Welcome to 2020! I hope all members enjoyed the festive season and managed to spend at least a bit of time on the water chasing the fish. I type this as I sit on the back of Tantrum, finally off the hard-stand, the engines are humming and we are on the hunt for fish up at Port Macquarie – representing SGFC at the famous Golden Lure Tournament. Whilst the fishing is great up in Port Macquarie from all reports we are having a great start to the season off Sydney as well. Things started picking up from mid-December when Hunter III snagged the much sought after 1st Marlin of the season trophy on the 14th December and since then the numbers seems to have kept increasing. There’s been good reports of a range of stripped marlin being caught, from big ones reportedly close to 100kg right down to the much smaller 30-40kg models – something we don’t see off Sydney very often. The Black marlin have also started to appear up the Coast and a few being caught on the inshore Sydney reefs as well. It’s shaping up to be a really great season. With such a hot start to the season it’s a great excuse to get on the water and represent SGFC in some of the many tournaments that are coming up! SGFC has had an impressive track record over the last few years and it's through only your involvement and the great results of our teams that we can continue our hot streak. As you'll be able to see from the Calendar, it's a busy season coming up and there's a lot of tournaments on the list – it would be great to see as many SGFC boats fishing as many tournaments as possible. With so many tournaments it's worth highlighting the Central Zone Tournaments, marked in bold, as they all count towards the Central Zone Championships.
With last year’s Inter Club cancelled I’m sure everyone is looking forward to getting back up to Port Stephens to represent the Club again this year - running the three days from 21st to 23rd February it’s sure to be a great tournament. Entries close very soon for the Inter Club so please get in contact with Secretary Annita as soon as possible if you intend on, or would like to, fish it.
A friendly reminder to all Club members that you need to be a financial member in order to fish any Tournament, so please ensure that your fees and membership are paid up to date. If in doubt, please contact Annita. Club Point Score days are held on the first and third weekends of every month, for all the details and current scores please check the website which is kept up to date. I would also like to take this opportunity to welcome all new members and boats into the Club, it's great to see many new faces around the Club. As always, don't hesitate to ask anyone for assistance or advice, you'll always find someone willing to offer an opinion! In finishing let's hope that it's another big year with lots of good fishing, calm seas ... and no mechanical issues. Tightlines Tiddles
FROM THE PRESIDENT
Calendar of Events SGFC January 2020 18th - 19th Botany Bay Bill Heyward Tournament + Central Zone Weekend 18th - 19th Summer Pointscore Weekend 28th Committee Meeting February 2020 1st - 2nd Summer Pointscore Weekend 4th Club Meeting with Peter Pakula 14th - 15th - 16th N&PSGFC Billfish Shootout 15th - 16th Summer Pointscore Weekend 21st -22nd -23rd NSWGFA Interclub 25th Committee Meeting March 2020 3rd - Club Meeting 7th - 8th Summer Pointscore Weekend 14th - CCGFC Bluewater Classic + Central Zone Weekend 21st - 22nd Summer Pointscore Weekend 21st - 22nd Broken Bay Invitational Tournament + Central Zone Weekend 31st Committee Meeting April 2020 4th - 5th Summer Pointscore Weekend 7th Club Meeting 18th - 19th SGFC Peter Goadby Invitational Tournament + Central Zone Weekend 18th - 19th Summer Pointscore Weekend 28th Committee Meeting
2020 NSWGFA Interclub Tournament & Associated Activities
Make a cross-stitch at the top of the head and tie off.
Article and pictures originally by Brent Hancock for Fishing Monthly Magazine, adapted for Tightlines 2020.
We had just travelled 26 miles from Port Stephens to the edge of the continental shelf just a few miles north of the ever-popular Carpark. Skipper Ivan Bennett eased back the throttles on Ambition and started to scan the sounder for bait schools. It took only minutes before two bait jigs were deployed to the depths and up came a dozen fat, wriggling slimy mackerel. Immediately two strings of healthy slimies were added to the live bait tank, Ivan gave the orders from the bridge but James was already moving before the words had left his mouth. James quickly got to work stitching two fresh slimies to 9/0 Eagle Claw circle hooks attached to 150lb leaders. Within minutes the fresh skip baits were attached to two 50lb stand-up outfits. The baits were set and clipped lightly to the rigger clips, the Tiagra 50Ws set in free spool with the ratchets on. Within a heartbeat, an electric blue shadow appeared beneath the rigger, its high dorsal waving frantically just above the surface – we hadn't even had the brief yet. In a flash the fish turned side on and engulfed the bait, the line tripped from the rigger James expertly dropped the rod tip and free-spooled line to the fish. Ivan called to slowly push the drag up, the rod loaded and the circle hook found its mark. Skip baiting isn’t a new way of targeting billfish. It has been an effective method of targeting ‘grander’ blacks in Cairns since the inception of the heavy-tackle fishery and for all species of marlin and other pelagics around the world. Like most fishing methods it’s been refined and today is one the most exhilarating and effective ways of catching billfish. THE BAIT The all-important factor to successful skip-baiting is the bait itself. It’s all about matching the hatch and as rule of thumb, the ideal baits are those found in your local waters. Everything from bull mahi mahi to 360kg blue marlin have been caught on skipbaited slimies. When it comes to preparation of your bait, there is only one point to remember, fresh is best. Don’t bother trying to freeze or brine baits, most baitfish, especially slimy mackerel, become soft once frozen and thawed. A soft, defrosted bait can mean one big sloppy mess when a fish strikes, often resulting in a missed hook-up. If you plan a day skip-baiting then spend time catching your bait. A typical day at Port Stephens begins by scanning the sounder for bait schools and, once located, two Black Pete Super Jigs are deployed with a 4oz snapper lead attached to each. Once you have caught your fresh slimies, make sure that you keep them cool. I always lay them flat in a large plastic container with a wet cloth laid over to keep the baits moist, then simply pop them in the bait fridge or esky. Remember to use saltwater when keeping the baits moist, use freshwater and your baits will become soft during the day. RIGGING Now it’s time for rigging. Rigging doesn’t have to be complicated, in fact the more simple the rig, the better. There are probably 100 ways to rig skip baits but one I have learnt is a simple and effective method is ideal for circle hooks. Everybody should know by now that circle hooks are the way to go for catch-and-release fishing because they almost inevitably end up in the corner of a fish’s mouth and stick there without any trickery from the angler. Gut-hooking just doesn’t seem to happen. All you will need is 50lb waxed Dacron, 1/8” plastic hydraulic tubing, quality stainless steel bait-rigging needles and circle hooks. When it comes to circle hooks it really comes down to personal preference, but all will work with this type of rigging. Leader material is also something of a personal preference. Of course, like any fishing, the lighter the better. I find 200lb to 250lb ideal when fishing the edge of the shelf, while in inshore waters targeting smaller blacks, 100lb to 150lb will suffice. But when those larger blue marlin turn up, 400lb leader is required. STEP 1 - Take about 60cm of 50lb waxed Dacron and half-hitch over the bend of the hook. Make sure that the two ends are even. Then simply slide 25mm of tubing so it sits snug against the hook, making sure it’s firmly in place by simply placing an overhand knot at the end. STEP 2 - Place one end of the Dacron through a rigging needle and pass it through the centre of the bait just in front of the eyes, making sure it is dead centre in line with the nose. Push through so it exits underneath the chin of the bait. With the other end of the Dacron, repeat this process but start from underneath the chin, exiting at the top the head in front of the eyes, basically at the same line of the first stitch. STEP 3 - Now tie a double overhand knot to the side of the bait, making sure that the tubing is exactly dead centre and nice and firm against the mouth of the bait as shown. STEP 4 - Make a cross stich at the top of the head by simply passing both ends of the Dacron opposite each other just above the eye socket and, once again, tie with a firm double overhand knot at the top of the head. STEP 5 - Cross-stitch just above the bottom of the gills and tie a double overhand knot at the bottom of the gills so that no water can penetrate and cause the bait to spin or fill with water. Now trim any excess Dacron and your skip bait is ready. With this simple method there is no need to gut and gill the bait or even cross-stich the stomach or back. Fresh baits should last a couple of hours before replacing. With less stitching and less thread in the bait, I believe it makes it much easier for a fish to swallow, especially billfish with their rough bills and mouths. TECHNIQUE Now you have your skip baits ready to go, it’s time for action. My technique is simple: two baits positioned in the outriggers, one short, one long, at a trolling speed of around 3 to 6 knots, depending on the conditions. Too many baits and you will find that you will have too many complications. If you feel the need to add a teaser then keep it simple as well. Either a soft-headed hookless lure such as a Moldcraft or Zacattack are ideal, or even a daisy chain of four to six large Moldcraft squid work well. When it comes to rods and reels, I will leave that to you. Both stand-up and chair rods can be used, as well as light and heavy tackle. The most important tips to remember are to have the outrigger clips tensioned as light as possible, leave the reels in free spool with the ratchet on and the angler ready to free-spool line the moment the it trips from the rigger. Remember, with circle hooks it’s a slow ease of pressure to set the hook. Slowly push the drag up and when you start to feel pressure, gently lift the rod. So there you have a simple skip-baiting rig that is uncomplicated and effective. You may even refine your own technique.
Pass one end of the Dacron down through the centre of the head and out through the chin, the other from down to up, then snug up the tube and tie.
Ready for action.
Cross-stitch just above the bottom of the gills and tie a double overhand knot at the bottom of the gills and trim.
tie a double overhand knot to the side of the bait
Take 60cm of 50lb Dacron, half-hitch over the hook and slide on the tubing.
Skipping to It...
A Sydney striped marlin that couldn't resist an SGFC raffle prize in the form of a Pakula medium sprocket
TANTRUM doing the club proud again at Port Macquarie 9/1/20 2 nice yellow fin today, Makira has a new pending Australian record 71.6 kg on 37. Mia has a new club record 44.8 on 24 and we tagged one aswell @tantrumlures @sydneygamefishingclub @port_mac_gfc #tuna #fishing
9th January 2020 Good morning to all our members , I hope you all had a safe and enjoyable Xmas . By now we are all aware of the devastation caused by the fires in NSW , and I’m sure everyone has been effected in one way or another. The rebuilding process will be a long and arduous task , for some this will change their lives forever. We as an association of depth and character have many who in these times step up and perform as true humanitarians , there are also those who find themselves wanting to help and or lend aid but are unsure how they can assist . I have given this some thought and in short I believe the best way to help in this case is to assist with immediate funds to provide food and shelter to those who have lost everything . So as an association and on behalf of the association we have decided to donate $15000.00 this has been bolstered by a further $2000.00 from GFAA to be divided into 3 portions and sent to agencies that are on the ground giving aid . We will also be donating part of this money to the families of those 3 fire fighters that lost their lives protecting ours . Whilst I know this is only a drop in the ocean of what’s needed it will help ,& further fundraising will take place at our upcoming Interclub , the details of this will be worked out as everyone returns to work and we have the ability to catch up as a committee . If any of our members wish to contribute to this we will gladly accept and make sure it makes its way in total to those who need it most . If you get the opportunity help do so , if you know someone who needs help lend a hand & finally a big thank you to those who have already done so . And to those who have been effected our thoughts are with you and your family . Lastly , it’s tournament season now & a lot of clubs will be running find raisers either at their tournament or as their tournament , if you can please make an effort to support these where ever you can . Thank you for your time . Garry Chenoweth President NSWGFA
New South Wales Game Fish Association
The SGFC Children's Hospital Christmas Party 14 /12/2019
A huge congratulations to Hunter III Nick Grego Jono Grego and Robert Travia. Nick Grego was the lucky angler. The boys went 1 from 3 today. They had an early hook up at 8.30am which only lasted a couple of minutes. At 1.10pm they managed to get a double hook up on the shot gun and the short rigger. The shot gun took off but the marlin came off after its run. They managed to keep the marlin that was on the short rigger which was boated at 1.40pm.
14/12/2019 1st Marlin of the season T & R has gone off.
keith gray 1970 66lb black marlin on 12lb line off shoalhaven
LoKeith joined SGFC in 1963 whilst at HMAS Penguin and joined in all the Club’s activities with enthusiasm, fishing in the seasonal competitions and on several sojourns to Jervis Bay and Port Stephens with TRV1. After the RAN de-commissioned TRV1 Keith fished aboard a number of SGFC boats, including John O’Brien and Tom Roche’s Wyn Maree. He captured his 502 pounds (228 kg) hammerhead shark on 50 pound (24 kg) tackle, to set a
He served on the SGFC committee over several seasons, being appointed Vice President in 1973-4, and elected as President of the New South Wales Game Fishing Association for the seasons 1973 and 1974. His promotion to Lieutenant Commander shortly after saw him transferred to Melbourne for some years, before a posting to Naval Headquarters in Canberra in 1978. Keith became the first enlisted man in the RAN medical administration to reach the rank of Commander. Following his retirement, Keith and Eva moved to Callala Bay, near Nowra NSW, where they lived quietly for many years. He maintained his game fishing involvement via early membership of the Shoalhaven GFC, a club formed by a number of SGFC members including Peter Goadby, John O’Brien, Tom Roche, and Bob and Dolly Dyer. Regrettably, ill health in later years saw Keith unable to attend the annual SGFC Dinosaurs function, a day that he enjoyed immensely in the company of old friends and fishing colleagues. He and Eva moved into care some years ago and resided at Figtree, Wollongong, up to the time of his passing. Many people wonder about the nickname “Dolly”. The RAN has long standing connections with the Royal Navy, stretching back to the foundation of Australia in the late 1700’s. In Royal Navy traditions, all Grays are known as “Dolly” following the words of the bawdy old English naval song about “Dolly Gray”. Keith could not escape that one! We salute an old friend, fisherman, man of the sea and great fellow. John McIntyre. December 2019.
VALE - The Late Keith (Dolly) Gray- member from the 1960-1980’s.
keith gray aust record hammerhead 502lb on 50lb line
It is with regret that we record the passing of past SGFC member, office bearer and very skilled angler, Commander (Ret’d) Keith “Dolly” Gray who died on December 9, 2019, aged 92 years. Keith was born at Kogarah NSW in 1927 and joined the Royal Australian Navy in 1945 as a rating. He was posted into the RAN medical branch by virtue of his ability to type ! He served in various localities over his long service in the Navy, including in Japan with the Allied Occupying forces immediately after World War 2, Papua New Guinea, Sydney, Melbourne and at Naval headquarters, Canberra. Whilst he was serving as a Sub Lieutenant at HMAS Penguin, Balmoral, Sydney, Keith was engaged in medical matters including underwater medicine and training which became his speciality. Whilst at HMAS Penguin, Keith helped to form the RAN Game Fishing Club to provide recreational activities for serving officers and seamen. The RAN provided the Club with the use of the 65 ft.TRV1, a triple engine torpedo recovery vessel, which as the name suggests was used to launch and recover test fired torpedoes from various test sites around Sydney. Difficult to imagine, but with all her winches, cranes and halyards, TRV1 was probably the most unlikely game fishing boat ever!
new Australian record on February 2, 1967. Keith loved light tackle fishing and amongst his many captures were: 91 pound (42 kg) yellowfin tuna on 12 pound (6kg) line; 116.5 pound yellowfin tuna on 20 pound (10 kg) line; 186 pound (84.5kg) black marlin on 20 pound (10kg) tackle.
One advantage of this great little boat is while you won’t ever see her 30 miles offshore she is just as at home soaking up the summer sun as she is inside or outside the heads Squidding or looking for Snapper, Kings and Flatties. It’s also on a drive on/drive off trailer and economical enough so you don’t have to find 5 friends to help split the fuel bill for the day. If the sun comes out and there’s some flexibility in the schedule it’s only 5 minutes’ drive to the boat ramp and she can be in the water and blasting down middle harbour.
“In 2020 we continue looking behind the scenes at some of our club boats and their skippers” Serenity. Most people think of the movie “the Castle” when they hear the name and the classic line “How’s the Serenity…?”. Strangely enough the inspiration for the boat name came for a Sci-Fi, Western, Comedy! (you might have to Google the 2005 movie). The name “Serenity” was actually the name of the spaceship in the Joss Whedon series called “Firefly” (time to get your geek on) and for the season finale of this cult series they created a movie simply called “Serenity”. Unfortunately, it was to be their last. Serenity is quite a multipurpose boat. Firstly dispelling the myth that all club boats are massive deep sea fishing vessels (our club boats start anything from 4 metres onwards) Serenity comes in at just 5.2 metres long. Serenity is a Bowrider with 2 seats in the nose of the boat, driver and passenger sets and a rear lounge seating 3 people with drink holders and an optional roof. In this configuration it’s great for a gentle harbour cruise with the girls and bubbles, a trip to Cockatoo Island or a stop into Darling Harbour for some lunch with friends. Having a Ski Pole at the back, all you need to do is add a ski rope and anything that floats out the back with kids and adults and you are in for an afternoon of side splitting laughter not to mention some good video worthy fun. With only a couple of minutes work however, the roof comes off, the back seat is removed and a large live bait tank clicks into place where the back seat was with snap lock connections on the plumbing. A rock solid custom built stainless steel bait board with rod holders and drink holders goes in (thanks Romano) and clips over the ski pole and we have a fishing boat ready for trolling around the cliff faces outside Sydney Heads hunting for kings.
Focus on…”Serenity” By Greg Wall
Boat Name Serenity Owner Greg Wall Model Haines Signature 520BR Registration AFT670N Body Colour White with Blue Stripes Fly Bridge (Y/N)? No Length or OAL 5.2M Width or Max Beam 2.17m Material (Plate or Fibreglass) Fibreglass Engine(s) 2019 Suzuki Fourstroke Total Power (hp) 140 HP Cruising Speed 30 Knots Fuel Capacity 100 Litres Sounder Type Lowrance HDS Live 9” Sound System Fusion + 4 Fusion Speakers Ski Pole on back Yes Boat Type (Trailer)? Trailer Boat Launch Location Roseville Boat Ramp Storage Location Forestville
Focus on…”Serenity”
Here are some basic specs on this boat:
Serenity is also pretty easy to spot from a distance with the name splashed down both sides of the boat in large “Papyrus Font” text (the same font used in movie). If you do see her out on the water in one of those 3 configurations make sure you head over to say hi (unless you see her dragging lures or anchored with a burley trail). :)
As extraordinary as it may seem, the first documented landing of a tuna on rod and reel was made just over one hundred and ten years ago, in May 1900, in Sydney's Middle Harbour by a noted Sydney pioneer angler Mr F.M.Harpur. The angler was a journalist and he left a record of his catch in the journal “Leaves from a Sydney Angler's Note Book”, published in “The Australian Fishing and Shooting Annual 1901-2”. With an impressive piece of detective work, my friend the late fishing historian Bob Dunn of Caringbah (1936-2001) managed to ferret out the obscure details for inclusion in his book “Angling in Australia- It's History and Writings” produced in 1991 by David Ell Press Pty. Ltd. Mr Harpur wrote that… “Having read in the American magazines of the glorious feats of the anglers who fought and captured the leaping tuna, my soul hungered after something bigger than black bream, flathead or jewfish, which Mr M., my esteemed friend in many an expedition, would designate as vermin, unworthy of a true sportsman. Some very big fish, presumably kingfish, were seen in Middle Harbour and I made arrangements with my friend Mr M., an enthusiastic angler after big fish, for a day's trial there. Accordingly, one bright and pleasant day early in May, we got a boat at The Spit, and after a lot of trouble and time we caught our bait, which consisted of small yellow-tail four or five inches long.” Mr Harpur continued his account… “Having anchored in the current near Blackwall, we fixed up our gear. I put an 8/0 hook through the tail of the yellowtail. We fastened our floats about three feet above the yellowtail and allowed the current to take our lines out.” Mr Harpur was using a greenheart rod and a wooden Nottingham reel loaded with one hundred yards (metres) of linen cord line.
…“It was not long before I saw my float go under the water. Waiting until I had judged the fish had time to get a good hold, I struck sharply and felt that I had hooked a foe worthy of my steel. Then, click-buzz-whi-r-r- went my reel, and out went my line with lightning speed, cutting the beautiful dark green waters of the harbour like a knife. Thirty, forty, fifty, seventy-five yards! In trying to brake with my hand I received a blow from the handle of the reel which left a painful bruise on one of my fingers. With plenty of water around me I had felt little fear if the hook held, but when I saw that only a couple of turns of my hundred-yard line remained between me and disaster, my hopes went down to zero, but I determined to give him the butt for all it was worth, and this turned the scale in my favour, for back he came with incredible speed, whilst I wound in the slack with the utmost despatch. For just on forty minutes he kept me engaged until my wrists ached, but at last I wound him in close to the boat. Fortunately he was too spent for a kick, and my friend Mr M., neatly gaffed and brought him to the boat.” The fish, which was called a bonito, weighed 23 1/2 pounds ( 10.68 kg) and was displayed for some days in the window of Eastway Brothers fishing tackle store in George Street, Sydney. Eventually the fish was preserved and displayed in the club house of the Amateur Fishermen's Association (AFA) where it remains today. Bob Dunn's photos of the specimen enabled Dr Julian Pepperell, one of Australia's leading marine biologists, to identify it as almost certainly a Longtail Tuna (Thunnus tonggol), known for many years as Northern Bluefin Tuna. So our first rod caught tuna was taken as the direct result of the influence of the Tuna Club, Santa Catalina Island, California, only two years after the formation that had such an impact on ethical angling world wide. John McIntyre.
AUSTRALIA'S FIRST TUNA CAPTURE ON ROD AND REEL.
a reel is line capacity. For this reason most game fishos prefer traditional overhead style reels holding at least 500 m of line. It’s not uncommon to lose several hundred metres of line on the first run of a tuna or a marlin, and with bigger blue marlin you can lose the whole spool of line in less than a minute. When you’re starting out you need a good idea of the type of fish you are likely to encounter and select a line class that is adequate for the fish you chase. I like to fish a variety of line classes as we chase a wide range of species from mackerel to blue marlin, but in general for most fish species up to about 80 kg in weight, 15 kg tackle is adequate and a good line class to begin with if you are just starting out. I don’t generally plug particular types of tackle, but if you’re starting out in game fishing and setting up a spread of outfits it is hard to go past a lot of the Shimano range. Both the TLD series and Trynos reels have served me well for many years now as far as light and medium tackle outfits are concerned. The drags are excellent, the line capacity is good and they are generally quite trouble free. Most game fishing is done with nylon monofilament as the mainline on light and medium
Are You Hungry Yet? A woman asks her husband if he’d like some breakfast, bacon, eggs, perhaps a slice of toast? Grapefruit with ginger and coffee to follow? He declines. “It’s this Viagra,” he says, “It’s really taken the edge off my appetite.” At lunch time, she asks if he would like something. A bowl of homemade soup, maybe, with (mmmm) a cheese sandwich? Perhaps a plate of snacks and a glass of milk? He declines. “It’s this Viagra,” he says, “It’s really taken the edge off my appetite.” Gone teatime, she asks if he wants anything to eat. She’ll go to the café and buy him a burger supper. Maybe a red pudding or a steak pie? Maybe he’d like a pizza microwaved? Or a tasty stir fry that would only take a couple of minutes? He declines. “It’s this Viagra.” he says, :It’s really taken the edge off my appetite.” “Well”, she says, “Would you mind getting off me? I’m F##king starving!’ .
tackle. I like to use Berkley Big Game monofilament which comes in 1200 m spools. When you’re spooling your reels up it’s important to do this under tension so when a fish is hooked the line on the reel doesn’t bury under loose line on the spool. A lot of tackle shops have spooling machines and can fill your reels at a minimal cost if you buy your gear at the same shop. Don’t overfill the reel with mono, as you need space for a wind on leader and a bit of leeway in case your angler doesn’t spread the line evenly on the spool while fighting a fish. Once your outfits are filled with line it’s time to get down to rigging your leaders and terminals. Leader is an integral part of all game fishing. This lets you control the fish at the boat, stops abrasions from fins, bills and teeth and makes tagging, gaffing and release
Five Reasons Not to be a Penis First of all. you’re bald your entire life. Second, you have a hole in your head. Third, you live between two nuts. Fourth, an asshole lives behind you. Finally, when you get excited, you yhrow up and then you faint.
Game fishing basics https://www.fishingworld.com.au/how-to/game-fishing-basics
A LOT of anglers buy boats for offshore and have an interest in setting up for game fishing, often with the aim of catching their first marlin or big tuna. This isn’t as easy as throwing a few lures out the back and hoping, and is, in general, quite an expensive business. The following is an overview of some of the basics as far as kitting out your vessel so you can successfully chase big pelagic game fish from inshore species up to larger marlin. Once you’ve got your gear sorted out, from the boat through to the lures, you’re ready to try your hand at catching huge fish in the open sea. "try your hand at catching huge fish in the open sea" Most game fishing is done by trolling, using either lures, dead and live baits and teasers that attract fish to the wake of your boat. In general you’ll require at least three outfits to set up a trolling spread but four or five is generally preferable. The type of outfits you need to buy depends on the size and type of fish you’re chasing, but one of the major factors in choosing
Love the SAINT
Tough Question for Husbands Do you think she's prettier than me? The proper response is an emphatic: "Of course not!" Incorrect reponses include: a. Yes, but you have a better personality b. Not prettier, but definitely thinner c. Not as pretty as you when you were her age d. Define pretty e. Could you repeat the question? I was just thinking about how I would spend the insurance money if you died.
SAINTLY WHISPERS
Want to catch a fish like this? Read this article !
Two guys and a girl were sitting at a bar talking about their professions. The first ruy says, ''I'm a YUPPIE, you know...... Young, Urban, Professional." The second guy says "I'm a DINK, you know...... Double Income. No Kids." They turn to the woman and ask her, "What are are you?" She replies, "I'm a WIFE......... you know, Wash, Iron, F##k, Ete."
Love, Lust or Marriage LOVE - When you're only interested in doing things with your partner. LUST - When you're only interested in doing things TO your partner. MARRIAGE - When you're only interested in your fishing.
Setting up for game fishing isn’t as easy as throwing a few lures out the back.
Hard bodied minnow lures are also very useful tools for fish such as Spanish mackerel
of skirted lures include Black Snacks, Meridians, Pakulas and J.B. lures. Ask for advice from your local shops as they generally know what is selling well and can be a great source of local advice. Carry a range of different colours as fish preferences can, for unknown reasons, be quite fickle at times. Reliable colour combinations include purple over pink, lumo white and green, blue and silver and “evil” (blue and silver over green and gold). If you’re starting out you can buy pre made rigs on which to rig your lures. Hard bodied minnow lures are also very useful tools for a variety of game fish such as Spanish mackerel, wahoo, tuna and kingfish. These lures need to be capable of being trolled at around 8 or 9 knots so they can be used in conjunction with skirted lures. These lures travel at depths of one to four metres and can be trolled on both the short lines close to the boat or on the “shot gun” lure, positioned a long way back from the boat wake. I’ve experimented with a lot of hard bodied lures over many years and find the Australian designed Halco Laser Pro lures to be the most reliable and trouble free lures out of the many I have tried. They also catch a surprising number of marlin, particularly when re-rigged with single hooks. If the mackerel or wahoo are about in numbers I rig these lures on a short length of wire leader to avoid bite offs.
flesh being bruised. In addition to all of the above, there are rigging kits, crimping gear, cutters and a whole range of rigging terminals required to fill your game fishing needs. It’s a never ending but very enjoyable business and game fishing is one of the most absorbing types of fishing there is where you always have the chance of encountering truly huge fish.
The next part of your game fishing kit are your pre made rigs for live baits and dead baits. These will vary according to your target species. I carry a wide range of pre made rigs including circle hooks on hundred pound leaders for live baiting for marlin around bait schools, wahoo rigs for trolling small tuna which consist of a pair of 10/0s rigged on wire cable, a range of mackerel rigs on wire traces and a few larger rigs for trolling live tuna for bigger marlin. These are all carried in a large rigging wallet and can be quickly clipped on as required. I also carry a number of multi hook bait jigs for catching live baits in the same wallet. The next part of your game fishing equipment are your tools and accessories to make the job easier. For light tackle you need a decent rod bucket, and for heavier tackle such as stand up 37 kilo gear, you need a harness. A simple gimbal belt that sits comfortably across your thighs and has a solid belt makes fighting fish much easier and is an important part of your game fishing kit bag. The next important part of your kit includes a belt on which you have knife, line cutters and pliers. This is vital equipment if you are leadering a big fish such as a marlin and need to get the hooks out or cut the line quickly if misadventure occurs. A good pair of leadering gloves is another essential part of the kit bag, and it pays to carry at least two pairs. I prefer the old style welding gloves that also protect the wrists and forearms. Smaller black marlin around 30 to 40 kilos are the most dangerous fish we regularly encounter and when you grab them by the bill it can be a wild ride! The bigger blue marlin are generally tired by the time we get them to the boat and are generally a lot more cooperative. When leadering big fish it is important to keep the boat going forwards and keep the fish swimming with you. It is dangerous to hang on to marlin too hard. If they jump on the leader and you roll them over in the air the next jump can take them straight into the boat, a situation I’ve experienced once and do not want to repeat! Make sure you have a decent range of gaffs on board. Highly prized edible species such as dolphin fish and wahoo are fabulous to eat but need to be treated with respect. For wahoo, gaff them in the head and dispatch them with a club. For dolphin fish, take extreme care. I prefer to gaff them in the head and quickly get control of them on the deck by folding the tail up so they can’t thrash around. We then have a hook on the end of a lanyard that is used to tie the fish up. This avoids a huge amount of mess and prevents the flesh being bruised. Read more at https://www.fishingworld.com.au/how-to/game-fishing-basics#aYW52UQzh9jw3ImE.99
You will need a collection of skirted trolling lures.
of the fish much easier. There are different types of leader systems but nearly all of them require a short length of double line at the end of the mainline. Tying a “double” is a very important knot to learn. The Bimini Twist and Plait take a little while to master. The weaker “Spider Hitch” is relatively easy but a far inferior knot. These knots are all on YouTube in various types of tutorial formats. I much prefer to plait my doubles and with practice find this the easiest way to tie double knots in nylon monofilament. Once your double is tied you can use the loop to connect to a swivel or wind on leader. If you are just starting out, buy a few commercially made wind on leaders of suitable breaking strain. In general, for 15 kilo tackle, a 100 or 150 pound line wind on leader is about right. A ball bearing swivel is crimped to the end of the wind on leader. Alternatively, you can tie a ball bearing snap swivel to the end of your double, making sure that both ends of the double line pull up evenly. This method requires you to rig the leader on the lure or bait and attach that end to the swivel. In general, this requires longer leaders on your lures and means you are unable to wind the leader onto the reel which gives you less control at the end of the fight. For this reason I prefer to use wind on leaders. As you get more experienced it’s pretty easy to make your own wind on leaders but you will need to purchase a good needle kit to work with. Game fishing rods work as simple levers and are designed for fighting fish rather than casting and retrieving. They’re generally quite simple rods. A good roller guide tip reduces friction when the line crosses it, and game fishing rods can be fully rollered, have standard guides and a roller tip, or have a full set of standard guides. While roller guides are the best as far as reducing line friction, beware of cheap roller guides that corrode and quickly don’t turn. These cheap rollers are far inferior to ring guides in the long term. Once again, there are some excellent rods in the Shimano range that are excellent value. Once the rods and reels are sorted it is time to look at lures, hooks and all the other accessories required for successful game fishing. You will need a collection of skirted trolling lures, some decent hard bodied minnows, a few stick baits and plenty of made up rigs for both live and dead baits. If you intend targeting sharks, mackerel or wahoo you will also need a wire kit and a range of wire leaders.
Skirted trolling lures consist of a moulded resin or plastic head to which a pair of plastic octopus style plastic skirts are attached. As the head wobbles while being dragged along, it kicks the skirts so they move in a natural fashion imitating a fleeing baitfish or squid. The natural aggression of fish like tuna, wahoo, dolphin fish and marlin attracts them to this illusion and the hungry ones eat the lure. The strike rate, however, is far inferior in general to live baits and dead baits. A lot of fish look at the lures but don’t eat them. Skirted trolling lures are rigged with one or two single hooks and can be trolled at speeds of 6 to 10 knots. For medium tackle I like to use lures between 15 and 25cm in length. These are generally rigged on either light sharp hooks like the BKKs or Gamakatsu SL12 in size 10/0, or on Mustad 7691S 9/0 hooks if a more solid hook is required. Good brands