Looking to take on the bigger fish - what gear???

[bluecod]

There's been a couple of issues raised in another thread LINK (http://www.sydneyangler.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=1968&page=5) where expansion on the detail may help some others who are thinking of buying some gear to tackle some larger fish, now that they are starting to show.

I've heard a lot of criticism of the Shimano Backbone range of rods that I question. For the $$$ I've found it, at least the 15kg model, to be great value. It lacks a bit of grunt towards the top of its load range as it goes a bit soft and that would tell on the angler during a prolonged fight [>45 minutes] but for most fish that someone starting out are likely to encounter, its not a bad bit of gear to start with.

Jocool loves his TLD's and I have no problems with the Penn International range of reels, whilst others love their Tiagras.

Good gimball belts are a must and for old farts like me :ashamed: , a kidney harness comes in bloody handy as well.

Let's also include knots, leaders and hooks as, it could be the way I tie them, but I've lost too many good fish to poor bimini twists and will now only use a plait for my double and circle hooks for bridle rigged baits. Whilst we're at it what gaffs do you use and for the more advanced types, throw in the tag pole as well!

All recommendations/comments would be good advice!

[Bashir]

I use tlds because I can't justify tiagras at this stage. My rods are a range of customs that are getting a bit old and a couple of backbones and a fenwick. They will all be for sale pretty soon as I am going to go for all custom rods so if anybody is interested.....:)

My leaders are normally momoi. hooks for lures are sl12s, 76lgs and 7691s

hooks for livebaiting marlin are eagle claw l2004elf circles.

Plaits over doubles and a good quality snap swivel. I got a decent gimbal and silstar harness, would prefer a black magic.

my gaffs are a basic alloy handled one and a home made tassie oak job. My tag pole is made out of a fibreglass/alloy painters pole and its great!

[JOCOOL]

As I've mentioned previously, and George has alluded to, I use TLD. Good honest workhorses that won't let you down if you treat them right. I have been experimenting with wet drags, which is great for fishing reefy country for kings, but not absolutely neccesary. If you don't let water get into the canvas drag of a TLD, then you shouldn't have a problem. Regular maintanance should see them last for years.

My heavier rods at this stage are commercially available ones. Couple of Backbones and even a cheapie Catana for the lighter work. I wouldn't mind getting some better sticks, but at this stage they are working for me.

My gaff is a relatively cheap short alloy handled job. I do need a better one, and was thinking of making my own.

No tag-poles yet. Still practicing with my gaff.:p

My leaders are a mix of Penn 10X, TripleFish flouro, Jinkai, and I have some Black Magic. They all seem to work well, and I think the 10X is the most hardy of them. The flouro is good for when the fish get picky. They don't see it as easily.

My swivels are all BB. I bought a bunch a while ago in a bulk lot, and they have been great. When I do need a particular size, I get Penn or TackleTech, which is a cheapied from JW, but they work fine. Can't justify the need for Sampos at this stage.:noway:

Most of my fishing is done using Mustad Hoolum hooks between 4/0 and 8/0. Have started using some Shogun hooks that look the goods. I know theses are thick gauge hooks, but if kept sharp, they shouldn't pose a huge problem.

I plait ALL of my lines than run doubles. I used to use the Spider Hitch, but it has failed me too many times. I then either use a cats paw to attach a swivel, or an Allbright if attatching a leader. For connecting terminals, I use the Uni knot for 99% of applications. I did learn that you have to have at least 6 turns in your uni or you run the chance of it slipping out!:brickwall: :brickwall: And try and make sure that the turns lay down straight, and ride on each other when you pull the knot closed.

In heavier leaders, I have been known to crimp as well. If making a trace that will be attached to a snap, I will use a Flemish Eye and crimp it.

Hope that helps someone out there. :p

[Aero]

My main concern with backbones is the lack of grunt up top. The job of setting a hook while trolling is up to the top section of a rod, and if it cant punch a hook home, then its got no place in my spread.

I mainly use Tiagra's on either T-curve Tiagra rods (24's and 37's) or custom sticks. I have no issues with TLD's, and am happy to use them for everything bar 37kg. Not a fan of old internationals, we've had a few issues with them, and they've been sold off.

Leaders vary on if its going to be used lure trolling or livebaiting but brands I'm happy to use are Jinkai, Ande, Momoi, BTS fineline.

We basically only use Black magic line, as it's been the most cosistant over the years, and never let us down.

I use the same assortment of hooks as bashir.

Allways plait a double, and use either a sampo or yo-zuri double ringed ball bearing snap.

black magic Harness and gimal, great for me as I lack upper body strength.

Dont have a serious gaff, but liked bashirs one on the weekend. Have a funky fibreglass telescopic tag pole I made with one of those silstar 16 foot fishing poles.

Chris

[patl]

I use mostly 15kg gear for trolling etc.. ( I think it was changa that i seen write "you may catch every type of fish in the sea but you wont catch every fish" or something like that)

Most of the big things I troll for (dollies, cobes, tuna, marlin etc..) is on someone elses boat.

I use a couple of TLD 25's and 20's with a couple of different rods - T curve and live fibres. Line is Stren.

For doubles I plait, top quality BB snaps and usually 100-150kg leader - the theory is you have to hook them first and if too heavy this may not happen. If not trolling and live baiting I usually downsize the leader to 80lb. Brand is Jinkai, Momoi and Black Magic and for everything over 100 I crimp. Remember I am not going looking for big blues so if one comes along enjoy the experience (probably all 10 seconds of it) and get on with it.

For hooks I use the same as Bashir (2004elf, 76gls) for slow trolling livies, last season i used Katanas and found them very good especailly when letting a couple of marlin go beside the boat.

I have a black magic harness set, but usually only use the gimbal belt as the fish are normally 60-80kg tops. When we used to fish Bermi and get bigger stripes we would use the full harness but we were fishing 24.

For braid when jigging etc... i tie a binimi twist (about 30 plus turns) and the use a knot I think is called a "braid leader knot" or "tony jones knot" to join the lines to the leader. I am currently using a tcurve 24kg jig rod and it is great.

For attaching hard body trolling lures I generally tie the overhand knot then loop it back through, there is a couple of names but I know it is on the rapala packs.

One thing I believe when starting is to read heaps, ask lots of opions and then spend lots of money

[REKLESS]

I have taken to fishing a bit heavier then I used to when sportsfishing and tend to use 24kg until I know what is out there,then its a case of horses for courses.Changa is right that most fish can be caught on 15kg ,but I still like to get really stretched .....and being able to fish 12kg of drag is just a buzz.

I will happily use most of the modern lever drag reels ,I only get sceptical on carbon fibre bodied reels and heavy line,as the stresses involved can cause frame deformation and spool rubbing.Still prefer my international (I know that it is a dinosaur) ,but the fact is that I can pull it apart ,service it properly and get it back together in no time flat.
I also use alveys.:brickwall:
I have a Braid bucket and a kidney harness,just like an amex card,dont leave home without it.The harness usually only goes on after the first 1/2 hr anyway.
Hooks-circles ,luv em,-9175's, -I still like the 7-8/0 92554 suicides for strip baiting,SL 12's plus 7731,7691 and my all time favourite 7766,the humble tarpon.
I use three knots,Plait ,snood and the Uni, I can tie these things blindfolded and upside down after 6 beers .
I use Ande when and where ever I can get it.Main line and traces.

I still like a 6-8ft long handled 4' fixed head and a smallish flier around 6'.A net can handle the rest.
I only crimp when I cant tie the knot properley or neatly.

[Bashir]

Also forgot to mention I use Ande main line as my first preference and if I cant get ande which is almost always then hawk perlon as its the same stuff. my tld50s are spooled with black magic and stren and no complaints but will proabbly go back to ande/hawk just to keep everything the same.:D

[Red]

G'day Bluecod,

TLD's and Backbones are fine if you plan on occasional use but if you get obsessed with chasing the bigger stuff, then i'd go Tiagra. They are without doubt the best game reel around and will give you maintenance free performance for many years. The T-Curve rods are also great value......rodbuilders aside, you won't find many anglers who are game enough to bag them.

With cubing, i like low-vis lines and 15kg Momoi is the best line i have come across for the job. It's not the only line out there, its just that i have full confidence in it. Its not as thin as some but this is a good thing in my opinion.

We had an unforgetable day on the tuna recently and the 15kg Momoi passed with flying colours. We gave it quite a flogging - running 8kg of drag most of the time.

The Black Magic gimbal/harness system is the best i have used. It makes heavy tackle stand-up fishing a breeze. Not cheap but how much is your back worth? ;)

Good luck with it all
Red

[bluecod]

G'day Bluecod,
................
Good luck with it all
Red

Thanks Red and to all who've posted here - when I started this thread I had in mind getting some advice out of you all for those blokes interested in chasing some game fish over the coming season and starting out, so they wouldn't necessarily waste time and money learning from their mistakes.

Personally, I run Penn Internationals on a mix of rods including a Backbone for 15kilo, a Penn for 24 kilo and a longish custom Fenwick for 10 kilo - I prefer a long rod over a short stroker for lighter tackle as it has a more forgiving nature. The reason I chose Penns over the Tiagras was when they were bought the Tiagras had just gone through another model change whereas the Penns were basically the same as they had been for the last twenty years and I wanted to ensure availability of spare parts in the years to come, rather than hope that Shimano would carry an adequate quantity of spares for each new model. I haven't had an issue with them so happy about that decision.

Swivels are Sampo, line is generally either Maxima or Woodstock braided dacron or a combination topshotted with Maxima. I like Penn Circles for trolling livies as I can straighten them on the trace [if a small fish is swimming well when the trace is at hand we will just pull the hook out of him and let him go, until recently there wasn't a tag pole on the boat anyway and doing it this way I believe the fish is put under less stress] - knots are cats paw from double to swivel and for tying the double I now only plait the knot. Leaders are a selection of Jinkai and Black Magic [up to 200 lb] and I've been fooling around with wind on leaders as well as traditionally crimped ones. Gimball and harness are Penn.

Keep it coming fellas :D

[REKLESS]

Forgot the last bit,my penn downrigger