Is 30lb Braid Enough?

[Gold_Coast_Chaser]

Thanks Heaps Mate,

What setup do you think i should use to target these fish?
I would like a rig that I am able to create here and take it up there so all i will have to do is tie 1 knot.
What im thinking is maybe a 60-80lb trace with 1 dropper hook off the side and a sinker on the bottom, but im not too sure whether this is the way to go.
Also im guessing that soft plastics and other will be no good up there because you will lose too much money?

Thanks Again

[Scott nthQld]

your standard dropper rig will be OK. Just your leader knot ( i Use a double uni) down to one dropper tied with the dropper loop (using a lighter leader material, the twisted dropper might give you a bit of extra oomf http://www.ausfish.com.au/knots/twis...pperloop.shtml) and then down to a sinker loop which you can just use a double granny knot ie double the line over and loop the double round itself, putting through the loop twice and pull tight, its only for a sinker so you won't lose the fish of a lifetime if it breaks, plus, if you sinker gets snagged up sometimes when the knot lets go, it a blessing in disguise only have to tie another loop and put a new sinker on and not having to do the whole rig again.

Definately tie a bimini in your braid to join the leader too. You could also get a bit of dacron and make you're own wind on leaders. Here's a guid for you with all the tools you need:
http://www.townsvillegamefishclub.co...s/wind_ons.pdf

they've also got a few other rigs here too:

http://www.townsvillegamefishclub.com/fishing_rigs.htm

[reggy]

GCC, having fished the reefs several times up here, I can wholeheartedly say that you will be undergunned against your target species.

50lb is the standard up here, big reds pull like freight trains and with 30lb you have little chance to stop them from getting to the bottom. Many dedicated red fisho's won't look at anything less than 80lb braid for these devils.

Something else you need to consider is sharks. You really do need the extra line strength to get the fish up off the bottom, then up and in the boat quickly. Despite what the EPA, DPI and greenies say, sharks are a real problem when it comes to trying to get fish up from the bottom.

I personally prefer mono on the reefs when bottom bashing, one because you will get busted off and sharked a lot. Last reef trip I went on, one bloke had a new reel spooled with 300m of brand new 50lb braid and came back with nothing but the mono backing. This was one one overnight trip. Because of this using mono works out oh so much cheaper. To be specific, I use 50lb platypus pretest. I also find that the stretch mono gives helps absorb the lunges the fish carries on with, which allows me to get on with the job of pulling it up from the deep.

80lb leader would be minimum, 100lb is generally used, but upto 120lb is also quite common.

Don't be afraid to use big hooks. I use 9/0 gamakatsu octopus pattern hooks, and still manage to catch small sweetlip etc (which end up as live or big strip baits)

how small are the small sweetlip you keep for bait? is that legal?

[BigE]

You will struggle with 30 if you lay into a good red or trout ........ Dont get me wrong you can do it with 30 but you need to have some fishing experience and a top quality drag system, in the end it's just easier to use 50 and catch more fish. think of your fellow fisherman ... if your on a school of good reds over 10kg and some amature drops a couple on light gear which WILL spook the school so no-one catches fish you can bet he will not be the most popular guy around the esky on the way home. Leave your light gear for when it is only your time and money or when everyone on board is looking for the light tackle experience.

Regards
BigE

[Gold_Coast_Chaser]

Hey Guys,

I think ive decided, thanks for everyones help especially ScottNorthQld!!!

I will take my setup as it is with the 30lb braid, i will also take a handline (My dad is keen) and will take a roll of mono say 50lb-80lb incase my braid isnt working, then i can switch it over to the mono one night. im guessing that mono should be cheaper right?

[Scott nthQld]

Yeah GCC, you should be able to get a spool of reasonable quaility 50lb for about 30 bucks.

reggy, small is anything under 40cm, usually gets slabbed up for flesh baits, or put under a ballon for marauding spanish. Its not just sweetlip, but any tropical snappers, like stripeys, hussar the list is endless and even with a 25cm minimum size for these, most big reefies won't thnk twice about swallowing it whole, then you just have to prey everything holds.

There's many species on the reef that aren't regulated at all so most things can go on a hook no worries. On the reef everything is on the menu, a report was publiched in our local rag about 18 months ago where a bloke put a 3kg trout on for live bait and pulled up a 24kg monster trout.

[vertico]

30lb braid is too light imho after fishing 1770 the last 7 - 8 trips.
If you are targetting trout i cant see how with 30lb you will be pulling many good fish off the bottom. I still lose some trout to the bottom but mostly when sharks are around you cant fight these fish you need to skull drag them straight up. 30lb will not cut it imho. but good luck

[Gold_Coast_Chaser]

Yeah GCC, you should be able to get a spool of reasonable quaility 50lb for about 30 bucks.

Thanks Mate, what would be your recommended brand of mono to use if i take a roll up as spare?

I understand that were gonna be undergunned a bit but hopefully we have some luck and pull some good fish.

Cheers for everyones help

[Scott nthQld]

Like I said, I use Platipus Pre Test, very good IMO I was in b cf today and it was only about $20 for a 300m spool.

It's a bit thicker than other brands, but I find that helps a lot when tying on 100lb plus leader.

You may not have to change over at all, if you are undergunned, use a handline for the rest of the day and swap over at night so you don't lose any fishing time. The reef can be a tricky place to fish, one day you will get smashed by monsters from the deep every drop, some days they just won't cooperate, others you struggle to get a decent fish over the side.

As I've said, beating the sharks will be your biggest downfall, sure trout pull hard at first, but once you get them up off the bottom about 5m they seem to just quit and come along quietly. And as other have mentioned, if you get onto a big scholl of reds, you won't be the most popular bloke aboard if you drop one, then the rest will shut down.

However, one positive of you having lighter line is that because you will take longer to get the fish up, the fish will have more time to adjust to the water pressure as it comes up the column, so if you wish to release it, it has a better chance at survival. Thats one thing I don't like to see, you pull up a fish from 30m to find its too small and you try to let it go, but it just won't do back down after all your efforts and just floats off. The methods they show on telly don't always work and sometimes will cause more harm than good, like deflating the swim bladder. I'm yet to try the release weight method though I saw on Ifish a few weeks ago.

[vertico]

a good braid which isnt going to cost the earth is berkley whiplash or platypus superbraid.
sean

[reggy]

Scott
Just wondering if you use your 330gti with or without the levelwind?
I have one also. Great value reels.

Reggy

[Gold_Coast_Chaser]

Cheers Scott,

Ill go have a look at BCF over the next week and see if i can pick up some of that Platypus Pretest in 50lb?, which i hopefully wont need to use. Yeh i can remember on our last trip catching a couple of undersize fish that would just float off, ive seen on a few shows lately were they have an inverted hook and a sinker and it propels the fish down and then they just pull the hook out and the fish supposedly swims away, although they seemed to be only doing this with larger fish (sampsons etc.).

Oh yeh and one more question, are soft plastics (or any lures) suitable to use in the reef or is it a waste of money when you lose them to teeth and reef?

cheers Guys

[35kg jew]

hi there,

Been fishing up that way for 15years and out of the swains twice a year for seven years.. Straight up braid is not very good up that way fishing the shallows if you were fishing 100m plus its fine wit a 15m leader.. I have made the mistake of just taking braid on one trip after all the hype and had my worst trip to date and my mate fishing wit 50lb mono outfished me 4 to 1 .. Why ? Coral reef fish hit so quick and hard that braid just pulls hooks especially on big trout.. Now if braid was so good all the pros would be using it out there and my mate from 1770 would just laugh at me if i jumped on the boat wit braid.. Also plastics are awesome out there and braid is perfect wit them i spin tackle .. I would be taking 7'' gulps or bass assassins for sure.. If your doing a trip like this u dont wanna be dissapointed like i have been..Watch out on them okumas i work for a fishing shop and okumas come in stuffed 4 times more often than any other reel..

[Gold_Coast_Chaser]

hi there,

Been fishing up that way for 15years and out of the swains twice a year for seven years.. Straight up braid is not very good up that way fishing the shallows if you were fishing 100m plus its fine wit a 15m leader.. I have made the mistake of just taking braid on one trip after all the hype and had my worst trip to date and my mate fishing wit 50lb mono outfished me 4 to 1 .. Why ? Coral reef fish hit so quick and hard that braid just pulls hooks especially on big trout.. Now if braid was so good all the pros would be using it out there and my mate from 1770 would just laugh at me if i jumped on the boat wit braid.. Also plastics are awesome out there and braid is perfect wit them i spin tackle .. I would be taking 7'' gulps or bass assassins for sure.. If your doing a trip like this u dont wanna be dissapointed like i have been..Watch out on them okumas i work for a fishing shop and okumas come in stuffed 4 times more often than any other reel..

Cheers Mate,

Jeez i wish i had of known everything before i bought these reels and braid etc., So you think it will be a good idea to take a roll of 50lb mono up as backup?, My reel should hold up shouldnt it, its not been used yet?, With those plastics, do you think they will be suitable to use on a shared charter??, ive heard the deal is, There very good but you waste too many on teeth and coral, im guessing a pack is about $8, so if i go through a few packs it could get a bit costly. I think i might take a few packs just too try out, then if i go again in the future i might take a few more, How do you recommend i work them? just jigging up and down?

[35kg jew]

Hey bud definately take some mono 50lb is perfect.. Also braid destroys u after a day or so out there wit the no stretch every fish feels huge.. take some plastics trust me u wont regret it at all.. U might use them fast but the results are amazing out there well good luck mate.. Go to doug burts tackle world in southport they will help u out they have alot of knowledge on this type of fishing where bcf just want your money and employe little kids that have no idea.