tiotony

So I recently put up a post asking for tackle suggestions, as due to progressive increase in fish size at my local (likely due to net free zone) I'm often outgunned these days on the 6-10lb outfits that used to be adequate. Here's some culprits spooling me:
Christmas afternoon me and AFO member pancakes and haggis (Callum) hit the beach after lunch. Got plenty of live mullet, and Callum was managing much further casts than me on his longer rods (as compared to my 3-5kg SP outfits), even with his 30lb braid. This made it apparent there are more fish holding out further now and 30lb braid is up to the task (unlike me trying to be 'sporting' and getting smoked on my little 2500 Daiwa Sols😞


These two were around 105 and 85 and were released quickly being closed season and all.
Went again at dawn this morning to be greeted with high tide, dead flat water and fish busting up on mullet and gar everywhere, and literally saw a metre barra launch clear of the water on arrival. The bait was being herded onto the beach so only took one cast to get 10 or so mullet. 
I got owned four times in a row on the 10lb - two bustups due to me using as much drag as I dared on the 10lb (and actually too much), and two spoolings resulting in clamped spool and bustup. Unfortunately only get about 150m of 10lb braid on a little Sol and its not enough. Also saw the kids just up from me land two big king salmon and drop a big barra in this time.
Number 5 was substantially smaller and fairly easily turned; blue salmon in the 80's:

 
 
 

Good to not have to chase fish up and down the beach! Also the longer rod more than compensates for the heavier braid casting distance wise.

Good to not have to chase fish up and down the beach! Also the longer rod more than compensates for the heavier braid casting distance wise.

The odd 120 gets caught but don't see them caught landbased as much as there used to be; I haven't landed one in about a year. They seem to be out about 100-200m now and a lot of boats chase them nowadays - they sound up and down the beaches till they pick them up on sidescan then drop down big vibes;  you can literally see a boat doing this in the background of the photo of the rod!

Tried the new outfits this morning, definately worked out as I can cast far enough to get into the strike zone with the longer rods. Just used one rod this morning as the livies were getting smashed straight away.

No line screamers this morning, but got five blue salmon in the 50's-60's and two 80's barra; also dropped a nice king salmon around a metre which pulled hook on a jump.
Four salmon kept for a feed (two for me, two for neighbor).

Back to tackle shop today to move up from 25 to 40lb leader too. 

have gone with a pair of shimano sakana 6-8kg shore spin rods, because of the 9 foot length to help with casting distance, and 4000 Thunnus reels with 20lb Sufix 832. 

Machans and Holloways. Note the mullet/ gar in close on the beach are hit and miss and usually only at dawn - its uncommon to see so many and its usually a struggle getting livies on the beach because the bait is out of castnet range. Also have to be wary of stingers when castnetting this time of year obviously - if there's stingers about I just don't castnet. 

The odd 120 gets caught but don't see them caught landbased as much as there used to be; I haven't landed one in about a year. They seem to be out about 100-200m now and a lot of boats chase them nowadays - they sound up and down the beaches till they pick them up on sidescan then drop down big vibes;  you can literally see a boat doing this in the background of the photo of the rod!

Tried the new outfits this morning, definately worked out as I can cast far enough to get into the strike zone with the longer rods. Just used one rod this morning as the livies were getting smashed straight away.

No line screamers this morning, but got five blue salmon in the 50's-60's and two 80's barra; also dropped a nice king salmon around a metre which pulled hook on a jump.
Four salmon kept for a feed (two for me, two for neighbor).

Back to tackle shop today to move up from 25 to 40lb leader too. 

Tried the new outfits this morning, definately worked out as I can cast far enough to get into the strike zone with the longer rods. Just used one rod this morning as the livies were getting smashed straight away.

No line screamers this morning, but got five blue salmon in the 50's-60's and two 80's barra; also dropped a nice king salmon around a metre which pulled hook on a jump.
Four salmon kept for a feed (two for me, two for neighbor).

Back to tackle shop today to move up from 25 to 40lb leader too. 

Tried the new outfits this morning, definately worked out as I can cast far enough to get into the strike zone with the longer rods. Just used one rod this morning as the livies were getting smashed straight away.

No line screamers this morning, but got five blue salmon in the 50's-60's and two 80's barra; also dropped a nice king salmon around a metre which pulled hook on a jump.
Four salmon kept for a feed (two for me, two for neighbor).

Back to tackle shop today to move up from 25 to 40lb leader too. 

The odd 120 gets caught but don't see them caught landbased as much as there used to be; I haven't landed one in about a year. They seem to be out about 100-200m now and a lot of boats chase them nowadays - they sound up and down the beaches till they pick them up on sidescan then drop down big vibes;  you can literally see a boat doing this in the background of the photo of the rod!

Tried the new outfits this morning, definately worked out as I can cast far enough to get into the strike zone with the longer rods. Just used one rod this morning as the livies were getting smashed straight away.

No line screamers this morning, but got five blue salmon in the 50's-60's and two 80's barra; also dropped a nice king salmon around a metre which pulled hook on a jump.
Four salmon kept for a feed (two for me, two for neighbor).

Back to tackle shop today to move up from 25 to 40lb leader too. 

have gone with a pair of shimano sakana 6-8kg shore spin rods, because of the 9 foot length to help with casting distance, and 4000 Thunnus reels with 20lb Sufix 832. 

Machans and Holloways. Note the mullet/ gar in close on the beach are hit and miss and usually only at dawn - its uncommon to see so many and its usually a struggle getting livies on the beach because the bait is out of castnet range. Also have to be wary of stingers when castnetting this time of year obviously - if there's stingers about I just don't castnet. 

The odd 120 gets caught but don't see them caught landbased as much as there used to be; I haven't landed one in about a year. They seem to be out about 100-200m now and a lot of boats chase them nowadays - they sound up and down the beaches till they pick them up on sidescan then drop down big vibes;  you can literally see a boat doing this in the background of the photo of the rod!

Tried the new outfits this morning, definately worked out as I can cast far enough to get into the strike zone with the longer rods. Just used one rod this morning as the livies were getting smashed straight away.

No line screamers this morning, but got five blue salmon in the 50's-60's and two 80's barra; also dropped a nice king salmon around a metre which pulled hook on a jump.
Four salmon kept for a feed (two for me, two for neighbor).

Back to tackle shop today to move up from 25 to 40lb leader too. 

Tried the new outfits this morning, definately worked out as I can cast far enough to get into the strike zone with the longer rods. Just used one rod this morning as the livies were getting smashed straight away.

No line screamers this morning, but got five blue salmon in the 50's-60's and two 80's barra; also dropped a nice king salmon around a metre which pulled hook on a jump.
Four salmon kept for a feed (two for me, two for neighbor).

Back to tackle shop today to move up from 25 to 40lb leader too. 

have gone with a pair of shimano sakana 6-8kg shore spin rods, because of the 9 foot length to help with casting distance, and 4000 Thunnus reels with 20lb Sufix 832. 

have gone with a pair of shimano sakana 6-8kg shore spin rods, because of the 9 foot length to help with casting distance, and 4000 Thunnus reels with 20lb Sufix 832. 

have gone with a pair of shimano sakana 6-8kg shore spin rods, because of the 9 foot length to help with casting distance, and 4000 Thunnus reels with 20lb Sufix 832. 

have gone with a pair of shimano sakana 6-8kg shore spin rods, because of the 9 foot length to help with casting distance, and 4000 Thunnus reels with 20lb Sufix 832. 

So I recently put up a post asking for tackle suggestions, as due to progressive increase in fish size at my local (likely due to net free zone) I'm often outgunned these days on the 6-10lb outfits that used to be adequate. Here's some culprits spooling me:
Christmas afternoon me and AFO member pancakes and haggis (Callum) hit the beach after lunch. Got plenty of live mullet, and Callum was managing much further casts than me on his longer rods (as compared to my 3-5kg SP outfits), even with his 30lb braid. This made it apparent there are more fish holding out further now and 30lb braid is up to the task (unlike me trying to be 'sporting' and getting smoked on my little 2500 Daiwa Sols😞


These two were around 105 and 85 and were released quickly being closed season and all.
Went again at dawn this morning to be greeted with high tide, dead flat water and fish busting up on mullet and gar everywhere, and literally saw a metre barra launch clear of the water on arrival. The bait was being herded onto the beach so only took one cast to get 10 or so mullet. 
I got owned four times in a row on the 10lb - two bustups due to me using as much drag as I dared on the 10lb (and actually too much), and two spoolings resulting in clamped spool and bustup. Unfortunately only get about 150m of 10lb braid on a little Sol and its not enough. Also saw the kids just up from me land two big king salmon and drop a big barra in this time.
Number 5 was substantially smaller and fairly easily turned; blue salmon in the 80's:

 
 
 

Machans and Holloways. Note the mullet/ gar in close on the beach are hit and miss and usually only at dawn - its uncommon to see so many and its usually a struggle getting livies on the beach because the bait is out of castnet range. Also have to be wary of stingers when castnetting this time of year obviously - if there's stingers about I just don't castnet. 

Machans and Holloways. Note the mullet/ gar in close on the beach are hit and miss and usually only at dawn - its uncommon to see so many and its usually a struggle getting livies on the beach because the bait is out of castnet range. Also have to be wary of stingers when castnetting this time of year obviously - if there's stingers about I just don't castnet.