Rod

Might be 5 to 10 in sheltered areas but doesn't look beautiful where out further.   Would probably loookshury to ooos but a long way off at this stage.   Based on current forecast an early start and back in by lunch.  But what boat?

Cheers

Rod

Don't know about others experience but at least 90% caught blind trolling, no surface activity at all.

I have around 5-6m of leader

Cheers

Rod

G'day

Dragging around lures to no avail is one of the aspects to Tuna trolling

I have found much better success with the shallow divers, but generally once you find them it seems they will attack anything going through the water.

We use a couple of halcos close in the middle and not far out and a couple of skirts on the outsides and they go for them all.   We usually have to do a trip or 2 with no result before success.

These lures have caught quite a few fish over the last 3 years and I will have to decide whether to retire them to the pool room or send them in to battle again in 2018 :-)

G'day knackers

Yep online from https://www.marine-deals.com.au

The knives were 33 and 34 dollars and the spike 8.50, plus 10 bucks postage.  I ordered them on tuesday arvo, the knives must have been out of stock and the tracking showed them leaving from NZ (where their made), then to Melbourne and received them on friday morning.  Toll, outstanding

My choices were very much helped by this guy, his filleting demos and tutorials are outstanding.  Also what knives I already use.  I was unable to find any of the diogenes knives

https://www.filletfish.com.au/info/filleting-knives

Cheers

Rod

Bought a couple of commercial quality knives and an iki jime spike.  Victory 220mm and 250mm blades.  I found it hard to get this quality locally, MBSA doesn't have much stock to choose from and couldn't find any elsewhere of brands I would seeking.

The spike looks good, I had bought a hookem version but it's not straight and not really to my liking now I've tried it, this one is a chinese one but looks solid

Cheers

Rod

I'm all for safety regulations and enforcement where the data supports it, but it does not in this case.  Many more die from hitting their head falling or from head injuries in car accidents, but we don't see them bringing in helmets.  The very low numbers of deaths here in SA are generally the result of people putting themselves at heightened risk, this scenario is already covered with the current guidelines and you would think, common sense.  Sorry about the guy in the article who lost his mate, but his description of the circumstances, ie pulling craypots, close to rocks, with big swells coming through, (was this the one at Beachport where it was blowing 20+knots onshore pulling a stuck pot side on to big swells and the guy who drowned had a broken collarbone?)  Come on, this is the definition of heightened risk and the skippers responsibility to take precautionary action at minimum.   By the sounds of it, the precautionary action should have been to stay onshore.

But this is typical these days, rational processing and use of data to make rational decisions has been educated out of the system.

Saying that, this change won't effect me at all

Cheers
Rod

This data is old, I found a 2016 graph that looked the same but included some race based data so I used this older one.  It's just to show my point about falls etc

G'day

I've got a Frabill, I like it as it doesn't take up much room.  Rarely use it, just for the odd poorly hooked larger snapper.

Cheers
Rod

Bought a new Iki jime tool today, pretty good I think.   

Cheers
Rod

Not saying this is related but was talking to an acquaintance who was fishing with a friend at the cape for snapper when they saw tuna busting up.  They put out 1 rod each, the friend with a brand new lure.  After the friend had hooked 3 tuna and failed to bring any to the boat, the skipper asked to have a look at the lure.  It still had the plastic protective case over the trebles, once removed, the fish came in to the boat  

Cheers

Rod 

My experience is that finding them is the hard part, then drag anything in their vicinity with a hook in it and your on 

This year, we stopped after one successful trip, but that trip started with a triple hook up and after that we couldn't get a second lure in the water before the first one had hooked up for the next 3 fish.   Also we were using lures that are pretty banged up after 3 seasons without changing them.

That was the 3rd attempt from memory and many km's covered previously.   Never fished for barrels though, which I expect is a whole different kettle of you know what 

Cheers

Rod

This arrived today, have to clean up my disc brakes on the boat trailer and make sure I take it around the block in future to dry them out.  Had a couple of pads delaminate after getting stuck.  The latest one completely vacated the caliper and left the piston to wear down on the disc 

This was after getting a new actuator. new brake lines. new calipers only last year.   Always something to do

Cheers

Rod

Nice work Dutchy, your certainly getting ready in plenty of time 

Cheers

Rod

G'day

I must try that recipe again, I didn't have all the ingrediants to do it properly but looks good.

So far though I can't beat crumbed and deep fried, but usually done in a pan and turn over.  We usually soak the squid in milk.

Apron and safety glasses advisable.  Any tips on minimising that spitting?

Cheers

Rod

That's the one RedReeler 

Might give on a try

Cheers

Rod

Yeah, understood, I've actually only ever tied them in the shed.  

Cheers

Rod

For light braid to leader connections when wading, look at the sokkou knot tool from Daiwa. Dead simple and fast. You can do the same knot with your fingers or some forceps (it's effectively a surgeons knot).

Wow you don't get much more simple than that

There's cheaper way of doing it, search for the tool with 'hacked' added

I couldn't find this crochet tool on the spotlight website

Great looking method though (tool or substitute), no problems for the waders there

Cheers

Rod

G'day

Redreeler I first learned the knot from that video but worked out a much easier way same as video above, give it a go, piece of cake in comparison

Cheers

Rod

Here you go

G'day

Uni knot, loop knot, double figure 8 and FG knot my main knots

Those gadgets look like a waste of money to me after tying quite a few FG knots without them, which is easier and quicker

Picture the 2 main rollers of that gadget being replaced by the rod tip and a tie off point ie rod in a rod holder and other end at a tie off point

I discovered this method for myself but later found others doing the same on the www.  Give it a go and buy something useful instead

Cheers

Rod

PS dmck, I tied one on your rod

Nice job

Salmon are one of my favourites for smoking, trevally are my pick for best so far.   Even snapper come out pretty good.  I've read squid are nice smoked also but never tried.

I would also like to try some different woods.  Fruit wood is supposed be good for fish

I've really only dabbled in the world of smoking, some do all sorts of creative stuff

Cheers

Rod

G'day Doobie

Looks good

I mostly vacuum pack and freeze my fish, then thaw, smoke, vacuum pack and freeze.  The frozen packets are enough to eat in 2 or 3 days and just get a pack out of the freezer as required.  Each vacuum pack usually has about 6 separate packs inside. 

Cheers

Rod

G'day

I just brush on a mix of light soy, brown sugar and sweet chilli, leave it on the trays while I prepare, the smoker, preheat it to get the smoke started.  Then I pour boiling water in the water tray (pointless putting cold water in IMO), then stick the fish in the smoker with the marinade(?) on.  Smoke flavour goes in to the fish no worries. 

I used to brine in water/salt/soy/brown sugar, then pat dry.  I found it all quite messy and time consuming.  This simpler, cheaper, cleaner way even tastes better, according to those who have tasted it.  My own invention but worth a try. 

Cheers

Rod

Here's my last lot of tuna, had some for lunch today.  On toast, a little chilli jam with tomato, fresh ground sea salt and pepper

Oh, mrs put a dry mix on a few pieces as well.  

G'day

I like salt as much as the next person but found soaking fish in brine was waaay to salty for my taste.    I halved, then quartered the amount of salt, then realised I'm not trying to 'preserve' the fish, just cooking with flavour.  Now I don't brine at all, just add the flavours prior to getting the smoker ready.  Much better imo and less mess and stuffing around

If you live in Alaska and trying to preserve fish though the winter, brining is important.  Maybe try some without and see what you think

Regarding the actual question, depends who you ask, some say a few hours some say overnight

Cheers

Rod

Thanks for the feedback everyone

It's still a puzzle as to why the difference northern and southern hemisphere.  I think dmck has come the closest to giving me closure on this question (Coriolis effect)    Why didn't I think of that LOL

Then there's the whole overhead thing, more puzzles.  Perhaps they were originally for winding with the left hand but then someone started using them with the rod turned over so they could see the line when went ffffzzzzzzzzzzzzblat 

Cheers and tight lines whichever way 

Cheers

Rod

G'day

Just read the Alan Hawk spinning reel review and it raises the age old question, well 49 year old question for me.  I was born in SA but lived in pommieland from age 6 - 13.  Learned to fish and got hooked over those 7 years.  Spinning reels are supplied with the handle on the left for the majority of users who are right handed.  Casting accurately is all managed by the dominant hand and the simple task of making the handle go round and round is done by the dumb hand.  Left handers do the opposite of course

Then come back to Oz and handles are getting put on the right, right handed people are swapping the rod back and forth between hands and then asking me if I'm left handed   

Bizarre

Look on any USA or UK site and check the handles configured for right handers.

My question.  Do they swap them in the tackle shops or are they specially requested to be in left handed mode?

This problem could take generations to rectify and it hasn't even made it to the media yet 

Anyway, have fun all you discombobulated 

Cheers

Rod

Here's the shimano USA site as an example

http://fish.shimano.com/content/sac-fish/en/home/products/fishing-reels/spinning.html