Junky

They exist in the rapids in freshwater creeks outside of Cairns. 
I stood on one. 
Holy hell, what an experience. 
Big toe. I thought it was a piece of glass at first. 
Took a good half hr for the pain to set in. 
I had to go to hospital and get injected with something to numb the pain. Can't remember what it was but it gave me  instant relief, that is after 2hrs of wanting to cut my foot off. 
 
Horrible little fish. Give me a happy moment any day over a bullrout. 

I've never set drags with scales. 
I go completely by feel, and adjust accordingly during the fight. 
I tend to run heavier drag closer to the bottom and once turned and on the way up I will back the drag off slightly as the fish nears the boat. 
 
If sharks are around then it's the old, lock it up and skull them in. 
Problem with that is you face the issue of terminal tackle failure, like straightening hooks or busting swivels. 
 
I've never free spooled on the reef to let fish get away from sharks. I think this is because, you don't really know when the shark is going to hit the fish. 
I have free spooled in timber chasing barra. Works well. Just have to be careful not to put weight on the fish when you retrieve the line and weave the boat around the sticks, otherwise you will lose the fish. 
 

I've never set drags with scales. 
I go completely by feel, and adjust accordingly during the fight. 
I tend to run heavier drag closer to the bottom and once turned and on the way up I will back the drag off slightly as the fish nears the boat. 
 
If sharks are around then it's the old, lock it up and skull them in. 
Problem with that is you face the issue of terminal tackle failure, like straightening hooks or busting swivels. 
 
I've never free spooled on the reef to let fish get away from sharks. I think this is because, you don't really know when the shark is going to hit the fish. 
I have free spooled in timber chasing barra. Works well. Just have to be careful not to put weight on the fish when you retrieve the line and weave the boat around the sticks, otherwise you will lose the fish. 
 

I've never set drags with scales. 
I go completely by feel, and adjust accordingly during the fight. 
I tend to run heavier drag closer to the bottom and once turned and on the way up I will back the drag off slightly as the fish nears the boat. 
 
If sharks are around then it's the old, lock it up and skull them in. 
Problem with that is you face the issue of terminal tackle failure, like straightening hooks or busting swivels. 
 
I've never free spooled on the reef to let fish get away from sharks. I think this is because, you don't really know when the shark is going to hit the fish. 
I have free spooled in timber chasing barra. Works well. Just have to be careful not to put weight on the fish when you retrieve the line and weave the boat around the sticks, otherwise you will lose the fish. 
 

I wouldn't top shot the braid, I'd back it with 80lb. 
 
Just platt the end of the braid to make your double and use a 10m+ wind on. 
 
Heaps of tigers, small hammers and whalers at Fraser. 
 

I wouldn't top shot the braid, I'd back it with 80lb. 
 
Just platt the end of the braid to make your double and use a 10m+ wind on. 
 
Heaps of tigers, small hammers and whalers at Fraser. 
 

I wouldn't top shot the braid, I'd back it with 80lb. 
 
Just platt the end of the braid to make your double and use a 10m+ wind on. 
 
Heaps of tigers, small hammers and whalers at Fraser. 
 

Same, but I go a step further and stuff squid jackets full of the minced up fish/oil, and then freeze. 
 

Same, but I go a step further and stuff squid jackets full of the minced up fish/oil, and then freeze. 
 

We got out on Monday, which is probably the last chance for Declan this trip north. The weather for the next week is not looking good unless you want to wind surf.  
 
We head out wide off Cairns.  It was lumpy at first and only got better from there. We have been testing the fishing against the almanac. The day was set to be a poor day with one bite period which was average.  We fished the morning bite and we did manage some activity but like the last Wednesday the sharks where insane. 
 
I have never seen sharks this bad.. normally you get taxed after a fight. This trip they where onto our fish a few metres into the fight.  We had several sharks that managed to hook themselves and 45min fights ensued trying to get our braid back, fighting them and driving them off.  I had 2 such fights and Declan had 3.  Has to be said we where spent after. Personally I can not imagine why anyone would choose to target sharks. 
We worked and moved around trying to get away from the sharks and not waste to many fish to them. We managed 1 Red and 9 Robinson’s Sea Bream, 2 trout and  a milf and a spangled.  
 
On a positive note, I really rate the Robos as an eating fish. Right up there with Reds.   Such  lean flesh.  I got my PB with the largest going 67cm.  
 

Same, but I go a step further and stuff squid jackets full of the minced up fish/oil, and then freeze. 
 

Same, but I go a step further and stuff squid jackets full of the minced up fish/oil, and then freeze. 
 

Same, but I go a step further and stuff squid jackets full of the minced up fish/oil, and then freeze. 
 

All,
Got the new boat on the water end of October 2023 and what a ride it's been, done plenty of trips to break her in, mainly chasing squid and chasing Tuskies which I loved doing in my teens with my Dad.
1st trip was on the tuskies was 2 weeks before I got my boat,  i headed out with a good mate in his boat to see if any of my old hunting grounds still held the elusive blackspot and wouldn't you know it 2nd drop with a rather large sleepy crab wich spells big trouble at this spot in some rather ordinary seas off Moreton Island I was on,  under locked drag, with 80lb braid and 120lb leader I was hooked up to a dinosaur of a blackspot Tuskfish that was running hard for the coffee rock ledge, after some very intense spool thumbing and some grunting I'd managed to to turn this fish and have it heading my way until it decided it wanted that rock some more ,  with a few ugly rod angles and a few more grunts I managed to get him boat side for netting and my 1st blackspot in 20 + yrs was on the floor of the boat and we was in absolute awe of the colours this fish went, ended weighing in at a modest 10.2kg after being bled. 
Enough rambling, I'll let everyone enjoy the pics
Cheers Josh <><
 

You've made the right decision. 
Garmin are very nice units. 
 
Keep an eye on the new panoptix PS70 live sonar. Made for 1000ft, apparently. 
 
Panoptix PS70 

So Raef and I hit the Port today to make the most of the great weather.
Launched at 5am at the Pinky and was not far from the ramp when the first legal squire came on board.....sent it back.
Followed that up with somewhere around 14 squire for the morning....kept one at 47cm, the rest returned.
Probably 3 were undersized and nothing worthy of a photo.
Raef did hook something we chased in the boat for a few hundred metres before his leader parted.....10lb leader was not up to the task.
Found some sleeping jew that couldn't be woken again.....left them when I felt thoroughly defeated....should have left earlier.
Last run up to the gateway and found some lurkers in the bottom of the main channel....decent sized fish....got one tap on the line that i did not set a hook into....so they were jew there too.
Pulled the pin at about 1pm and home to clean up.

Must be an IT guy thing (I'm also IT Project delivery) and also had to get my boat kitted out with all the latest gadgets and electronics when i got my boat (DIY of course)
When are you going to get Sonar on your boat and then open it up to auto pilot hahaha (not because you need it but because its a tech gadget 🙂 
Getting the sounders dialled in and settings to what you want is as you say time on the water.
I always thought livescope was more for your fresh water fishing (all the US Bass guys run it) In salt water and deeper water does it come in handy.
I've seen vision of livescope for the guys that go prawning. Now that's a sight seeing the prawns and cast net live.

I thought I might share some of my experiences with Livescope so far.  
First disclaimer - I am a tech head (even though I am almost 60).  I studied IT and have loved every bit of nerdy gadgets that has come along even though I never actually followed through and became an IT professional - just managed them for a while.
 
So got my new boat in September and decided that it needed all the gear - yep all the gear no idea.  
But thanks to the wonders of the internet, youtube and the like I was able to do a crash course on using live sonar, what the settings were and how they affected what you saw.  
Now I do not claim to be an expert but i think I am learning pretty well the more time I spend on it.
Now I have Garmin Livescope Plus (ie LVS34) - in my personal opinion they were the originators and are very heavily invested in it and at the time I made the decision were a generation infront of others.  Also I like Garmin screens….I like the menus etc and as a bay/estuary guy their transducers generally were going to suit so I didnt have to have a mixed bad of brands.
I have shared two videos so far - on in fresh water and one in saltwater.  Both in relatively shallow water however have been in as deep as 18 metres with it.  Quite a few learning there as it is best to manually adjust the depth range and as I discovered you need to push your distance range at the same time (or reduce it) to ensure you are seeing in a usable range.
Suprisingly they are quite easy to use out of the box.  Garmin have two different settings (its called focus) which are optimised for salt or fresh.  Other than that its the gain (which is the sensitivity) ie the clutter you see on screen.  Colour is personal - most like amber….same for me.  
Once you see it in action its really easy to understand, you can see your lure, if its in the beam, you see fish move around and you can see the distance and depth.
Benefits I have seen so far is that you can actually see things your other sonar will not show eg big barra stalking in tight treed country.  Up under lilly banks and like today schooled fish that are easily seen in a lot of other clutter.
Like all marine electronics time on water is the key….
https://www.facebook.com/1276354345/posts/pfbid024w7ydeKsQMmWQBETN1XZyz9r2xFL4Pmiy7T5HPo44TUF8XqszGbXUgNwjNTCdQzVl/?

direct from the latest release.
Transport and Main Roads Queensland 
 
  · Attention all lifejacket wearers! #MaritimeSafetyQueensland are reviewing lifejacket laws. Whatever vessel, craft or water sport you enjoy, we’re wanting all lifejackets worn and used in Queensland waterways to comply with the current Australian Standard AS 4758. That’s because the current Standard provides greater safety benefits than previous ones. If a new law is implemented, there would be a 12-month grace period given to all lifejacket wearers/owners to obtain the current Standard. What this means for you: Compliant: AS 4758 If you have this Standard and it’s well maintained and in proper working order – then your lifejacket is compliant. Non-compliant: AS 1512-1996, AS 1499-1996, AS 2260-1996. If you have any of these Standard lifejackets, they would no longer be compliant and would need to be replaced. You can find your lifejacket’s Standard (or ‘AS’ number) either printed on the jacket or its label. If you have any feedback, please email consultation@msq.qld.gov.au by COB Friday 1 March 2024.

I drove past there last night and @Old Scaley is already lined up at the gate waiting.
 
 
Awesome catches BTW. 
Nearly as good as a day on the water. 

@Junky The king was caught on a 12ft Penn Prevail rod with a Fin-Nor LT100 reel wiith fresh squid.
These reels will stop a Mack Truck.
Cheers.

I drove past there last night and @Old Scaley is already lined up at the gate waiting.
 
 
Awesome catches BTW. 
Nearly as good as a day on the water. 

I drove past there last night and @Old Scaley is already lined up at the gate waiting.
 
 
Awesome catches BTW. 
Nearly as good as a day on the water. 

I drove past there last night and @Old Scaley is already lined up at the gate waiting.
 
 
Awesome catches BTW. 
Nearly as good as a day on the water. 

No better way to test a new reel than on some kingies 
I do realise you didn't hook up to the king, but you could have.