Swains Reef

[Sandon Pilly]

SWAINS Reef. We are off to Swains in 2 weeks time. Any ideas on gear, rigs & lures. We will be with a charter, so the fishing is off the mother vessel and also some tenders. Any other goodies we need to take? Any help would be appreciated.

[BrettyJ]

Who are you going out with ( Charter )?

[Sandon Pilly]

Norval Reef Charters. The have been very professional so far with all our requests, and extremely helpful regarding gear, and personal effects.

[revs57]

Make sure you give scotty and Marty a gobful for me - you're in for a treat! check out my report
http://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/sho...ghlight=Norval

I included some thoughts about gear to take in that report and following posts

You'll have a great trip

cheers

Rhys

[kitty_cat]

no gear needed mate just handlines up there

[dogsbody]

Here's a good tip. Stop eating now and in 2 weeks you'll be ready to get on the Norval.

You're gonna love it.

Do a search for "Swains Reef" in the offshore section it will bring up some reading for you.


Dave.

[JRBK]

Sandon Pilly, i've never been myself (been asked a few times but due to work commitments, never gone), but i asked my brother-in-law who goes every year or 2 for his ideas. This was his reply:

I’d take a bottom outfit with 30lb Braid on it – something like a Penn 330 GTi matched to a 10 -15Kg O/Head rod.
And a boat rod, something like 6.5-7 ft rated 10 -15kg with either a large spinnig reel like a Penn 850SS or a Alvey 650C sidecast with 30lb Mono (I like Berkly Triliene) for the shallow fishing in and amongst the reefs

Hooks I’d take about 50 Sets of 3, 6/0 Ganged hooks like the Mustard 8000D (? I think it’s the model #)

I’d also take some 8/0 single suicide hooks as well

At least 40 ½ lb snapper leads and 100 or so #1 bean sinkers (little tiny ones)

Decent Swivells rated to about 50-80lbs (Black Barrel type)

If he wants to try some trolling, red and white lures work the best – try halco high speed trolling around the 6” in length I think the model name is “Mackbait”
If he is going to try with the trolling then I would suggest to up the anti and get a Penn 45GLS leaver drag overhead with at least 50lb mono line on it (doesn’t snap under the initial strike shock loading like braid can) and a matched rod.

He’ll need to take a gimball belt, leather ones work great otherwise he’ll end up with brusing all over his pelvis.

Good knife to cut up bait with, stone and pliers (I use the pliers to hold the lower jaw of fish with prior to cutting the throat and hook removal, but fish holders work just as well)

Take some made up wire traces especially if he’s going to try running some lures. Spare reel of 30lb and 50lb line and some old towels to wipe bait and muck off your hands with.

Take the wet weather gear, decent hat (I like the broad cane ones), sunscreen and some polariod sunnies.

And don’t forget the camera and the stubby holder.

Hope this helps, you get good weather, you have a good trip and bring home plenty of fillets.
Cheers...JRBK

[fadd]

What sort of dollars does a trip like that cost Sandon Pilly cheers and goodluck with the trip Adam.

[dogsbody]

What sort of dollars does a trip like that cost Sandon Pilly cheers and goodluck with the trip Adam.

I'd say around $1800.


Dave.

[fadd]

Cheers Dave by the looks of it worth every cent.

[wizardofoz]

Excuse my ignorance and I know that it is 3 years on , but what are "nuclear chickens", I am going in 4 weeks and find all of the above very helpful. It seems that these lures or teasers are pretty hot stuff.

Thanks,
Wiz.

[OldManRiver]

Hi Wizard,"nuclear chicken" is a colour.Berkley make some soft plastics called glups and nuclear chicken is one of the more popular colours at the moment. 5" and 7" jerk shads are the pick for offshore but plenty of fish are caught with other brands as well.

Cheers Phil

[wizardofoz]

Thank you 'OMR'.