plankton

Sounds Like a Strike Hook Day is to be had around that day! What ya Think Bjorn, Softy

Had a go at Maslins Sunday arvo, lots of walking and casting and not a touch.
 
Very happy with my new lure bag setup though, a Daiwa Trout Bag with my own customised lure storage system!

Where did you get those lobster, if you don't mine me asking.

Thanks BarneyB, haven't been there yet, a bit far out of my area, but I hear rumors that we're getting one down south.

Costco have them, a good range of seafood there.

Haven't been out lately, hoping for a session on Sunday, got a new lure bag to test out too.

Keen as Bruh . . . only chance I've had to head out so far though I took the kidlets and spent the whole time keeping them away from everyone else's gear lol

Great report Underpants, a weekend away and some fish caught as well, what could be better!

I hadn’t had a surf fishing trip for 5years, not since our last lads KI trip and before the young fella came along. The whole concept was beginning to feel like a nostalgic part of the past.  The idea for a KI salmon trip this season was optimistically discussed but fruitlessly realised. Not quite, but almost out of sheer desperation, brought a lower Yorkes fallback plan.
 
We had visited Yorkes numerous times but not for a few years, basing ourselves in the quaint Corney Point. This gives good access to the beaches of Berry Bay, Gleeson’s Landing, The Dust Hole, numerous rock fishing options and sheltered wading around Corny Point. All providing shelter from prevailing S-SW winds
The objective of this trip was to break in my mate’s new Seajigger, which had been unused and collecting dust since its purchase months ago.  More specifically; to have a solid crack at some surf salmon, possibly some rock fishing, wading and maybe even a lazy mullet session. Tinker had provided some options past Edithburgh, if the weather turned and blew from the NW.
 
Two weekends were chosen, to be selected at the last minute pending weather, in June, rather than later, hopefully to pick up any straggling mullet.  The first fell through and then the second looked doomed after my entire family succumbed to some nasty flu like virus. It was touch and go for a while but with some begging, we finally had a trip, only with a later departure of Friday evening rather than Thursday, returning Sunday night.
 
 
Friday
 
Even with express packing we didn’t leave until 1830 for a relatively uneventful drive other than a quick detour at Pt Wakefield when my mates ‘dinner’ of chips & iced coffee needed to break free . Onwards in the dark, we turned into Minlaton to be pulled over by the local constabulary. I'd noticed they eyeballed my mates old VN as we passed the servo, assuming likely bogan occupants up to no good . Any way mate blew zero, rego & licence check all good and he wished us good fishing!
 
 
Saturday
 
Plan was to pick a gutter in Berry Bay for a salmon surf session on the rising tide. After a lazy breakfast we were off. North Berry had 6 blokes fishing one gutter   but the entire beach south was clear with a sweet looking gutter smack in the middle. Luckily there is access near the middle as well as the southern end, so not too much walking. Closer inspection the gutter looked promisingly. It was deep in close but also had a fair swell cranking a current up the beach plus some solid sets of waves rolling in.
 
For my standard salmon surf fishing session I usually bring two outfits; one for bait (Penn Prevail  1202MH, Penn Slammer 560, 30lb braid) and the other for flicking lures (9ft Samaki Allure,  Slammer 260, 15lb braid).  This time I opted for 3 outfits, the two mentioned and one heavier (Beach Basher, 850ssm & 30lb mono) for anything bigger (shark, ray, mully)
 
I dropped my gear on a flat rock and grabbed the lure stick. I ran a 20lb mono leader via a FG knot to a snap swivel, perfect for 20-40g metals and the occasional large soft plastic. Starting with a 20g Raider into the promising water, then switched to a 28g Lock casting jig and was immediately impressed with the added distance. Nevertheless, without a touch and my usual lacking patience, I rigged up for bait.
 
I run a pretty standard paternoster rig, consisting of:
Snap swivel on main line 30lb or 40lb double paternoster twisted droppers (I buy these as they are tricky time consuming to tie) Loop on top and snap swivel to the sinker. Loop if the sinkers are molded with swivels, but I find snap swivel easier regardless. 2 snelled 4/0s on one dropper, baited with a whole salted pillie & tail tied on with a bit of bait thread. Surf popper on the other Star sinker to conditions. 3-6oz , breakaways if conditions are rough. I started with a 4oz star.
 
Swivels at both ends  minimise line twist, as the rig gets knocked around in the current plus facilitate easier rig & sinker changes. Twisted droppers hold the popper and bait more perpendicular than the simpler dropper loop rig, so are less likely tangled. Surf beaches regularly hold sand crabs which can quickly demolish pilchard baits. The popper will stay there and bob around enticingly when the bait is all gone .....Funnily enough, I had yet to catch anything on popper!
 
 
Back to the fishing......
 
The 4oz was holding well but with unpredictable wave action I decided to hold my rod with rather than place it in the rod holder. I could feel the telltale picking of crabs after a matter of minutes, checking bait to see it half demolished. Re-baited and back out. Tap, tap, lift and I’m on. Unsure what it was, certainly didn’t feel like a salmon? A bit of work out of the side rip revealed a nice mid-30cm Blue Spot and on the surf popper too! A double first for me: 1st flathead in the surf and 1st fish on a surf popper !
 

 
Just about to cast out again and my mate’s seajigger is finally getting a bend as he’s working a decent fish, some 80m up the beach.  I left my rod in the holder to give him a hand, landing a solid 60+cm salmon . No pics as my camera & phone were in my bag and the fish was released.
 
Those two fish were about it . The swell was getting uncomfortable where we were, pushing us up into the rocks at the base of the cliffs. Being a little concerned of getting trapped in the rising tide we packed and moved down the coast to the beach south of Pt Annie.
 
We targeted a nice hole, butting up the rocky point, with a few added reefy bits to keep us honest . Similar approach, baits out to the taps of smaller fish then wack, the distinctive tussle of my first salmon.  It proves difficult to land with the steep beach and side rip but is eventually up in a wave surge. Easily my biggest salmon for a number of years in the 50-55cm range, released.
 

 
Next couple of casts yielded snags; the loss of a sinker then a whole rig . Then I noticed a loop in my spool so pulled the line out only to get a massive mess as it blew down the beach, tangling with seaweed and inventing its own wind knots . I crack the s**ts, cut out 20m of line and switch to flicking lures! 
 
Metals weren’t getting any hits so I tried a SP (5in Jerk, ShadZTT Headlock 1/2oz, 5/0XH).
 

 
It cast surprisingly well but proved tricky working it between the big sets of waves. Finally one lift it gets slammed. I lose a bit of line then have similar trouble landing it as before. Another reasonable fish a bit bigger , and my 1st surf salmon on SP !
 

 
Around the same time my mate is bowled over in the backwash then receives the next wave right over the top and down the waders . He’s drenched and luckily we are sheltered from the breeze and the water’s not super cold anyway.
 
Again,  not much after those 2 fish , so we headed back up the coast for a bit of rock fishing.  With nothing noteworthy (smallish wrasee, sweep, tommies etc) we called it a day.
 
Mate had a hot shower and into dry clothes, I clean the flattie. We share the 1 beer .....ive been experimenting bottling homebrew in sodawater bottles which works well...... so 1 beer is really 4x330ml (great one to tell the missus "I'll just have one beer" ) ! We um & ah about wading the early morning low tide and decide it will be too dark and cold. Then seal its fate by downing a bottle of red and decide to have a lazy mullet session instead.
 
Sunday
After half packing the shack, we head to our pre-chosen mullet spot in close to Corney Pt. I tried to drop an onion bag of burley with ½ a house brick but even here the waves from the swell prove too much and smashed it into the rocks. Big baits out for any passing rays yield nothing other than snags on the only bit of rock around! Finally the mullet show in the last couple of hours rising tide and become increasingly aggressive with a few double headers. Most are only average but a few around 30cm. They loved slivers of deer heart I had been conscientiously saving for a mullet session.
 

 
Just as the novelty was wearing my mate hooks something far larger to reveal a lovely flattie, his PB at 55cm.
 

 
We decided to leave on a high, pack and hit the road for home.
 
Even though there was nothing spectacular always great to get away and focus on just fishing. A beautiful part of the world and just enought of a tease to come back for the salmon schools next trip.

Here in SA I've been a landbased fisho as I don't have a boat, but in my experience back in the US most fish will respond well to jigging techniques.
 
It's a great way to fish while drifting in a boat, and I've had good success using metal jigs, soft plastics and bucktail jigs which aren't as popular here but are absolutely deadly.
 
The whole excitement around "micro-jigging" and "slow jigging" being the hot new way to catch fish kind of amuses me as people have been doing it for many years. And it definitely works!

The Strike Hook salmon competition for 2016 is on NOW!!!     Major sponsor SPOTTERS on board for this awesome comp with a cool Spotters prize pack up for grabs.     Major Prize: Spotters prize pack including, very cool cap, sun shade, sunglasses strap and a pair of awesome SPOTTERS FURY (Gloss Black) with Halide lens.   Two runner up prizes including salmon lures and poppers.   Also check out the Spotters website www.spotters.com.au for their full range of sunnies and merchandise.     This year we have a points system for the major prize. Points will be awarded for fish with the total highest amount of points at the end being the winner. If there is a draw then the largest fish or least small fish will decide the final winner.     21cm - 35cm 2 points 36cm - 45cm 4 points 46cm - 55cm 6 points 56cm - 65cm 8 points 66cm - 75cm 10 points 76cm and above 12 points    
Longest overall salmon for one runner up prize.
 
As a backup we are having a few options for the last runner up prize which relies heavily on the members reports. These include the worst trip, best by-catch, most kms traveled and the most trips all chasing salmon.
 
This comp is dependent on good salmon reports from members who would like to take part so please get as much information in your reports, try to take some nice clear photos and get right into the Strike Hook spirit and get as many fishos as we can chasing salmon for the comp.
 
The comp ends on August 31st 2016 and is open to anyone and everyone in South Australia!
 
Good luck everyone 

Those 10' overhead models were nice rods, wish I'd bought one before they stopped making them. I do have the 11'4" 2-4oz overhead from the first run of Sensors, brilliant rod but a bit heavy for metro salmon use.

Every year at the beginning of salmon season this question arises, also with what lures work best, etc.
Here is a small list of links to previous threads on this:
 
Salmon setups:
http://www.strikehook.com/index.php/topic/26699-looking-for-an-ulitmate-lure-throwing-weapon-surf-rod/
http://www.strikehook.com/index.php/topic/26510-show-us-your-salmon-lure-flicking-setup-or-dream-setup/
 
Salmon lures:
http://www.strikehook.com/index.php/topic/26522-favourite-salmon-lures/
http://www.strikehook.com/index.php/topic/16493-whats-ya-favourite-salmon-lure/
 
Salmon rigs:
http://www.strikehook.com/index.php/topic/24512-surf-poppers-for-salmon-your-hints-and-tips-please/
 
Salmon reports:
http://www.strikehook.com/index.php/topic/27788-salmon-were-at-southport-today/
http://www.strikehook.com/index.php/topic/25087-salmon-squidding-the-northern-flats/
http://www.strikehook.com/index.php/topic/26444-newbie-salmon-fishing-18-6/
http://www.strikehook.com/index.php/topic/26685-parsons-waitpinga-7915/
http://www.strikehook.com/index.php/topic/26932-a-lap-of-the-foot/

Although it's horrific to hear that somone has been killed or attacked by a shark, the stats show that on average only 3 people are killed each year from shark attacks.  If people were really concerned about saving lives of humans it would make more sense to focus on activities that kill much more people each year, than trying to cull sharks to reduce shark related deaths.
 
Globally and in Australia there is a trend of increasing shark attacks and deaths.  Experts say this is more likely due to an increasing global population and more people enjoying water based activities, more so than a massive resurgence of shark numbers around the world.
 
The irony is there are about 300 people that die from drowning each year in Australia.  Although not of all these occurred in the ocean, a good portion did, so on this basis there's a good argument to suggest that if people stayed out of the water they'd significantly help reduce the mortality rate related to drownings and shark attacks.

As sad a story as that is, where would the culling end Panga ?
Totally disagree.
It's bad enough they drum fish for them over there.

That's a nice fish adamibinfishin, it's been a dream of mine to fish the FWC and get into fish like that.
 
Here's my biggest so far, my first ever mully actually, caught on my first trip to Salt Creek a few years ago, she went 85cm, unfortunately the picture isn't great,
 

 
Here's my biggest lure caught from the Onk, 65cm, tagged and released,
 

That's a nice fish adamibinfishin, it's been a dream of mine to fish the FWC and get into fish like that.
 
Here's my biggest so far, my first ever mully actually, caught on my first trip to Salt Creek a few years ago, she went 85cm, unfortunately the picture isn't great,
 

 
Here's my biggest lure caught from the Onk, 65cm, tagged and released,
 

That's a nice fish adamibinfishin, it's been a dream of mine to fish the FWC and get into fish like that.
 
Here's my biggest so far, my first ever mully actually, caught on my first trip to Salt Creek a few years ago, she went 85cm, unfortunately the picture isn't great,
 

 
Here's my biggest lure caught from the Onk, 65cm, tagged and released,
 

That's a nice fish adamibinfishin, it's been a dream of mine to fish the FWC and get into fish like that.
 
Here's my biggest so far, my first ever mully actually, caught on my first trip to Salt Creek a few years ago, she went 85cm, unfortunately the picture isn't great,
 

 
Here's my biggest lure caught from the Onk, 65cm, tagged and released,
 

Hi fellas, thought I would kick start an old thread and see what you guys have been catching. This is my biggest mully, didn't get the weight but was 141cms tip to tip. Caught on the west coast a few years ago, been a mulloway drought for me since then unfortunately. A lack of fishing doesn't help, hahaha, cheers

Definitely not an argument, just a good natured debate. Just like newtontoney and outandabout I'm not trying to offend anyone. At times I get frustrated by comments on forums where people make a claim but can't offer any evidence to back it up.
 
All three of us have shared some good personal experiences. To answer a couple questions, I have found the Squall series to be excellent casting reels right from the box that are lightweight but sturdy construction with strong reliable drag systems at a very reasonable price. Pretty much everything I want or need in a reel. In contrast I have used old Penn Squidders back in the US which many hold as the holy grail of overhead beach casters. I found them to be average at best, and the ones that were decent casting reels had been heavily modified.
 
In my experience with older Abu baitcasters, they are some of the best casting reels, even better when tweaked a bit, but the drags were utter crap. Any water or grease or salt that found there way into the fibre washer would either cause the lack of any drag pressure or worse a fully locked up drag. When Abu switched to carbon fibre drags 10-15 years ago it was a huge improvement. I don't know about the current models, but in reality I think that niche has been taken over by companies like Akios (made in Taiwan by Omoto).
 
Another thing about materials, I think in the old days a lot of gear was over-engineered, using materials that were unnecessary simply because they could. Now with resources becoming depleted it makes sense to downgrade the material of components where possible. All spin/threadline reel bodies were once made from metal, but for the majority of uses composite frames are perfectly fine and makes good sense.
 
Out of curiosity outandabout, if you don't have any of those little stickers on your gear, what sort of stuff are you using?

Definitely not an argument, just a good natured debate. Just like newtontoney and outandabout I'm not trying to offend anyone. At times I get frustrated by comments on forums where people make a claim but can't offer any evidence to back it up.
 
All three of us have shared some good personal experiences. To answer a couple questions, I have found the Squall series to be excellent casting reels right from the box that are lightweight but sturdy construction with strong reliable drag systems at a very reasonable price. Pretty much everything I want or need in a reel. In contrast I have used old Penn Squidders back in the US which many hold as the holy grail of overhead beach casters. I found them to be average at best, and the ones that were decent casting reels had been heavily modified.
 
In my experience with older Abu baitcasters, they are some of the best casting reels, even better when tweaked a bit, but the drags were utter crap. Any water or grease or salt that found there way into the fibre washer would either cause the lack of any drag pressure or worse a fully locked up drag. When Abu switched to carbon fibre drags 10-15 years ago it was a huge improvement. I don't know about the current models, but in reality I think that niche has been taken over by companies like Akios (made in Taiwan by Omoto).
 
Another thing about materials, I think in the old days a lot of gear was over-engineered, using materials that were unnecessary simply because they could. Now with resources becoming depleted it makes sense to downgrade the material of components where possible. All spin/threadline reel bodies were once made from metal, but for the majority of uses composite frames are perfectly fine and makes good sense.
 
Out of curiosity outandabout, if you don't have any of those little stickers on your gear, what sort of stuff are you using?

I always find people's nostalgia for fishing gear interesting.
 
For me, I feel that current technology in rods and reels and everything else for that matter is the best it's ever been. At times a company will make changes to a good product and make it worse, but usually another company comes in and fills the niche with something even better.
 
I have had many bits of gear that I loved which are no longer available, but I can't think of a single example of where it hasn't been replaced by something better.

Wow, it will be interesting to see how much beach is left after this, all the gutters will be different too, could be some nice deep water in close if there's anywhere left to stand.

Wow, it will be interesting to see how much beach is left after this, all the gutters will be different too, could be some nice deep water in close if there's anywhere left to stand.