  a few times on the drummer and caught a few to over 50cm. On 6lb mono I was hooking about 15 fish a trip and only landing 3 to 5. I only bought over a handful of sinkers due to weight restrictions on the plane and soon lost them and had to resort to looking for rocks and tying them on for casting weight.

Would love to get back over there with some nice gear and do some livebaiting and spinning for Kings as well as tackle some more drummer but with graphite and braid.

Would love to do a trip there one day but not if the Aussie dollar keeps falling.

If I have the cash and time then Nomad or Three Kings NZ would be more in the price range.

I've fished Lord Howe Island over 10 years ago and that was incredible and would love to spend a week or two there again exploring the landbased and boat based options

Dennis Verrett is a bit cagey about the spot and rightly so but plenty of hints in his videos.

Only a few spots in the world to get Land based tuna that regularly and it does not look like Lord Howe Island or Norfolk Island. Ascension island would have to be one of the best yellowfin tuna spots in the world. You can see the small hill in the background on one of his videos. Also he weighs his fish on the jetty at Georgetown.

Alistair McGlashan's new show featured an episode on Ascension Island and you can see the same geography and jetty and even a  few guys fishing off the rocks.

http://almcglashan.com/coming-soon-tv/

http://www.the-islander.org.ac/newsimages/3754_tuna.jpg

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-7DMDWA3JZE0/ULie5brVueI/AAAAAAAACbA/eVpK__1ArR8/s1024/2012%25252010%25253A11.jpg

http://www.planetseafishing.com/features/read/ascension-island-shore-fishing

Finally a quick google of some of the tuna and game forums confirms my suspicion

http://www.worldseafishing.com/forums/threads/ascension-yft-from-the-beach.2755274/

http://alantani.com/index.php?topic=11939.0

Great Fish. Ascension Island looks like an awesome place. They get plenty of tuna off the rocks and even off the beach as well. Too bad it is so far away

Water Temp charts available form BOM

I like at least 18 degrees and prefer 20 degrees before I start fishing my spots

About $50 to $150 depending on condition

Poor technique with the string yank technique. You need to stabilize the shank of the hook to stop it twisting and keep the point inline with the direction of removal. It is by far the safest and easiest removal technique.

I got some neoprene waders from Anaconda. They leaked after about 1 months and I too them back. I paid a bit more and got a pair of Horne waders. They are great and worth the extra $

http://www.strikehook.com/index.php/topic/24919-waitpinga-25714/

Im looking to try snapper off brighton jetty, using a 8' JW comet rated 4-8kg with a cast weight of 20-56g on 20lb mono. This be enough or am I dreaming?

Have you seen snapper caught there recently?

Metro landbased I like a 12 foot or longer rod that can throw at least 3 or 4oz matched with a longcast threadline. I use 20lb braid. Often you will need a cast of 60m to 80m, sometimes into a headwind to get the bite, especially if it is starting to clear. Using bigger baits will also require a bit more lead to get them out the distance. I land most of my jetty snapper with a crab net.

Fair point

Much too heavy for that gear. You will struggle to feel bites and the reel will not be able to put out enough drag to use 50lb and you will struggle to fit enough line on the reel. Try some 20lb or 30lb braid and you will feel a lot more bites and it will be a lot nicer to use.

Depends when and where. You can go light if you can let them run. Near heavy structure you might need heavier line. I use 8lb fireline or 12lb nanofil when I fish from the yak for snapper and have caught fish to 80cm. I've caught reds to 60cm on 5lb braid without any problems. My 30lb red was caught on 30lb braid. The lighter the better goes for most types of fishing. 

What rod and reel are you using for reds and what 50lb line? Its quite hard to fish 50lb near its limit without high end tackle.

Depends where

I like dawn and dusk and night time and a tide change but every location fishes differently.

Have you thought about an overseas holiday with some fishing charters thrown in?

This was the only fishing charter I have convinced the wife to go on with me.

http://www.strikehook.com/index.php/topic/18785-sturgeon-fishing-bc-canada/

I use a lot of normal dropper loops in lighter trace from 4lb to 20lb. Probably get 20% loss of breaking strength and the line will break at the dropper so this needs to be factored in. I usually go us in line strength to compensate.

I am sure the twisted dropper loop will be similar.

I was there about 10 years ago for 3 weeks for uni. Heaps of ST by the boat ramp. Plenty of gar around but mostly small. Few small tommies. Heaps of trumpeter, lots of KGW but mostly undersized. Heard of rat kings but didn't see any. Got a big eagle ray on a bottom bait.