Shane, thanks very much for the offer. One I'd love to take up closer to Summer if still available then. I'll also go hit up that dude at Top Catch here who seems to know his game fishing stuff too and might be able to put me in touch with a few of those fellas you mentioned. They should at least get a kick out of the nutcase speedbumper thinking he's going to get amongst marlin and live to tell the tale.
Speaking of which, that's a pretty cool story M. Front row seats are seldom worth the price of admission and half a kingi is too high a price to pay but a great story to tell the grandkids. Reminds me of when that little Mako signed it's name down the side of my yak with its teeth and I feared I'd sink before making it back. It's times like those I wish (even more) i had Lisa sitting in my lap to help get me outta there STAT.
On a different matter, I'm still confused about Tasline and hoping you guys know and can help please? I thought they had sold the machinery and/or it had upped sticks to Melbourne a while ago now. But I see Marine-Deals are selling Tasline elite (white) and their blurb and images still show the old labels that say made in NZ. Is it another case of MD being a bit slow to update their product descriptions or is it still being made in NZ? It can't be they are selling off old stock, as they are awaiting stock. To complicate matters even more for this blonde, The MD Aussie site doesn't even sell tasline. Maybe they have a deal with bustedfishing in Aus that they can't sell it in Aus but can in NZ, and the braid is in fact all coming from Aus now?