Three Swains Outfits, suggestions please

[Brogsy]

Hi i have read through a lot of old posts about gear needed for the Swains. I'm going to do a trip in August and need a few upgrades as whiting and breaming gear has to be left at home. From reading magazines and online posts i have come up with.

1. Large heavy Overhead (Bottom Bashing and Trolling)
Shimano Tyrnos 30 (suggestions whether 2 speed is worthwhile please?)
Live Fibre 15-24kg (7foot) Overhead


2.
I have a Shimano Trinidad 16 sitting in the box, need to match it up with a rod. Was thinking maybe a Live Fibre 8-15kg (7foot) Overhead.

3. Shimano Spheros (told by a few people these reels are a good all round reel) Not really sure on size. It will be used mainly in the tenders over the reef and for a bit of casting.
Suggestions on a rod for this spinning outfit. I'm told something shortish as you have to bully the fish for the first couple of meters so they dont reef you.

Please any information on this gear would be greatly taken on board. I have a bit of cash to spend so please suggest what's worked for you and whether you think these setups are worthwhile. Also if you could suggest line class for each reel that would be a great help. I like using braid, but i have heard different reports about braid at the Swains.

Thankyou in advance

Brogsy

[Daintreeboy]

Brogsy for item one don't worry about the 2 speed. You'll only need the one higher ratio.

The Trinidad will actually do a similar job to the Tyrnos. In fact it may be a better option for bottom bashing. Some good thin 65 lb braid and it wil stop most things. As for the rod for this what did you recckon you might use it for? If bottom bashing a decent strong 6 foot ugly stick or T-curve deep jig 200 (or maybe even 400 if you plan to go hard) will work well.

The rod for the Spheros should actually be long to help cast but beefy to pull them out of the sticks. If you're going hard for Red Bass and GT's the T-curve GT special, T-curve 15-24 kilo bluewater spin (cheaper than the GT special but still excellent ) will be an awesome set up.

I guess the big question is, do you really need/want 3 outfits? If you scale down to 2 you can get a top notch outfit to cover jsut about all teh fishing needs.

For example, you can get say a Stella or Twinpower SW 8000 reel instead of the Spheros, put a short rod for bottom bashing and swap for a long one for the casting and trolling times. Then you can not worry about the Tyrnos.

Food for thought.

Cheers, Mark.

[Mr Chopalicious]

Gday Brogsy,
I can vouch for the trinidad 16 matched up to a T curve 400 deep jig, i have mine spooled with 50lb braid and think it is a very good outfit for bottom bashing or even trolling. Another i would recommend is the saragosa 18000 matched to a live fibre 50-80lb rod is about 7ft long, use this for chucking poppers at gt's and so on, i have mine spooled with 80lb jigman.from my experience with these out fits i have been very happy without going too overboard.

Cheers

[myusernam]

60 lb handline during day, 80lb at night.

[Brogsy]

For example, you can get say a Stella or Twinpower SW 8000 reel instead of the Spheros, put a short rod for bottom bashing and swap for a long one for the casting and trolling times. Then you can not worry about the Tyrnos.

Sounds like a pretty good idea. I already have the trinidad so if it means not having to buy a tyrnos then looking at a twinpower or a stella makes alot of sence. I will search through the old posts and have a look tomorrow but what rod would you match up to a stella or twinpower, like you mentioned one for bottom bashing and one for casting. Line class?

Thanks for the reply's already

Brogsy

[trymyluck]

Hi
I'm going to the swains next year and I currently use a spheros 14000 and it has handled everything that I've thrown at it including lack of care. I've just replaced the line roller bearing with a stainless one but other then that they seem to be a good solid reel. But I'm going through the options of whether to take another spheros for a spare or going for something better and using the spheros as a back up real.
Its a long way to go to have your main reel stuff up and nothing to fall back on.

[myusernam]

Hey brogsey I was a bit breif in my previous post about the handlines but I was semi serious. If you've never been before and money is a factor personally i'd much rather go cheap on the tackle and go on more trips than spend oodles on gear and only go infrequently. Many guys that own their own boats and fish the reef often use handlines...it is a lot of fun and very effective. The most cost effective outfit I reckon would be a penn 850 or 950 with say 65lb braid and a rod with a lot of power and a bit of lenghth..that way you can do everything..bottom bounce, chuck poppers and troll. On the big charter boats they usually only have a couple of rods out trolling so there's no real need to have a trolling setup. usually take turns. I've got Tcurve jig rods, spin rods etc and use them in the deep but if i'm up on the reef in the shallows I still often use a handline. the amount of money you save would pay for another trip!

[Just_chips]

I took a heap of gear up to the swains (as did all of our crew) the deckies laughed at us loading rods into the dories each day and then comoing back in with stories of lost fish to both sharks and reef. By the end of the week most blokes ended up with heavy handlines on the dories as they stop the fish quicker and get them in the boat faster. One rod was kept for chucking poppers and slugs to any surface activity only.

Most quality fish in the shallows have you bricked before your rod loads up. And if they pull any drag and extend the fight the sharks are onto them in an instant. With a handline your pulling in a metre of line with each hand and stopping fish dead in their tracks on the strike. If your lucky enough to get hold of a bathascope you can have some incredibly exiting visual fishing as you can watch the strike and fight the fish by hand. Shits all over rods and reels. Screaming drags sound great but in tiger country it puts the advantage in the fishes favour.

Fishing from the motherboat in deeper water should be a different situation but there are still plenty of arguments in favour of handlines here also.

Don't forget some good gloves or some rubber finger sleeves (bicycle inner tube).

You can still take one of your bream outfits and some squid jigs for night time bait collecting off the back of the boat.

Have fun, you will enjoy immensely and I'm very jealous.

Kev

[Steve B]

I took a heap of gear up to the swains (as did all of our crew) the deckies laughed at us loading rods into the dories each day and then comoing back in with stories of lost fish to both sharks and reef. By the end of the week most blokes ended up with heavy handlines on the dories as they stop the fish quicker and get them in the boat faster. One rod was kept for chucking poppers and slugs to any surface activity only.

Most quality fish in the shallows have you bricked before your rod loads up. And if they pull any drag and extend the fight the sharks are onto them in an instant. With a handline your pulling in a metre of line with each hand and stopping fish dead in their tracks on the strike. If your lucky enough to get hold of a bathascope you can have some incredibly exiting visual fishing as you can watch the strike and fight the fish by hand. Shits all over rods and reels. Screaming drags sound great but in tiger country it puts the advantage in the fishes favour.

Fishing from the motherboat in deeper water should be a different situation but there are still plenty of arguments in favour of handlines here also.

Don't forget some good gloves or some rubber finger sleeves (bicycle inner tube).

You can still take one of your bream outfits and some squid jigs for night time bait collecting off the back of the boat.

Have fun, you will enjoy immensely and I'm very jealous.

Kev

Exactly Kev,

Mate of mine has done 3 trips now. Takes a big fast spin reel and spin rod for pelagics when he is bored, and a 100lb handline for serious stuff....hes never been outfished by his mates on the trip yet. Keep it simple and strong.

Steve

[reggy]

Load that Trinidad 16 up with 50 pound braid and a 3mt 80pound mono leader and you have a great bottom fishing and trolling rig.
You don`t need a HEAVY overhead.

Take a spin reel for lures if you like doing that and you will catch as many fish as anyone with these outfits.

The problem with 100 pound mono is that you need heaps of lead to get to the bottom (in a straight line) because of it`s drag in the water due to it`s diameter.
Braid will get you straight down a lot quicker and you won`t be interfereing with other peoples lines.(and you will have a lot more feel with braid)

On every charter trip I have been on to the Swains, the most successful guys were using braid on light to medium overheads with 5ft 6in 25 kg rods.
A rod any longer will give the fish the advantage when trolling or bottom fishing.

[jaredluke]

For the dory rod I'd get a silstar blue powertip heavy (24kg). its 6' and is made of both fibreglass and graphite. This rod is a very good rod and I;ve had it loaded onto some monster trout and nannies both at the swains and in cairns, in some cases the rod was bent at the butt! Have you considered a shorter rod for the tyrnos? Because then it could also double as a trolling outfit as well.

[Brogsy]

Hey brogsey I was a bit breif in my previous post about the handlines but I was semi serious. If you've never been before and money is a factor personally i'd much rather go cheap on the tackle and go on more trips than spend oodles on gear and only go infrequently. Many guys that own their own boats and fish the reef often use handlines...it is a lot of fun and very effective. The most cost effective outfit I reckon would be a penn 850 or 950 with say 65lb braid and a rod with a lot of power and a bit of lenghth..that way you can do everything..bottom bounce, chuck poppers and troll. On the big charter boats they usually only have a couple of rods out trolling so there's no real need to have a trolling setup. usually take turns. I've got Tcurve jig rods, spin rods etc and use them in the deep but if i'm up on the reef in the shallows I still often use a handline. the amount of money you save would pay for another trip!


I've used a handline in fiji just catching small snapper, it was only really quite light gear. i understand about the whole stopping the fish in its track, do u just buy a big hand reel like they sell at say bcf and put line on it urself. Never really thought about it or looked.

Thanks for the idea

[Brogsy]

Thanks to everyone so far. Lot of ideas, which is good. Like spending my hard earned apprentice dollars well. Any more ideas please let me know. Any hints on tackle, other setups all helps to make it easier.

Everyone seems to be keen on a medium sized overhead, bottom bashing and trolling. Providing the rod is smallish in length. About 50lbs braid.

Handline, spooled with ?

Maybe a spinning reel for chucking lures.

Thanks

Brogsy

[Daintreeboy]

Brogsy if I was going this is what I would take to do the fishing you are thinking of.

At least one handline spooled with 80 lb Sneider line. You might want to take a second with 110 lb if you're keen but I'd stick with that 80 lb one. Go to a bike shop and get some old inner tube and cut lengths to fit on some of your fingers. this will help with grip.
Handlines like this will get you most fish and are great fun. I use them for trout a lot and they are the most effective way of getting these fish in shallow water to 80 feet or so.


A sizeable spin reel of decent quality to fish both the bottom bashing and lure chucking with poppers etc.

The reel would depend on budget. I have a Daiwa Saltiga Expedition 6500 with a T-curve 400 for the bottom bashing so that's what I would take. It is a truly awesome rig. A Stella SW 8000 size and up would do the same.

Depending on your budget the other spin reels mentioned here will suit the job. A Penn Spinfisher or better still a Penn Slammer int eh 850 size or thereabouts will get the job done on a budget. So will a similar sized Shimano Spheros.
Then there's the Daiwa Catalina's and Shimano Twinpower's. Nice reels these but getting up there in price towards the Stellas
Whatever you get put 80 lb braid on it and fish hard!!

When luring I'd change the rod over to a longer specially designed rod like a T-curve GT special or other popper rods like that. There's a few around and some cheaper so best to ask the tackle shop there.

Since you already have the Trinidad get a cheap 6 foot 6 glass boat rod rated around 15-24 kilo to fish for Spanish with floaters or trolling usign 50 lb mono or braid.

I hope that helps mate, PM me if you like.

Wish I was coming...... lol

[Brogsy]

Awesome mate, thats great. Thanks to all who have given me the ideas i need. Time to spend some dollars.

Have a good long weekend.

[Just_chips]

A sizeable spin reel of decent quality to fish both the bottom bashing and lure chucking with poppers etc.

The reel would depend on budget. I have a Daiwa Saltiga Expedition 6500 with a T-curve 400 for the bottom bashing so that's what I would take. It is a truly awesome rig. A Stella SW 8000 size and up would do the same.

Depending on your budget the other spin reels mentioned here will suit the job. A Penn Spinfisher or better still a Penn Slammer int eh 850 size or thereabouts will get the job done on a budget. So will a similar sized Shimano Spheros.
Then there's the Daiwa Catalina's and Shimano Twinpower's. Nice reels these but getting up there in price towards the Stellas
Whatever you get put 80 lb braid on it and fish hard!!




The Okuma Salina ii is quickly gaining a reputation as a well built budget jigging reel also. Available alot cheaper on ebay than anywhere else. 5000 size sells for $150 delivered but is listed as 300 on mo's without delivery.

Whatever you choose, try to think how often you will use it when you get back also. It is nice to buy top end gear but pointless if it gets used for one trip then collects dust in the shed because you have no opportunity to use it again.

Kev