Yorky

Steadily retrieving some of my previous old FB posts. 
You will probably see a couple of my YFW related posts going up every week.
Cheers, Des

Agree 👍
The only time I don't use a swivel is casting light lures i:e; Yellowfin lures, with these I use a small clip without swivel but if I am changing over to bait fishing I have a swivel on my rig that I attach the small clip to, that way I can switch between bait & lures without cutting or re-tying or having to worry about the bait spinning & creating line twist when retrieving. 
Other than this I will not fish without a swivel somewhere in my line. I use the swivel to prevent line twist as I find it easier to not get the twist than to try & get the twist out.
When talking swivels I am talking quality swivels, rolling, crane, ball bearing, depending on the application, not cheap S**t that doesn't spin.
Yorky

Agree 👍
The only time I don't use a swivel is casting light lures i:e; Yellowfin lures, with these I use a small clip without swivel but if I am changing over to bait fishing I have a swivel on my rig that I attach the small clip to, that way I can switch between bait & lures without cutting or re-tying or having to worry about the bait spinning & creating line twist when retrieving. 
Other than this I will not fish without a swivel somewhere in my line. I use the swivel to prevent line twist as I find it easier to not get the twist than to try & get the twist out.
When talking swivels I am talking quality swivels, rolling, crane, ball bearing, depending on the application, not cheap S**t that doesn't spin.
Yorky

There are also guys that swear that manually closing the bail arm after each cast (instead of tripping it by using the reel handle) is a good idea.

The explanation Ive heard is because you take on loose line and it adds a half twist every time you do it.

Ive always manually closed the bail arm. So I havent got to experience the issues related to using the reel handle to do it. But I am very cautious not to take on loose line while coming up tight to my lure
 

Yep, it probably is a combination of everything, the shim thing for sure, as a kid I'd even make my own (well pre braid) for an even lay, my Grandfather taught me that, another thing he told me relevant to this was always have tension on the line when winding in, if you don't have weight on use your finger otherwise you get loose coils which will cause tangles.
I still do as he taught me and have NEVER had a wind knot, I do occasionally overfill a spool though and get the same experience.....

Sorry but you're wrong, small quality rolling swivels 100% work on light braid, so do the fancy ball-bearing ones on heavier braid
I've literally watched the swivel work as advertised many, many times when fishing in current and testing to make sure my bait doesn't spin, in fact when the swivel doesn't spin (but the bait does because I didn't quite get it right) I check to make sure it's loose because sometimes they catch, give it another go and if it doesn't work change it.
Are they as effective on braid? No, certainly not, you won't get your line 100% twist free but they absolutely prevent serious line twist and to say that they won't work is frankly ridiculous and I can't imagine how you would be able to bait fish high current flow areas without them.

@Des That is a great write up. Couldn't agree more, The technical specs/parameters you have stated on what people should be looking at when purchasing gear are spot on and pretty much what I say on a near daily basis over summer, I can talk it all day but I don't think I could have put it in writing as well as you have.
Great contribution 👍👍
Cheers
Yorky

I finally got my issues sorted today.
It took some unspooling and re spooling in the park. ( and a tangled Labradoodle 😒)
I did replace the only shim in the reel, with the skinniest version I had.
I also used several small swivels above the weight to ensure I removed any line twist when winding back on.
I had a suspicion the store machine may have put in a bit of line twist, As they initially did not put enough backing on. So they unwound and rewound the new line. That may have contributed to the problem. However rewinding the spool several times with extra swivels seems to have ensured it was removed.
Casting trouble free for now. 👍
 

Yellow Fin Whiting Lure Fishing Gear
I am frequently asked to recommend YFW Lure fishing gear.
It lead me to summarise my thoughts on what I consider to be the most important factors in your gear selection for this particular pursuit.
My suggestions are in a prioritised list. Starting with what I consider to be the most important bit of gear to the least important based on how I feel it will impact on your success with YFW lure fishing. I am sure my opinions will raise a healthy debate!
So what are your thoughts on the perfect set up and the most important factor?
 
1) ROD
Absolutely the most important item in this game. This should be your biggest investment.
A 7’6” rod is ideal. It can cast small lures long distances easily. Cast distance is the most important factor in successfully catching YFW on lures consistently. A long cast goes way out there amongst unsuspecting fish! It provides a long retrieve, covers more water and gives the fish the most time to be attracted to your lure. So get a rod that can cast small lures far.
The latest materials and construction methods of the better quality ultra light rods, facilitate the storage and recoil of elastic energy, which imparts lure action almost naturally. The tip sensitivity of ultra light rods, brings a lure to life and seriously makes a lure dance with little effort. A very sensitive top section is also well matched with a powerful bottom end.
The extra length of a 7’6” rod has very good shock absorption for the hard runs that big YFW have when they are in close. You will definitely pull less of those small assist lure hooks from these trophy fish.
I have found the Abu Garcia Eradicator Real Finesse Rod the best I have used to date. Model# ERFS-76LT-TZ  7' 6" Rod. Rated for 0.6 - 3 lb Line Lure weight 0.1gm-12gm The whole rod weighs just 66 grams.
The Samaki Zing Xtreme V2 762SSTXL is a close second. Rated for line 1-3kg with a Lure rating of 1 to 7gm.
The Shimano Zodias ultra light is great for those who prefer a shorter 7ft rod.
The Shimano T Curve Premium 21TCP782LC … 7" 8" 1-4 Kg line, 1-7gm lure. 2 pc  It is a little more powerful, which I use with the heavier lures.
There are a lot of good ultra light options today in the 7' 2" to 7’ 6” range, rated for 1-4 Kg line, 1-10gm. At prices to suit those just starting out. But you will soon get the feel and desire for the subtle finesse improvements in the more expensive models.

2) LURES & HOOKS
There are lures that have a long proven record for consistently catching YFW. This is fundamentally due to their good design. They do not really need to be “worked” so much. On retrieval their natural action, imparted by a good rod, does most of the work for you … naturally.
Bigger lures catch bigger fish I find. They also cast a lot further out to unsuspecting fish and work over more water, increasing your chances of a strike.
Colours … nearly always Clear with some Orange. Other colours have a fast diminishing success rate and are very rarely more successful. Lures with UV colours are a bit better in low light conditions.
The Sugapen 95 in Colour MB16 is by far the standout lure in all conditions for me. The Daiwa Slippery Dog 80 is a distant second. These Stick bait lures work better than poppers except may be on the windier days. Then I find the Shimano Brenious Rise, MMD Splash Prawn, or the Atomic Hardz, Poppers to be good.
Blades and Vibes in prawn imitations can catch as many fish on their day. But you loose the visual pleasures of the chase and a surface strike. The Ecogear ZX ranges are by far the most successful blades.
I never use treble hooks on the lures. They catch too much weed. My lures are all retrofitted with Atomic Trick Bitz size 8 or the Ecogear ZX Assist Hooks. They catch less weed and hook up well. A more detailed post on lures later.

3) LINE & LEADER
A small diameter braid is best. Braid assists in imparting more natural action and provides a better feel of your lure’s movements. I find Sunline Siglon PEx8 10 lb Braid is good. I have since moved to Sunline Siglon PEx8 ADV. I have heard some great reports for J Braid, but I am yet to try it. Again it is about getting a bit more distance in your casts. Thin lines have less drag through the air and cast further. There is little risk of abrasion on the open sand flats.
I use a variety of leaders, both mono and fluorocarbon, as this I find is not as big an issue as some make out. Especially when using the larger floating lures whose action is less affected by the leader. Again back to the rod, a quality 7’ 6” ultra light rod with a sensitive upper section, has great shock absorption. So you do not need a lot of leader for stretch and shock absorption. Around 18” in length I find good. I also use a Decoy Spiral Snap for quick lure changes so I don’t use up leader length in retying lures.
 
4) REEL
Reels are often overrated in terms of their importance here I feel. Correct weight balance with your rod, a smooth sensitive drag and a smooth retrieval action would be the main functional demands. A wider or a long stroke spool provides a longer cast.
With repetitive lure casting over long sessions, I you will appreciate a lightweight reel. A gear ratio of around 6:1 in a 2500 size reel suits the ideal lure retrieval speed. Given the harsh treatment these reels experience whilst wading for YFW, salt water resilience is important. Shimano Stradic CI4+, Shimano Vanford and Abu Garcia’s Revo MGXtreme, have all worked well for me. Should you have strong arms, strong wrists and a smaller budget, there are plenty of inexpensive heavier reel options that won’t reduce your chances of catching a fish on lures.
5) WADING TUB or BAG
Essential for carrying all your food, drink and tackle out there for a long day. Thanks to spotting  @Territory Lad  I added a "triple Axle" to mine.

6) TECHNIQUE … aka … Pretentiousness
Mostly a lot of garbage by people posturing as super skilled experts and making a simple task appear complicated.
If you start with the right equipment it is simple and close to an automatic process. It is usually people with a substandard rod, heavy line, and inappropriate lures, that have to work so hard to achieve the right lure action. A good lure with a modern day ultra light rod almost provides the right lure action automatically. It is so easy to “work” a lure. You really don’t have to try!  The only thing you could play with is your rod height position and your retrieve speed.
 
I hope this helps in unravelling the not that mysterious art of YFW lure fishing.
 
Cheers, Des.

I look forward to all the contributions from the many YFW specialists in this forum.
Over the coming weeks I will be transferring a number of posts regarding Yellow Fin Whiting which I had previously only put up on Face Book. (lazy)
I look forward to us building up a knowledge base for us to share.
The posts will not be "Fishing reports" as such but discussions about the Species, Morphology, Habitats, Ecosystems/FoodChains, Tackle and Techniques.
Looking forward to every ones input.
Cheers, Des

It's been a couple now due to lower back & rib problems, so I thought I'd put up a past spin session from December 2021. This video is one of many that haven't been on YouTube yet. Thanks for watching..
** Good news, I have now improved and now getting back into the swing of things so will have new reports coming soon..
 
cheers
Adrian (meppstas)
 
 

This is just a short video clip of a few Platypus I often come across while trout fishing the rivers here in Tasmania. Seeing Platypus in a river while trout fishing is always the highlight of my day, it makes the trip all the more worthwhile.
cheers Adrian (meppstas)
 
 

Back on the 3rd November 2019 I caught my 10,000th wild Tasmanian trout after we moved to Tasmania back in March 2000, on this trip I caught my 11,000th trout. Here's how the spin session went to get that 11,000th trout & thanks for watching. I often wonder how many trout I would have caught had our trout season not been over nine months. With three months a year missed fishing the rivers for trout adds up to over 5 years of fishing I've lost & over approx 2,500 trout not being caught and released.. food for thought..
cheers Adrian (meppstas)
 
 

This was one of my best spin sessions of the season, it]'s always nice to have a day like this with a mix of small & medium size wild brown trout..
cheers
Adrian.
 

Just completed a video on how to fillet fish (using Tommy Rough as an example).
Let me know what you think.
If you find it useful, let me know what the subject should be for the next one.
 

Had a friend (Mark an avid fly fisherman) over from South Australia who loves fly fishing for trout so I took him for a session in the Mersey River. The only problem was Mark forgot to throw his fly fishing vest in my car when I picked him up, the vest had all of his trout flies in it. Thankfully for some reason I took and extra Okuma trout spinning set up with me & a spare vest, Mark had no choice but to become a spin fisher for this trip. Thanks for watching..
cheers
Adrian (meppstas)
 
 

Dear science, where the F*** is my hoverboard (apologies to older readers 😎)
Hopefully the pics are clear enough.
LHS Nedrig 1/6 oz, RHS Headlockz 1/8 oz
 

Give the man a cigar 👍.
We hear a lot of comments from people in the shop regarding the best scents be it gels or sprays & which one is best. We don't have one in the shop that someone doesn't buy because according to someone they all work.
People have their favourites and a lot of these people are buying it to fish the same areas for the same species but one will tell you a certain scent doesn't work and the next person will tell you that that scent is the only one that works. From what I hear from a lot of different people is that they all work just not for everyone.
The only way to truly find out which one works for you is to try them, when you get one that is working and is the best scent there is, stick to it, if it stops working, try another, but don't throw away the one that wasn't working cause you may just come back to it as the best there is.
Yorky

I use Sunline FC Rock fluorocarbon as a leader from 6lb to 30lb & don't have any problems with knots, one thing with tying knots in fluoro is to make sure that your knots are well lubricated before tightening so that the line slides easily in the knot, any friction in the knot will weaken the line & make an ugly knot. 
I have a customer that often gets me to tie an FG knot to join his 6lb braid to a 6lb fluoro leader for his YF Whiting lure fishing, I can understand why the fish find it hard to see , I need bloody good light to see it 😂😂

Ok a wise fisher I talk to has told me it’s a expensive Japanese lure called Duo . And the Lure actually worked around dawn today Owner hooks are great . Ok only tiny STs but fun 

Ok with my S Factor running out I bought some gulp scent and yes it works .

Finally one of my regular rivers had dropped to a level that was safe for wading, it was still a little higher than I preferred. The water temperature was up to 11 degrees as well, much better than the six degrees that's it been on. Even though the trout were a little scarce it was good to get onto a couple of nice rainbows, my first for the season. Thanks for watching..
cheers
Adrian 
 
 

We're currently waiting for the 2021 Caldia LT's to show up, they've been on order for a while, think it's this month they should get here.
I've been toying with the idea of the 1000 Caldia as an upgrade to my Yellowfin luring outfit but then that would mean I'd have to get a new rod as well 
🤔 new rod & reel, angry wife 🤬, peace & quiet after initial explosion👍,  could be a done deal 😂
Yorky

don't know why the pictures won't work above so here they are
These are the new Daiwa 2021 Caldia LT MQ's
 

We're currently waiting for the 2021 Caldia LT's to show up, they've been on order for a while, think it's this month they should get here.
I've been toying with the idea of the 1000 Caldia as an upgrade to my Yellowfin luring outfit but then that would mean I'd have to get a new rod as well 
🤔 new rod & reel, angry wife 🤬, peace & quiet after initial explosion👍,  could be a done deal 😂
Yorky