Rod

Here's bacon I made in mine.
 

 
 

Theres a few recipes out there for it....
 
Might give it a go myself!

G'day
Nice looking efforts guys.  I'm also fairly new to smoking, only bought a hark gas smoker last year.  After smoking a couple of batches of tuna I came across a couple of problems doing the largeish tuna steaks.  First getting the fish up to safe eating/storage temperature and second some parts becoming very dry (still ok and good for some uses)
Then a flash of inspiration.  As I was already vacuum packing the smoked tuna I could use the sous vide method (in hot water at a set temp for a set time) to finish off the tuna.  The last couple of batches I brined, then smoked for 20-30mins then sous vide.  It turned out beautiful, nice smoky salty flavour and nice and moist.
I think this combo of cooking could be good for other stuff as well?
Cheers
Rod

G'day
I recently set about tying leaders on with this knot after watching the various videos but when it came down to it I thought of an easier way (for me anyway).  On my tackle table I have a small vice and wrapped and clamped the braid from the rod in the vice, tightened the line with the reel to put a bend in the rod and then used the method where you wrap the mono around the braid, pulling on it as you go forms the knot and keeps it all really tight.  Very quick as well and very easy on the fingers
Cheers
Rod

That bacon cure was given to me from my local butcher for showing him how to use his GPS.
 
 
 
I now use this recipe below.  I leave out the pink salt as the bacon gets consumed pretty quick.  seal it all up in a vacpac or ziploc bag in the cure and place in the fridge.
 
MAPLE-CURED SMOKED BACON
This recipe is for a sweeter bacon. There should be some sugar or sweetness to balance the salt, but if you prefer a more savory taste, omit the maple syrup. If you like black pepper, add it to the cure. Seasonings can vary infinitely, but it is the curing and the smoke that make bacon one of the greatest flavors on earth.
THE CURE
2 ounces/50 grams kosher salt (about 1⁄4 cup)
2 teaspoons/12 grams pink salt
1⁄4 cup/50 grams maple sugar or packed dark brown sugar
1⁄4 cup/60 milliliters maple syrup
One 5-pound/2.25-kilogram slab pork belly, skin on
Combine the salt, pink salt, and sugar in a bowl and mix so that the ingredients are evenlydistributed. Add the syrup and stir to combine. Rub the cure mixture over the entire surface of the belly. Place skin side down in a 2-gallonZiploc bag or a nonreactive container just slightly bigger than the meat. (The pork will release water into the salt mixture, creating a brine; it’s important that the meat keep in contact with this liquid throughout the curing process.) Refrigerate, turning the belly and redistributing the cure every other day, for 7 days, until themeat is firm to the touch. Remove the belly from the cure, rinse it thoroughly, and pat it dry. Place it on a rack set over abaking sheet tray and dry in the refrigerator, uncovered, for 12 to 24 hours. Hot-smoke the pork belly to an internal temperature of 150 degrees F./65 degrees C., about 3 hours. Let cool slightly, and when the belly is cool enough to handle but still warm, cut the skin off by sliding a sharp knife between the fat and the skin, leaving as much fat on the bacon as possible. (Discard the skin or cut it into pieces and save to add to soups, stews or beans, as you would a smoked ham hock.) Let the bacon cool, then wrap in plastic and refrigerate or freeze it until ready to use. Yield: 4 pounds/2 kilograms smoked slab bacon
A slab of pork belly should have equal proportions of meat and fat.
To cure bacon, the salts, sugars, and spices are mixed and spread all over the meat. The bacon can be cured in a pan or in a 2-gallon Ziploc bag.

G'day
Nice looking efforts guys.  I'm also fairly new to smoking, only bought a hark gas smoker last year.  After smoking a couple of batches of tuna I came across a couple of problems doing the largeish tuna steaks.  First getting the fish up to safe eating/storage temperature and second some parts becoming very dry (still ok and good for some uses)
Then a flash of inspiration.  As I was already vacuum packing the smoked tuna I could use the sous vide method (in hot water at a set temp for a set time) to finish off the tuna.  The last couple of batches I brined, then smoked for 20-30mins then sous vide.  It turned out beautiful, nice smoky salty flavour and nice and moist.
I think this combo of cooking could be good for other stuff as well?
Cheers
Rod

Going through some old gear I found a few old Squid jags that have seen better days, so I tried to breathe new life into one of them. Quite happy how it came up and looking forward to getting it wet.

Don't skin your squid!
 
And eat the flaps as well. There is no difference in taste or texture between the tube and the flaps.
 
And the skin goes beautifully crispy. Give it a go.

I have used this recipe numerous times and it is great. I use an iron wok over the single burner on the bbq. Make sure you get proper chinese cooking wine and not rice wine vinegar.

G'day
Nice pics and nice fish twinpower.  We went out about 5 or 6 times and hit the tuna twice, first time, 3 x 8kg, second time 12, 14, 18 and 20kg x 2.
First time catching tuna for us, but not the first try, very satisfying on many levels, not the least of which it was a bucket list item for me
Cheers
Rod
Here's my lad with one,  note there's another one on the line on the right

Nice one rod we only missed em once and that was pre season and blowing 25knot se with a big swell was a rocky day haha then we didn't miss em after that! Such good fun tuna one of my favourite fish! We lost a few good ones on a blind troll! They would of both been over 30kg

G'day
Nice pics and nice fish twinpower.  We went out about 5 or 6 times and hit the tuna twice, first time, 3 x 8kg, second time 12, 14, 18 and 20kg x 2.
First time catching tuna for us, but not the first try, very satisfying on many levels, not the least of which it was a bucket list item for me
Cheers
Rod
Here's my lad with one,  note there's another one on the line on the right

Because I havnt been on strike hook in a long time I thought I'd share some pics of last years tuna I got out from cape! Cheers

Hi all, thought I would share with you my Salt and Pepper Recipe I use. It's reasonable quick and easy but I know two of the most fussiest eaters and they both love it!!I don't do anything fancy with my squid, like soak it in anything for a day. These squid were caught a few hours earlier and basically cleaned then cooked. Ingredients: Squid Lemon pepper, I will explain portioning later. Salt Flour ( I believe, if you are gluten intolerant, you can use corn flour?) Milk Oil for cooking, I used rice bran.I prefer to open up my squid and then cut it into strips rather then make rings, I see no problem with making it into rings if you are that way inclined but I don't know if you would get the same texture. There is a sort of soft side of the squid, the inside I assume, find that side. Once you have, score lines into it, from side to side on a 45 degree angle from the top. The goal is to cut 1 cm boces into it, which should hopefully look something like this. Note, Don't cut through the squid, only want to score one side. Mixing the actual coating, in this example I had about 2 cups of flour, roughly 2-3 tablespoons of LP and I also add a little extra salt and this was for 6 smallish squid . How I check if it is enough is by smelling the mixture, the mixture will give off a really lemony smell, that's when I know I have a good amount. This photo shows how I have scored and cut the squid into about an inch wide strips. Chuck the strips into a container of milk, make sure to cover them well so the mixture sticks to it. Once they are "milked" roll them in the mixture thoroughly, making sure to cover all of the squid. I really recommend trying just one to begin with to make sure everything is right, if you own a deep fryer, that will make it alto easier but if not and cooking on a stove top with a saucepan like this, it's important to get it the right temp range. Trying to evenly space the squid, throw it in, it literally takes 30 - 45 seconds to cook, again cook one, take it out and try it. I usually know when it is done by the colour, but that isn't always right. Also this is the sort of consistency you want on the squid. Once they're are all cooked, time to eat. Goes great with some Aioli and a minimum chips from up the local. Enjoy and let me know how it goes and any feed back you have :D

Hey guys haven't posted for a few years, So I thought id chuck up a short post for yas! Recently went to pt Augusta for the first time chasing kings! We went for 4 days. We fished ridiculously hard for the first 2 days without any luck. Word of mouth was No one else had any luck either! So our third day out was a really early start (like every other day) so we were on the water before sun up n had some squid in the bag early! Off to find the fish!
So we ended up doing a bit of down rigging for an hour or so without any luck! Then we seen some good signs. So I started casting my new outfit around which is a saltiga5000 with my saltiga blue-backer 77s, I was hammering a popper around for a solid half hour to an hour till I started to get sore n was talking to my mate, all of a sudden boof! A kingy nailed my popper out of the water and it had my attention! I blooped it once more n paused n the king came n inhaled it! After a short but solid fight I had my first king in the boat! She weighed 17kg n went 124cm! Nothing else for the rest of the trip but both me n my mate were stoked we got a fish!

Good effort Byorn, but perhaps you need to man up a bit and use a mulcher 
Meant in the least offensive way of course 
Cheers
Rod

G'day
I've usually used a double uni knot but found it a bit of a pain with a long heavy leader and a tuna on the end.  I'm gunna give that FG not a whirl next summer, thanks Chief
Cheers
Rod

G'day
I haven't made burley much in recent years but when I do, I save up the left over fish guts or in the past I have liaised with a fish shop and got them to fill an esky with fish frames.  Then leave it in the esky to partially thaw, put it through the mulcher and generally in to 2l ice cream containers, but have sometimes used plastic drink containers for small ones to fit in a 90mm pvc burley tube.  Then into vacuum sealer bags (but not vacuumed),   I use some plastic garden mesh for a burley cage and if I think the burley is going to dissipate to quickly I leave it in the plastic and just make some cuts in it.
Cheers
Rod

After having a lot of success last snapper season using jigs and switchblades and with this weather not allowing much fishing time I hit the shed to make up a new assortment of micro jigs. I came up with my own idea of using old salmon lures, old lucanus style jigs, and plastic squid to make up the jig.
 
The plastic squid retail at $2:95 per pack for 5. A pack of decent jig assist hooks are also cheap as the quality only needs to be good enough for big snapper. I used Williamson assist hooks, but as per one of the pics you can also just use standard 8/0 suicides and 80lb leader to form your own assist hook. Add in a few split rings and youre in business. Each of the jigs below range from 70g through to 100g. I prefer them heavy as I fish deep drops for reds and heavier jigs allow you to 'bounce' the jig along the bottom and get it down easier in stronger tides.
 
The metal part of the jig (salmon lure) doesn't need to be anything fancy, as it only acts as the weight to get it down.. it's the squid with the hook that does the damage.
 
I've found that these work best for drifting across the drop. My technique is to firstly use the sounder to find the fish, then once they appear on the screen cast the jig up drift of the fish. This will allow the jig time to sink. I then simply bounce the jig along the bottom through the school. Usually it gets taken on the drop as it's bounced along the bottom.
 
Snapper tend to fight much harder if the boat is drifting, not anchored. They can petty much free swim when drifting instead of being yanked into the current.
 
Here's a few pics of the jigs both on the table and how they would appear in the water. Add in a light rod, 10lb braid and hang on!