bersim

Duke's gone from this;



To this

The move to Shimano has begun.....

Latest addition to the rod rack... and current favourite!

Duffrods x-760dsi/Exist hyper custom 2004 with some rcs upgrades/6lb frog pe

Weather is nice and warm and the pest fish are on the chew.
It might not be the most glamorous type of fishing but a quick flick at the local creek and getting a few pests out can't be a bad thing.
Use this thread as a resource for locations and throw up your own spots and techniques as well.
I'll start with Stable Swamp Creek at Coopers Plains.
/>https://maps.google.com.au/maps?hl=en&ll=-27.550207,153.016865&spn=0.002081,0.002411&t=h&z=19
There are thouosands of small tilapia in there and all you need is a bit of bread under a float to catch them one after another.



There are also plenty of carp in there but they are smarter and if they see you while cruising around will disappear quick. If they are feeding, you stand half a chance.
Next spot is Rochedale.
/>https://maps.google.com.au/maps?hl=en&ll=-27.602618,153.148071&spn=0.00208,0.002411&t=h&z=19&layer=c&cbll=-27.602618,153.148071&panoid=6R28J1QZmU1uYXXoFw839g&cbp=12,32.33,,0,0
Lots of big Tilapia in there and council has gone to the trouble of building fishing platforms for you.



Low light or finesse fishing is best for catching good ones here.
Oxley Flats next to Ipswich motorway
/>https://maps.google.com.au/maps?hl=en&ll=-27.564075,152.988541&spn=0.00209,0.002411&t=h&z=19
Some monster carp in here.

Crazy Ted, some of your northside spots? I don't want to hog the whole thread

A brief review of my new yak. I was out of the yak game for ages and hesitated greatly on what to get. Ironically it was a kayak upgrade that ended my kayaking career. My very first kayak was a cool little espri (RRP about $900) which I really did like. However, the eyes are bigger than the stomach nature in me led me to upgrade to a much larger heavier and apparently "better" kayak. In short my skinny water yakking was over and the effort to just get it out there (especially solo) increases.

My plan getting back into the yak world was to never again bother with a massive, offshore worthy kayak. If I want to fish the bay Ill use a boat! After much looking around it was actually Davor from Freak Sports contacting re sponsoring the site that led me to find the perfect yak. I have been a bit skimped saving for business projects lately so when everything was included for $525 I could not say no. More than happy to support a new sponsor as well.

Product: Freak Sports "Fishing Assassin" Kayak
Colour Range: A few camo variations. Mine is "Desert Cam".
Handling: Like a dream. Cruises along faster than expected (although speed was not my concern with skinny water fishing) and easy to lift onto car. Can actually carry it by one of the handles one handed.
Quality: Seat, rod holders and paddles exceptional quality. Hull is a typical plastic mould and cannot fault it yet!
Value: For $525 for everything just try and beat it.



One of my favorite little features. So simple yet so useful and still leaves the front hatch available for a gear bag.



Standard features:


Kayak Lenght: 2.83m, Length: 0.83m, Height: 0.36m, Weight: 20kg
High quality Exonn Mobil Rotational Moulding Resin
UV8 stabilised LLDPE which complies with AS.4766
4x Flush Mounted Rod Holders
1x Adjustable centre mounted Rod Holder
2x 6” Twist Lock Storage Compartments
1x 6″ Tackle tray for handy reach of lures, hooks, sinkers, etc
Rear Compartment with Bungee Straps for Tackle Box
Front and Side Carry Handles with bungee strap for paddle

Online store but based here in Brisbane so easy to pick up:

/>http://www.freaksports.com.au/product-category/kayaks-and-canoes/freak-assassin-fishing/

Not new gear by any means, but I have a couple of must haves in my tray when going fishing. This is my second in line and has accounted for a few jacks, bream, bass, trevally, tarpon and many more species.

Product: Megabass Anthrax
Type: Hardbody
Preferred Colour Thus Far: Natural colours, however they all work really. I've found action and technique to be more of a deciding factor than colour.
Price: ~$40 but can be had for cheaper in bulk online purchases.
Quality: Paint job has improved with the 2nd generation.
Action: Top water and sub surface.

The Anthrax is a pretty unique lure in that it's intentionally retrieved upside down to mimic an injured bait fish. This leads to some spectacular and very aggressive hits, especially from even small bass which are not shy in hitting such a large lure. Jacks have also made a mess of some of my hooks.

The small one I have is actually an older model with a fixed anal fin (which sits out of the water), the paint job on these older models are good but don't last long with continued punishment and will wear over time with ultra sharp hooks. The newer versions have a more durable paint job and hinged fin which rocks side to side which I noted to give the lure a wider action.

Top water and sub surface action can be influenced by either retrieving with a high or low rod tip respectively. I've found it to be most effective very slow rolled to allow the audible inner ball bearing to rock from side to side with pauses to mix it up. The lure can also be twitched erratically jerk bait style.

The beauty of the these lures and the Dog-X series, is that I have found the lure will actually rest tail heavy. The importance of this is that when you fire in a cast into a snag (or throw in a pause) the lure will actually 'reverse' about 10 mm or so which technically allows you to cover more ground and may entice the fish for a quick strike. Since many fish hit most lures (whether plastics or hardbodies) on the pause.

One thing I have noticed is this lure begins it's intended action from the very first crank of the handle, other imitations I've used require a bit of momentum (i.e. 5-10 cm) before doing so. This is crucial especially if you are fishing tight snags or have a very small strike zone and you want that lure action working straight away.

Pros: Versatile lure that is good for a beginner to get into surface fishing but also has scope for an advanced angler, ultra sharp hooks as standard make for excellent hook penetration, well balanced, can be worked very slow and well designed.

Cons: Expensive, good paint design but poor durability in older versions, thin hooks don't last long with jacks. Like with most surface lures the hook up rate can be relatively low, but I find that is due to short striking than the lure itself.

Alright, Im going to have a go at this but reviews are not my strong point, you've been warned!

Product: Shimano Stradic FJ 1000

Type: Spinning reel

Colour: Pearl white finish

Price: Around $200

Quality: Very good

Experience: I have been using my two Stradics for some time now and am very impressed. These reels have spent a lot of time hanging off the side of the kayak getting dunkings (fresh and salt), I have used them just about every week for the last couple of years, I've caught many many fish on them- including some absolute brutes and they're still hanging in there doing the job for me. As a quality reel on a reasonable budget you'd be hard pressed to find better.

Pros: Good line capacity, smooth drag, maintenance port, Xship, wind-in handle (my favourite part).

Cons: Drag clicker spring loses tension over time, bearings can become quite noisy.

Mods: These are a pretty fun little reel to play with if you are so inclined, I have upgraded the single drag washer to a carbontex one and have also replaced the 2 bushings in the handle with bearings which makes it a little smoother with the added advantage of metal in place of plastic. I have also taken measurements of all the internal bearings and will upgrade them over time and will also add an extra one to replace another plastic bushing, this will bring the bearing count on par with a Sustain.

Size 3 Stump Jumper
Anything with gold in it.

It has become my go to flathead lure, been slaying them for the last 6 months, and its ability to get down deep quickly in the snags makes it great for tight mangrove creeks. Not bad for bycatch of the odd Cod either. Only fish I got in the Coomera river on the weekend was a cod on a gold stumpy.

Product: Ecogear ZX40
Type: Vibe
preferred colour: #419
Price: $18-$20
Quality:Great!
Action: Vibe with a great action on the drop
Experience: Been using these vibes for a fair while now and I am slowly gathering a good range of species together! The best part of this blade is the way it falls on the drop: Instead of plummeting to the bottom, it falls at a nice rate that hangs in the fishes face for just that second longer than a normal blade does! The best tip I can think of for using this blade, is always watch your line as the blade is sinking. The slightest "twitch" should be met with a firm strike as those little hooks need to be in nice and deep for a good hook hold!

Product: Jackall TN's
Type: Hard body
Preferred Colour Thus Far: AYU
Price: $25 depends where you go
Quality: Awesome details
Action: Slow roll
Experience: Have caught 90% of fresh water fish on these lures, and also landed a few flathead. Only thing is upgrading the trebles for the bigger fish. have landed a 78cm Murray Cod on standard hook but was well bent at the end.

Okay, I will have a crack;

Product: Daiwa Steez 100HA Casting Reel
Type: Baitcaster
Colour Range: Smoke metal finish.
Price: $649.00 (Motackle)
Quality: Amazing
Action: 4kg drag.
Experience: I bought this reel whilst I was overseas last year, as I was earning a bit more coin. It is a freshwater reel only, due to it's construction. Thus far, I have caught Bass, Golden Perch, Silver Perch, Murray and Mary River Cod. It is an amazing reel, and is incredibly smooth whilst under load and on the retrieve. It casts light lures (3/16oz) pretty well, but really comes into its own when throwing 1/4 to 1/2oz baits. It is super fast, yet holds a good bit of grunt when tackling those bigger fish. The biggest load so far has been 14kg of Mary Cod, and it handled this with ease. I usually have it paired up with a Samurai Reaction B351 (10-17lb), which is super light with a very fast action. Together, this combo is one of the lightest you can get, and casting all day is a dream. I have a crowbar which I usually pair on cod trips, and again, it works like a dream. I currently have it spooled with 20lb, and it fits approximately 70m. This is more than adequate for the sweetwater I have found, and the thicker diameter moves through the reel with ease. Overall, I rate this reel very highly, and wish I had a job which would allow me to get gear of this quality more often

Oh, and one other thing, I am not associated with Daiwa, I think it might be a skill thing :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo:

An example using a tried and tested favorite... These reviews do not need to be positive. In fact reality will lend more credibility to this section. In saying that, no malicious personal attacks will be tolerated

Product: Damiki 3 Inch Armour Shad
Type: Plastic
Colour Range: Medium
Preferred Colour Thus Far: Skin Blue
Price: Under $10
Quality: Excellent
Action: Typical minnow style plastic.
Experience: These have been my favorite plastics to date. They have been called "to soft" by some as they do get mauled by fish. However the fact that fish maul them causes me to care only a little. I have used these for everything from rock fishing to shallow reefs in the bay and even the tuna love them. Probably no good for deeper reef but the 5 inch models should be good for that.
Pictures:

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a few photo's from last weekend...

I had this info saved on my pc on the 5 main boat ramps at Caloundra.

1. Bell's Creek - (Quite shallow on low tide,Multi lane,not too bad in windy conditions, sandy beach either side of ramp great yabby banks adjacent.
2. Military Jetty - Two single ramps very open to the elements, ramps had work done on them a while of ago , caution with the sand bags along each side of ramp as they are getting barnacles so watch the duco on the boat.
3.Powerboat Club - This would be the most popular ramp for the area, It has 4 lanes, good parking, sandy beach either side, It's not to bad in most conditions however a bad South Easterly can cause havoc.
4. Sailing Club - This ramp is the closest to the Bar for outside trips good deep water, single lane, not a great deal of parking, once again this ramp is affected by SE wind, and the current gets quite strong in this area, it is down on the corner close to the Coast Guard at Caloundra.
5. Memorial Ramp - This ramp is quite unforgiving you have rocks either side, it is only a single lane, the SE wind makes this a dangerous ramp , however this ramp is great for anyone who doesn't like crossing bars because it's located out on the point east of King's Beach, very limited parking. ( You normally only see aluminum boats using this one)
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Might be useful to someone

This guy is robbing a house. He goes to the stereo unit first, opens the cupboard and before his eyes are hundreds of CD'S. He is very happy about finding so much marketable stuff, then suddenly he hears a voice "Jesus is watching you "

He turns swiftly, shines the torch around the room, sees nothing, he shrugs and thinks to himself maybe I'm developing a conscience. However he proceeds stashing the CD'S into a bag, he hears again "Jesus is watching you"

He begins searching the room with the torch light, he comes across a parrot sitting on a perch, and he asks the parrot, “was that you�

Parrot replies "Yes it was."

“Well you are a very clever bird. What is your name?â€

"Moses" says the parrot.

“What a stupid name for a parrot, what stupid people would call their parrot Moses?â€

Parrot replies "The same stupid people that called their Rottweiler Jesus"