wilson live fibre surf rod - waddayathink

[CHRIS_aka_GWH]

SHOOT !! SORRY JEFF!

Yeah, tried her out Sunday morning on the beach at south straddie - conditions could not have been more favourable. Biggest fish of the morning was a 3 - 4 ft shovel nose, the rod handled it all without a worry barely beding beyond the nice action in the top quarter - the others worth noting 2 x 40cm plus sea bream.

The pick up on the bites I was impressd with as I was using virtually no lead & walking a drift pattern across the gutters entrance. Felt the initial bites & the knaw of the follow (was using pillies) rigged to swim. I would have been getting close to 80-100m casts in (about 60% effort) & no line slap (you can get that with a big reel ) using just the pillie with a single wrap of roofing lead on the leading hook. The rod will handle a lot more weight & cast easy - but I think 120m will be a max with 18lb line wind drag.

Felt good in the hand - better matched to the 700 Alvey than the powergraph, butt though could be an inch shorter for my liking - I'll give it another 6 sessions though before I produce the hacksaw.

I'm happy with the purchase & pleased with the price $169 from Capt'n Blighs. Also pleased they gave me that price which was listed as a special 2 weeks earlier when I was away (in the local rag in my letterbox on return) - their normal price was $199 - but I asked the question & they kept me happy - some blokes bad mouth em - I havn't had cause to fault em yet - even when I compared their bonito* last week to Tutankhamen's wife

There were some longtails just outside the break, but they never came in to REALLY test the rod out.
chris

*every where I went though the bonito was shite & in poor supply

[bugman]

Two 40cm+ breambos - now we're talking.

Whoo hoo - only 6 more sleeps

[Gorilla_in_Manila]

Cheers Chris, Sound like what I'm after.
Jeff

[CHRIS_aka_GWH]

& I missed a lot of bream brett - definitely bream not dart. I was specifically targeting tailor to be the first in my mob to score this winter - "FIRST BLOOD" as we call it.There are going to be some absolute whooers this winter - the condition on em is excellent - once they start to spawn & come inside look out !!

Jeff - I honestly think you'll be happy with it, & its got a nice finish too.

cheers

[bugman]

Chris,

Were they hitting the pillies or were you using slab flesh bait. I've had great succes on froggies sometimes in the surf.

I'd get the bait knocked off a bit which obviously weren't tailor bites and then swap down to 3x3os with a froggie and the breambos would start walking across the water.

My biggest goes 44cm but it came on a piece of mullet fillet on a 2o with a small stinger.

Always laugh when the breambos are so hungry you'll pull them in on 4x4os with a big pillie.

Straight outa the surf they taste great.

Bugman

[CHRIS_aka_GWH]

these were nice mid-sized WA pillies from the GEM. The infamous Mackeral Man John Schouw taught me how to make them swim in Feb - so this year its slabs or livies at night - swimmin' pillies in the light - always trying something new.

The bream smashed the bejesus out of 'em. Both of the bream hooked on the front hook - these were big predatory bream not scavengers.

Big sea bream - I call 'em Silver Emperor - fillet & skinned mmm
chris

[bugman]

Chris,

What's the secret to making them swim? soemthing that must only be told on a dark night on a wind swept beach amongst men who have passed the right of passage?

Bugman

[spindles]

Chris,
The greenbacks are on their way, I went down to the Brunswick heads last sat and caught 5 between 4 & 5 lbs.
Spindles.

[CHRIS_aka_GWH]

ahhh spindles,

just like my scale encrusted beanie, you appear with the first true sou'wester of the year.

Nice fish mate - a good start to things. How'd the hands hold up. I've been reading with interest the reports.

I'll be back on the beach this weekend with the making new moon.

Incidently, I'm going to buy one of those cheap smokers this year - had some smoked tailor up at Noosa at Xmas & yummmmo.

seeyainthesurf,

chris

[CHRIS_aka_GWH]

What's the secret to making them swim?

its a ancient practice called "Pilchard Whispering".

its fairly common knowledge Brett that most mackeral chasers can show you.

Keep in mind I'm yet to catch the fish I'm targeting - but the pillies look sexxy swimming rather than spinning - although it did fool a few dumbarse bream & a banjo that probably had sand in its eyes anyway.

chris