Fishing Sunny Coast

[Salmonerd]

Hey all, first post my names Brandon and I've already been stealing as much knowledge as I can from you off these forums. I currently live in the states (Seattle) and moving to sunny coast here in the next few months. Of course I have a billion questions about where to go, what to use since this is a whole new fishery to me but I'm sure I could wait til I get there to figure it all out.

My question now is I'm putting all my stuff in a container soon and sending it over and curious about what rods and reels are even worth bringing over. I spend most of my time fishing for salmon and steelhead over here which means most of my rods are 8.5'-10' light-med. Rough guess I'd say around 3m in length and weighted at 3.5kg-10kg. Sorry if my metric is off a bit. The type of fishing id like to get into is mackerel, tuna, kingfish, snapper and really anything that will get me out on the water and food on the table. I will def pick up a boat, leaning towards a centre console around 6m or so. I'll probably use it to spear as well but you can help me out there too if ya want.

So really what is the standard rod out in the salt? I spent a fortune on mine, don't really feel like bringing $500 rods over that don't really work when it works perfect here and could sell em


Thanks in advance for any advice, of course I'm looking for fishing buddies as well!!!

Cheers
Brando

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[Funchy]

Gday Brando

You will love the Sunny coast, god country that's for sure. Plenty of options for a range of fishing from Ultra light (Bream, whiting, flathead) through to the heavy stuff for pelagics/reefies so I suggest if you can fit it in bring it all!!!

Sing out when you get here and perhaps I can show you a couple of local spots.

Enjoy your time down under mate

[Noelm]

Bring a boat over as well, you will get a lot better boat for the money in the US in that size! Like Funchy said, bring as much gear as you have room for, the fishing will be almost the opposite of what you are used to, warm water, fish that bite! (Mackeral) fish that spike (Flathead) fish that sting bad (Happy Moments) plenty of wind.....just get here and learn as you go, Aussies are a pretty friendly bunch, and you will find a buddy in no time.

[seashawgal]

Hi Brando
What are you coming over to do and for how long? I live in Little mountain Caloundra. PM me be good to catch up I would be happy to take you out fishing crabbing etc. Fraser island etc. Ros

[Jeremy]

3 m rod is good for casting lures for mackerel and tuna on spin tackle. Worth bringing a couple in the 15-30 lb range and maybe heavier for kingfish. Most of my fishing offshore is with overhead reels and rod around 6' with live baits, strip baits and trolling lures. If you can get good money selling them, probably better to sell to save the cost of transporting them. Not much value in second hand rods in Australia.

[Salmonerd]

Thanks for the info and help. I will def be contacting you when I get in for a trip out. Wish I could bring a boat but if I filled the container with a boat my wife would use me to chum the water day one. There is a market for second hand rods around here so I may get rid of my lighter rods 8-12lb, keep the reels and heavier gear. I will be piling as much gear as I can, since it's coming over in a container I should be able to get it all in there. And for why we're coming and for how long I don't really have an answer for besides its the best place in the world. Your government saw something in my wife's job that was good enough to offer a visa and I'm riding coat tails. We spent a year in Sydney in 2011 and been fighting to get back there. We have 2 little ones who I can only imagine have a love affair with the ocean as do I. cheers

[Nick H]

Hey mate, I'm located in Marcoola on the northern end of the sunny coast, send me a PM when you arrive I do a bit of spearing as well, I only fish offshore, before you buy a centre console fish here for a season first, it blows it's arse off most of the time and the offshore grounds are around 20nm trip out. It was a wet trip in my centre console. In shore reefs still fish well and great in summer for mackrel.
cheers Nick

[Salmonerd]

Good call Nick. It never even crossed my mind how far out you would be going for deep sea. I imagine something with a full windscreen and a cuddy or even hardtop would be smarter. The other thing that I didn't think about is how big of a motor or motors you would want. I love to fish but I def wouldn't be able to afford to run a couple 150's or 250 often. I'll def appreciate the help when I'm in and find out what will be best suited for me. I'll pay for some petrol and beer!!! Cheers


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[tunaticer]

Are you a bait or lure fisher primarily?
In the bay creeks and rivers a lot of guys use a 7' rod around 2-4 or 3-6kg range for tablefish using lures.
In the bay you can step up to 6-10kg chasing macks and tuna and bigger snapper.

[Salmonerd]

Well I finally made here! If anybody has an open seat let me know. None of my gear is here til August, but I can buy beer and petrol! Man this place is great!

[hungry6]

Brando, I hate to be honest. I fish North America a fair bit and knows of the gear you are using there. Centre pins are no good. Most rods for N.A have smaller guides to aussie ones and struggles to cast well.
Boat rods are ok, but they are cheap here. Barbless can be use here but your sucess rate is reduced some what. Bring what ever you have in spinning reel, and again the one here are more robust. I dont know what it is, tackles manufacturers strenghten their gears for aussie market.
So your best bet is to bring a few rods for memories and buy a few new ones and starts from there.

That is a nice chrome you're holding there bud!