Mistakes to avoid
Printed From: The Fishing Website
Category: Saltwater Fishing
Forum Name: Newbies Corner
Forum Description: If you're new to fishing this is the place to ask any questions about getting started ...
URL: https://www.fishing.net.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=75958
Printed Date: 06 Jun 2026 at 1:06am
Topic: Mistakes to avoid
Posted By: Ahab
Subject: Mistakes to avoid
Date Posted: 20 Feb 2012 at 8:00am
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These are things I've learned from my own vast collection of disasters over 35years (started when I was 2yo): Lost fish, broken rods, wasted money, gear failure, knot failure, near death experiences and worst of all, fishless days. The solutions I've found aren't the only answers, just what has worked for me. These are opinions, not commandments. Any other ideas would be gratefully received by us all. If boat fishing and you see a workup (fish in a feeding frenzy on the surface, often with birds and dolphins feeding too), never troll lures straight through the middle of it. This will scare the hell out of the fish, putting them down. Instead, watch for the direction the fish are moving, get ahead of them and cast lures back towards them. You'll see a lot of other fishos doing this, and they'll be extremely ticked off if you smash through the middle of the action. You might even get to hear some salty phrases or get shot at if you do it often enough! Avoid telescopic rods. They are an inherently delicate construction, and tend to disintegrate under the pressure of constant casts etc. One of my first trout rods was a high end telescopic that I saved for for ages when I was 11-12. After a relatively short time the top section shot off the rod. I could never get it to stay in after that, and ended up having to glue it. I've seen a lot of similar breakages over the years. If you have one, take care of it by washing it after each trip to the salt and spraying it with protectant. If you have a genuine need for a rod that packs right down, buy a travel rod in a four piece model from a reputable brand. Avoid the Warehouse, except for certain bulletproof items such as sinkers. You're much better to go to your local tackle shop. The advice you get there is of infinitely more value than the few bucks you'll save elsewhere. Also, you end up saving more from the local boys, as they'll work out deals for you, give you bits and pieces. Don't be afraid to ask them dumb questions, we all started as noobs. Braid fishing line is wonderful stuff, but it's expensive and can be tricky when you're starting out. It's only really essential for reasonably specialised techniques like softbaiting, jigging, poppering, and if you're only baitfishing off the shore or a boat, you're better to start with monofilament (nylon). You'll tend to get a lot of tangles and snags when you're new, but as you get more proficient, these should diminish. Then you're probably ready to invest in braid. |
Replies:
Posted By: Ahab
Date Posted: 20 Feb 2012 at 6:26pm
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Weight (sinkers) should be used on an "as little as possible" basis. Then if it's practical, you're best to have the line running through the sinker freely, so the fish can pick up the bait and run with it. Treble hooks on lures are not always beneficial. They tend to make a mess of the fish's mouth, and don't always get a good purchase. You're often better to change to a very sharp single hook. Just make sure the single hook has a large eye so it swings freely on the split ring. Catching a fish like kahawai on spinners, you'll generally lose them at two points in the fight: when they jump and shake their heads, or when you're about to land them and they thrash around on the surface. When you're fighting them, keep your rod tip lowered, as this seems to discourage them from leaping. Don't be in too much of a hurry to land them, wait till they're knackered. Then be decisive: draw them over the net and lift (don't chase them with the net), swing them smoothly up onto the rocks/boat, wash them up onto the rocks/beach. Knots are never easy the first time. Or the fifth time. But you need to be able to tie them cold, in the wind, in the dark and be certain that they are strong. You also need to be able to tie them when there's a huge fish just off the end of the rod tip and you're "shaking like a sh tting dog". So when you're sitting in front of TV, get some line and practice until they become second nature. Youtube has a wealth of clips showing you how. The uni knot is a good place to start. This website is a bit clunky-looking, but good: http://www.netknots.com/html/fishing_knots.html - http://www.netknots.com/html/fishing_knots.html
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Posted By: Ahab
Date Posted: 20 Feb 2012 at 8:42pm
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Rags. Get a heap of these, you'll need them. Old teatowels, bath towels, t-shirts etc are good. If you have a regular supply, you can make them single use and biff them after every trip. They are indispensible for holding fish (especially for release or livebaiting: wet is best), cleaning your sunnies, wiping your hands after baiting up etc. Take a few each time you go out, they get pretty feral pretty fast. Op shops are a great place to get a heap of cheap rags. Kitchen scissors. a cheap pair of kitchen scissors is a handy set of tools to have around when you're fishing. Great for tidying or shaping baits, cutting line, cutting the spines off fish if you're packing them in your backpack for rock/beach fishing. Knives. As you'll find with everything about fishing, it's best to buy good quality. There are some excellent Kiwi knife manufacturers: Green River, Victory, Duel and others. They're not too expensive, start at about $40. Get a good one just for bait, one for filleting, and learn how to sharpen them. I have a diamond sharpener and a steel. Without being too much of a wonker about it, if it doesn't shave your arm hair the first time, it's not sharp, and if it's not sharp it's not a knife, it's a ruler! A bit of time in front of TV with a stone and steel on a cold winter evening will get you pretty good at sharpening. You'll find knife sets of 4 knives and a steel in a pack for about $30, plus a nylon board. They're fine for knocking around, but you're compromising on quality and longevity on every level. Better to buy one really good one that you'll have till the day you're deep in the cold hard ground.
Cold fish. Ideally, when you catch a fish to eat, you iki it (spike to the brain), then bleed if it's a kahawai/trevally/tuna, (maybe king too), then get it in ice. Flaky salt ice is the best, party ice is OK too. Freezing bottles of sea water is another way to go. Before you fillet your catch, a few hours in ice will make it set beautifully, so it is a lot firmer and easier to fillet. Overnight in the fridge has the same effect. Eat the bait. When you start out, you'll often only be able to catch a lot of small baitfish. Don't be afraid to cook them. Sprats (yellow eye mullet), piper and pilchards are great eating. A lot more labour intensive than 20lb snapper, but very tasty and rewarding. I have cooked bait pillies more than once on the bbq, and I'm still around. They were delicious!  Berley bag. Most of the commercially available berleys come with a yellow or red plastic mesh bag. These aren't very resilient, and you will often find your berley ripping out and floating away like a lost ogre turd. JK from the Walkabout forum put me onto cray bags from the diving world. They're tough as and pack down nicely. They cost about $20, but last for ages.  Vaseline. Put a layer of vaseline on the spool of your reel before you put line on it. Otherwise the salt builds up and corrodes it like this:  This one didn't get too bad, but I have seen it destroy spools completely. Replacement can be about one third the cost of the reel itself! |
Posted By: Ahab
Date Posted: 20 Feb 2012 at 10:17pm
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Booze. If you're taking beers fishing, cans are better than bottles. They crush right down for easy disposal. A stubby cooler is a good idea, as it stops the can sliding around and reduces tipping. Especially on the rocks. Goes without saying that the skipper/driver should hold back, and if the sea is remotely dodgy everyone should take it easy. Unwanted bycatch. We all get rays, occies, school sharks, eels etc which we don't want to keep. It's unacceptable to kill them or let them swim off trailing a lot of gear to die. Do your best to get the hook back without hurting the beast, or if you can't, cut the line as close as possible to the hook. If it's absolutely done for (eg bleeding profusely, upside down etc), kill it quickly and humanely. Then think if maybe you can eat it after all. All of the weirdo fish you're likely to encounter are edible. I'd draw the line at hagfish. Fish like rays are actually pretty docile once you get them in, especially when they turn upside down. Don't risk your life over a snag. A couple of fishos died a few years ago near Port Waikato because one of them got a snag and went down to retrieve it. He went in, and his mate followed to tried to save him, and drowned too. They should have had lifejackets if it was that hairy. But they probably died over $5 worth of tackle. If you're well and truly snagged, pull a few metres of line out from the end of the rod tip, wrap it around your arm (over the sleeve is a good idea to avoid cuts) and walk backwards until it either pings, frees or you pull up a lump of stone. There are ways of reducing snags, too.
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Posted By: jaypeegee
Date Posted: 20 Feb 2012 at 10:24pm
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Epic brain dump
Mods. To the sticky I say ye go
------------- "You don't have to be smart to laugh at a fart, but you have to be stupid not to." |
Posted By: Dutchy_fisher
Date Posted: 20 Feb 2012 at 10:38pm
+1 Awesome write up  ------------- always keen for a fish! 0220901730 http://www.theworldwidefishingclub.com" rel="nofollow - http://www.theworldwidefishingclub.com |
jaypeegee wrote:Posted By: smudge
Date Posted: 20 Feb 2012 at 11:11pm
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OK it's stuck now! Great idea Ahab thanks. A few donts from me: When your spinning reel is losing line because the drag is slipping and doing its job DONT wind the handle otherwise you will get bad bad bad line twist When fishing a ledger rig or dropper rig DONT just chuck it in the water, let the droppers hang out in the current so you can see if the bait is going to spin and make sure the droppers arent wrapped around the trace before you lower it When you're hooked up to a fish always keep a bend in the rod and DONT let it straighten When you tie your hooks on always put the line through from the gape ( oint side) of the hook. |
Posted By: Kenshin
Date Posted: 21 Feb 2012 at 12:06am
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on a work up, its true dont dont run on the middle of them.. bit its NOT always TRUE to ge ahead of the, or else the work up will go back in front of you. ALWAYS TRY to fish on back and side EDGES. Big Predators will stay on side and back (basing on the experience). Telescopic ROds are all not that BAD. ITs not a Mistake. Caught some good fish on one. I can testify. I caught my best fish when I was starting on the rocks 8+ yrs ago on a gear I got from the Wareshouse as thats the only thing I can afford after visiting from the local tacke shops. MISTAKE? NO.. its was the only gear I can afford. YOu just have to learn how to maintain it. As I had learned on the forum.. always wash it right after. SO PLEASE dont generalise the shop that is a NO NO to go labeling it as a mistake. If average ppl cant go to a local tackle shop dont tell them its a MISTAKE?!. I've see some descent fish caught on WAREHOUSE brand gear compared to the others first hand. Even from ppl reporting here. Thrashing/Jumping fish while on a fight and lower ur rod tip? KEEP ur lines tight man, as a general rule. Putting up ur rod is the fastest way to keep line tight and then reel-in the slack. Lowering ur rod tip will slack and the hook get get off. A lot of factors get fish off the hook on the spinners(treble hooks mostly?). Trebles ? DId you ever think why MOST lures are being packaged/sold on trebles and why? You telling noobs to eat by-bait bycatch or you say 'small bait fish' or in precise 'you'll often only be able to catch a lot of small baitfish. Don't be afraid to cook them' .. but at the earlier post release by catch? So whats a keepable/eatable fish to you? Sorrry Bro.. but Youre write -up is too persuasive, having on the 'Newbies corner' and a 'Mistakes to Avoid' doesn't seem to cut it for me. IMO! ------------- Be patient and calm – for no one can catch fish in anger. –Herbert Hoover |
Posted By: laidbackdood
Date Posted: 21 Feb 2012 at 12:35am
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Good stuff Ahab....Wrap your pillies up in newspaper....will stay great down to the last one...the newspaper absorbs all the water as they thaw and prevents them going mushy...great on a block of pillies in particular. ------------- Once the idiots turn up..Im outta here...No time for Drama Queens. |
Posted By: Ahab
Date Posted: 21 Feb 2012 at 7:18am
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Thanks fellers! Brain dump it be. Plenty more sluicing around up there, as I'm sure is the case for all of us. I reckon bold the subject of each tip to make it easier to locate. Hooks: They should always be super sharp. Also the best quality you can afford. Most brands are sharp straight from the packet. However you should check your points every so often and give them a touch up with a stone or diamond file, or bin them. A small rectangular stone is cheap and does the job. You'll get pretty good at touching up the point so it's viciously sharp. When buying hooks, go for major, reputable brands. The best you can afford. My brand of choice is Owner, but I also like Gamakatsu, VMC, Youvella and Black Magic. Salt: When you get back from fishing, pretty much EVERYTHING with salt on it really needs to be rinsed/soaked. This is especially true for metals, but also shoes, which will disintegrate quickly if left salty. Soak them in a bucket of water overnight and then dry in the shade. Never put hooks back into your tacklebox straight from the water. Soak all your hooks in a basin of fresh water, then dry on newspaper and ideally spray with a protectant such as inox.
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Posted By: MrWildabeast
Date Posted: 21 Feb 2012 at 11:46am
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Awesum brain dump bro! ------------- Here fishy..fishy.... |
Posted By: Capt Asparagus
Date Posted: 21 Feb 2012 at 1:01pm
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Get a can of lanox to spray over new reels before you spool them up, it is a natural, lanolin based aerosol grease and makes an awesome anti-corrosion barrier on spools etc. The Warehouse does have some good gear, they have the lower end ABU gear, which is quite adequate. Just don't go targeting your trophy fish with that grade of gear. A lot of their other gear, soft plastics etc, is exactly the same as you will find in any other tackle shop. When fighting a jumping fish like kahawai, keeping your tip at waterlevel does prevent jumps.... this is an old trick used by barramundi fishermen in aussie. As for jumping fish, say trout, then during the fight you keep your rod tip high, but when the fish jumps you drop your rod-tip. If you keep too tight in touch with a jumping fish, you can pull the fish towards you very easily (without water pressure holding it away from you, you see), and if you do pull the fish over towards you, it will land with slack line and WILL throw the hook. So, if fighting a kahawai and you really really want to keep it, then lower your rod-tip when it is jumping. At all other times, always keep your rod tip up with a slight curve in it. Treble hooks do catch fish. They also totally wreck many fishes faces, making release pointless. They are also a peril if a fish hits the deck and goes berserk, like a rat kingie, the barbs not buried in the fish can and often do easily impale fishermens legs and feet. The safer, smarter option is to go for a single hook. Single hooks also offer a fish less chance to lever themselves off the hook. If a fish has a single barb of a treble in its jaw, it can use the leverage of one of the other barbs outside the mouth to pop the hook out of itself. This happens quite often. A single hook, once in the fish, is a lot harder for them to prize out. This is one reason why you never see treble hooks in gamefishing lures....single hooks give better penetration and hook-holding than trebles usually. And make release of fish so very much easier. |
Posted By: letsgetem
Date Posted: 21 Feb 2012 at 7:40pm
| And treble hooks often catch on things - like the net - so the fish can then yank the hook out and escape. Why do lures keep coming out with trebles????????????????. |
Posted By: smudge
Date Posted: 21 Feb 2012 at 8:29pm
| It's because they sell. Trebles have their place. Like many things there are choices rather than hard and fast rules. New fishermen need to understand that too. i certainly don't agree with all of the things here but they are good opinions and this is a value adding post so keep the Mistakes to Avoid coming! |
Posted By: PJay
Date Posted: 21 Feb 2012 at 9:21pm
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This is not entirely levity: don't believe everything you read on this forum. Compare what anyone says with what others say. We all have different experiences, but some of us draw rules out of them, which is not quite how it works.
------------- PJ |
Posted By: Capt Asparagus
Date Posted: 21 Feb 2012 at 10:01pm
| Yup, the main rule in fishing is:- There are no rules. |
Posted By: Ahab
Date Posted: 21 Feb 2012 at 10:19pm
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Use the net: I've found these websites very useful: For basic knots: http://www.netknots.com/ - http://www.netknots.com/ For walking access: http://wams.org.nz/wams/index.aspx - http://wams.org.nz/wams/index.aspx For finding basic water depth and contour lines: http://marine.geogarage.com/routes - http://marine.geogarage.com/routes For cats that look like Hitler: http://www.catsthatlooklikehitler.com/cgi-bin/seigbest.pl?2 - http://www.catsthatlooklikehitler.com/cgi-bin/seigbest.pl?2 I'm sure there are plenty of others that people here could add. Pre-filled tackle boxes: Black Magic seem to do good ones, but there are some pretty awful ones out there too. The sort of thing advertised as having "517 pieces", and "all you'll need". They're usually made for overseas fishing and are generally full of inferior gear, half of which isn't useful for our conditions. You're better to build up what you need as you need it. Have received this kind of thing for Christmas/birthdays more than once. Sunglasses: Polarised glasses to cut the glare are invaluable. You'll see a lot more of what's going on under the water. If you use them for a while and then for some reason forget them, the water will suddenly seem to have an oily impenetrable sheen to it. As for everything, get the best you can afford. Glass lenses are preferable to plastic, as they are a hell of a lot more scratch resistant. |
Posted By: Ahab
Date Posted: 21 Feb 2012 at 10:42pm
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Read these writers: Sam Mossman (Serious about Sportfishing especially) Mark Kitteridge Gary Kemsley John Eichelsheim Herman Melville Craig Worthington Josh Worthington Herb Spannagl Bruce Basher Stephen Tapp There are probably some others people could add. Most of their books come up on Trade Me if they're no longer in print, and they all write in fishing mags. Except Melville. Never hold a fish by the eye sockets or put your hands in its gills if you're going to release it. Common sense really: the gills are delicate oxygen exchange organs and won't benefit from being handled. Any more than someone sticking their hands in your lungs. Cradle the fish under the stomach, ideally with a wet rag. Avoid forming normal human relationships: These tend to cut into fishing time. To prevent relationships from developing, don't wash yourself or your clothes after fishing. Learn to swear more. Grow hair over every part of your body, except your head, where you should let it fall out in drifts. Live under a bridge.
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Posted By: laidbackdood
Date Posted: 21 Feb 2012 at 11:01pm
Just scored one of those crayfish bags...had to sniff around to find it but delivered for 20 bucks...nice one dood ------------- Once the idiots turn up..Im outta here...No time for Drama Queens. |
Posted By: Ahab
Date Posted: 22 Feb 2012 at 6:23am
Any idea where to get this stuff mate? Have heard good things about it but haven't been able to find any.
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Posted By: Ahab
Date Posted: 22 Feb 2012 at 6:35am
Good stuff mate. The rubber stopper and rope wore out on mine a couple of years ago, but the mesh is still fine. Thanks to JK for the tip.
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Posted By: Ahab
Date Posted: 22 Feb 2012 at 6:44am
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Tackle boxes for rockfishing: You'll find out pretty soon what's necessary and unnecessary to take to the rocks. Big, bulky tackleboxes meant for boats are a pain in the hearse. You're better to take a one level flat tray. I like the ones made by Plano which are waterproof. Make sure that whatever you buy, the plastic dividers make quite a tight fit with the lid of the box. Otherwise your smaller bits of terminal tackle will migrate around when you're walking. The box should slide quite easily down the back of your pack. |
Posted By: Ahab
Date Posted: 22 Feb 2012 at 8:01am
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Freezing fish: there are a lot of fishos who will only eat fresh fish, but family commitments mean I can't get out as often as I'd like. If you treat fish right, it freezes well and can be used months down the track. While not as good as fresh, it's still generally better than a lot of the crap you buy. I got these tips from Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's book Fish. Not a chef, but these work for me. Someone like the Cook from this site might be able to correct any f ups:
1. Before freezing, dry the fillets well with paper towels. Water expands when frozen, causing the flakes to separate and cell walls to break down. (I think) 2. Wrap fillets tightly in gladwrap, so that they aren't in contact with air in the freezer. HFW advocates three layers of wrap. Ziplock bags are also good. You can zip the closure up until there's a little gap in one corner, then stick a straw in and suck out the air. Or immerse the whole bag in a sink of cold water, leaving the gap out of the water, to force the air out. 3. When you've defrosted the fish, about 15minutes before cooking, cover the whole fillet in a layer of salt. This draws out the water that has burst out of the cells in the flesh, firming it up. Before you cook it, rinse it very thoroughly under the cold tap to remove the salt, and dry it well with paper towels. If in doubt, try it with one small fillet next time you cook from frozen. |
Posted By: Southern_Jez
Date Posted: 22 Feb 2012 at 9:51am
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Measuring Sticks: I hate using the sticker rulers from MoF, have made a couple of measuring sticks that are much easier to measure fish by out of scrap plywood with some red insulation tape at 25cm (Gurnard) and black tape at 33cm (Blue Cod). A lot faster and easier to measure the fish by, can pass the stick around the boat, doesn't matter if I lose it. Organisation: I'm mostly a fly-fisho and have found that having everything organised makes things happen a lot faster, and ONLY carrying what you need (I do a lot of walking). "A place for everything, and everything in its place" will mean you spend more time with your line in the water, and thus by the law of averages more time with tight lines.
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Posted By: Chaser
Date Posted: 22 Feb 2012 at 10:38am
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when fishing in a fishing competition be aware of the rules and make sure you follow them(usually IGFA rules) http://www.igfa.org - www.igfa.org e.g. allowed line type and breaking strain double and leader lengths hook arrangement rules around who can/cant handle the rod and line gaff and tail rope lengths (and any other rope used to secure the fish) - I was fishing in a big game competition on the weekend and saw a potentially winning fish get disqualified. Sad to see, and very gutting for everyone involved (especially when a lot of prize money is involved).
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Posted By: Uncle
Date Posted: 22 Feb 2012 at 10:40am
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Bananas on boats. Don't get suckered into thinking or believing that they influence catch rates. Eat 'em up before during & after any fishing expedition just to prove the superstitious are a bit "fishy". But, be careful of any black cats crossing your path on the way~~that equals bad luck...
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Posted By: PJay
Date Posted: 22 Feb 2012 at 11:02am
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Look after your Uncle. ------------- PJ |
Posted By: Ahab
Date Posted: 22 Feb 2012 at 8:18pm
Great tip mate. I usually write a list of things before I go on any decent mish. Usually still manage to leave at least one essential bit of kit at home.
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Posted By: JK
Date Posted: 22 Feb 2012 at 8:49pm
They are brilliant eh. INOV8A put me on to them years ago and so much better to use off the rocks then those poxy mesh bags that come with burley, ------------- LedgeNZ LBG |
Posted By: Ahab
Date Posted: 23 Feb 2012 at 7:40am
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Fish smells in cars: Definitely to be avoided. I put a big blue tarp in the boot under everything, and take especial care that the bung is in the esky, bait and berley isn't dripping onto the interior. Once I somehow left a bag of pillies under the driver's seat for a week: the stench was like a sledgehammer in the face. The car was basically a write off. There doesn't seem to be any way of getting that rancid fish oil out. Gave the car to my brother's girlfriend, she drove it for a while with the windows down, then got it crushed into a cube. Rod wraps: These are very useful for bundling rods together for transporting. Shimano and Jarvis Walker make them and they retail at about $10 for two. You get a better result with these than by tying with rope, as with rope there tends to be some movement of the rods. Other options are thick rubber bands or tape, but be aware that some types of tape leave adhesives on the rod. DIY rod holders: For beach fishing, I use pipe with the end cut at an angle. Proper beach spikes are better, I just did it to save some sawbucks. Pipes can be a b'stard to get into firm sand, so I bought a rubber mallet for one sawbuck and use this to bang them in, works very well. You need gaffer tape to bind them up for transport. Recently I forgot them, and made do with this, made from flax:  Not ideal, but keeps your hands free for scratching your head. |
Posted By: Ahab
Date Posted: 23 Feb 2012 at 7:43am
Yeah Uncle, this is an enduring one. I've seen a picture somewhere from Hawaii where they made a lure from a banana skin and caught a marlin. Might be possible to make a "softie" tail from a bit of skin and get a snapper? Definitely a challenge...
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Posted By: Grunta
Date Posted: 23 Feb 2012 at 12:42pm
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Good thread this. One Victory filleting knife on it's way to you for kicking it off Ahab. PM me your del. details.
------------- Online... |
Posted By: PoorMANfisher
Date Posted: 23 Feb 2012 at 1:45pm
| Save barn is good 4 sinkers..Alot cheaper than the warehouse. and remember, just because graeme sinclair endorses it, doesnt mean its good |
Posted By: Cannso
Date Posted: 23 Feb 2012 at 5:18pm
Thanks Ahab, the wlaking access website is brill !!! ------------- Cannso |
Posted By: The cook
Date Posted: 23 Feb 2012 at 5:53pm
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Posted By: Ahab
Date Posted: 24 Feb 2012 at 6:17am
Thanks mate, that's very useful and makes sense. Small overloaded freezer is right. Great article.
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Posted By: Southern_Jez
Date Posted: 24 Feb 2012 at 9:11am
| Perserverance: This is especially important for "newbies", but also relevant to the old hats in the fishing world. You aren't always going to catch fish, seldom are you going to catch fish in 5 minutes. What worked for you yesterday, might not work for you today. When the fishing gets tough, try something new (using freshwater flies tied off cod rigs), make something up (insulation tape instead of bait), have some fun, or take your blank day on the chin and come back again refreshed the next day. Nothing is guaranteed to work in fishing, that also means nothing is guaranteed to NOT work. |
Posted By: Ahab
Date Posted: 24 Feb 2012 at 3:19pm
No worries mate. Remember that things can look pretty different when you get to the spot. Always feel free to post questions on the Walkabout forum for recent changes and other advice. Sometimes it might be along the lines of "don't leave your car here, it'll get broken into". But lots of positive stuff too.
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Posted By: Ahab
Date Posted: 24 Feb 2012 at 3:24pm
Completely agree mate. Everyone gets skunked (no fish) some days, even the really good guys. I like the improvisation idea. Insulation tape! My brother caught a spotty on a bandaid once, but that's as far as we took that idea. Once I went spinning for kahawai and ended up with these:  |
Posted By: Ahab
Date Posted: 27 Feb 2012 at 7:35am
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Some terminology: Pannie: Snapper of any size from just legal (27cm) to about 2-3kg, although different fishos have different upper limits. For me, anything above about 5lb is getting outside the pannie range. Comes from being the right size for a frying pan. Rat (king): Juvenile kingfish. For most, below 75cm is a rat. Mouse (king): A really small rat. Bug: crayfish
The taxman: (1) a shark which bites off part of your fish before you can get it into the boat/ashore. (2) a purveyor of tacks. Skunked/skunking: When you don't catch any fish. Happens to everyone, hopefully less often as you get more experienced. Don't let it break your will. You can still learn a lot on these days. Trevor: (1) A trevally. (2) a geography teacher with a moustache, synthetic shorts and long socks pulled up to just below the knee. Snot eel/blind eel: A hagfish. If you catch one, cut the line as close to the hook as possible. Under no circumstances should you touch it. They produce a huge amount of stinking slime which is a repellent to fish and humans alike. You'll instinctively know not to touch it. Distinguished from genuine eels by not having any eyes or jaws, and having short tentacles around the mouth. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F8aVgSIDJjM - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F8aVgSIDJjM
PB: Personal Best- your biggest fish of a species. Dinghy: The sound made by a ship's bell. A Hoodoo: When you can't catch a certain fish/size of fish. eg a kingfish hoodoo, 20lb snapper hoodoo etc. A noah: a shark (from Noah's ark = shark). I've only heard it used in South Aus, but it's a good one. KY: a kahawai Hoodlum/ the man in the green jacket/ thug of the reef: a kingfish Softie: Angler who puts on his/her jumper when no one else is wearing one. Also any softbait/SP (soft plastic lure). Bunny: a complete beginner fisho. We all start here. The long wand: fly rod. Fluff chucker: Fly fisherman. Kopapa: Juvenile kahawai, usually with coloured spots down its flanks. Shag: (1) a cormorant. (2) the reproductive act when performed in the UK. Sprat/herring, YEM (thanks Pjay): A Yellow-eyed mullet. "Yellow-eyed mullet" is a bit too long to say. Many don't like to use them for bait, but they do work: Tangoio, Napier. Gut content (got him on a rapala skitterpop):  I got this one on a live sprat last weekend, my PB from the shore:  Pillie: a pilchard Beakie/stickface: a marlin Broadie: a broadbill swordfish. Also swordie. YFT/'fin: A yellowfin tuna. Historical records indicate that these fish used to be available to Kiwi anglers. You can still find them tinned on supermarket shelves. Moron: another angler not connected to your immediate fishing party. Mud marlin/flying carpet: a stingray/eagle ray. Flying carpet because they often leap when hooked. Yakka (Aus): a yellowtail mackerel, also "horse mackerel". (Anyone know why they're called "horse mackerel"?) They often have parasites in their mouths:  Great bait for just about anything, excellent eating too.  Mulie (West Aus): a pilchard. the ten knot clause: A sensible addition to an employment/marriage contract which allows an angler permission to immediately go fishing when the wind is forecast at or below 10kts. |
Posted By: smudge
Date Posted: 27 Feb 2012 at 7:34pm
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Here's mistake to avoid I thought best to put in here, picked it up from another post somewhere but cant remember, it's something I always practice but because of that it's easily forgotten when handing out advice: Dont hook your strip baits in the middle or they will spin in the current, when you drop your line to the bottom and winding in. Hook it at one end so it hangs from the hook. |
Posted By: Capt Asparagus
Date Posted: 27 Feb 2012 at 7:40pm
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...and if you are using recurve hooks, remember not to jam the hook up with bait... hanging a strip bait from a circle hook is a very effective way of picking up fussy fish, just once thru the end of the bait and let it waft down the current like that. Some more definitions... Camp Site. In fishing terms, denotes the place the outboard motor broke down. Kapok (a) the soft white fluffy stuff stuffed in life jackets, (b) the promising backfire noise made by an outboard after 40 pulls of the starter cord. Sorry to distract from the legitimate good oil here, but hey, I weren't the first! :-) |
Posted By: ReelChixFish
Date Posted: 27 Feb 2012 at 8:24pm
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Fishy smells on hands... It may not be a mistake but it's certainly something to avoid! I'm also going to say straight away here, bring your mind back out of the gutter...! Not overly flash (especially not feminine) going out after a hard days fishing stinking of rotten bait etc... ANYWAY....After you've been out and hopefully managed to come back and fillet some fish... ** put a dollop of toothpaste on your hands and wash just as you would with soap, whammo fishy smell gone! **
------------- https://www.facebook.com/ReelChixFish |
Posted By: Ahab
Date Posted: 27 Feb 2012 at 10:08pm
How well we know that sound! Sometimes accompanied by a cloud of black smoke up the nostrils..
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Posted By: Ahab
Date Posted: 27 Feb 2012 at 10:38pm
Good advice, that, also CA's after it. Also: When baiting with soft fish flesh like bonito/skippie, push the point of the hook through the bait once, from the flesh side and out the skin side. This way the hook holds the flesh against the skin and the whole thing is a bit longer-lasting.
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Posted By: PJay
Date Posted: 29 Feb 2012 at 5:54am
Another idea for getting fish smell off hands: use only cold water to wash hands. Something to do with hot water opening up the pores so as to suck fish goop in. I don't know anything other than works for me. ------------- PJ |
Posted By: Ahab
Date Posted: 29 Feb 2012 at 10:15am
Thanks PJay, forgot that one. Have updated post.
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Posted By: scuzzymoto
Date Posted: 29 Feb 2012 at 10:55am
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Well done Tom very good thread. ------------- "It's easier to fool people than to convince them that they have been fooled” Mark Twain |
Posted By: EditB
Date Posted: 29 Feb 2012 at 5:30pm
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Eagerness It's great to get excited and want to rush off to that super exciting spot-x but before you do, slow down a bit, double check you've got the basics with you - rod, reels, bait, berley etc. Can be a pain in the behind if you've slogged for ages to get to spot-x to discover you've left the reels back in the bach or the bait in the car at the beach. (hypothetical situations of course, never happened to me, oh no  )
------------- I do not lie about fishing, I willingly participate in a campaign of misinformation. |
Posted By: Capt Asparagus
Date Posted: 29 Feb 2012 at 11:40pm
| ....or indeed, didn't check the bung in the boat before launching..... |
Posted By: Ahab
Date Posted: 01 Mar 2012 at 5:39pm
| Avoid getting sand in your reels. Especially the black stuff from the West Coast (iron sand). This seems to be finer than the white variety, and I think it's magnetised as well. If you have to put your reel down, put it on a rag/tee shirt or keep it in a rod holder. Also be careful when you put it in your fishing bag, which can get filled with sand by the wind. Best to have a spare plastic bag for your reels on the way home. Just don't leave them in the plastic. It's a good idea to remove the spool and get all the sand out after a day's fishing, but don't start unscrewing the reel body, as this will void its warranty. Also you'll probably be unable to reassemble it yourself. |
Posted By: Ahab
Date Posted: 01 Mar 2012 at 6:05pm
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Tangles: If your line gets badly tangled while you're fishing, weigh up how much time it will take to unpick it all, compared to cutting the line and re-tying. It's often preferable to abandon a few meters of line rather than fritter around for ages getting out a tangle. If you're using braid and get a wind knot (or casting knot): 1. keep it as loose as possible 2. pluck at the loops until you find one that seems to "bind" the rest. 3. at the base of the loops, try and pluck this loop out and gently tug it. Hopefully this will free the whole thing. Hard to explain here. Better still to avoid them in the first place. This clip gives some good pointers (thanks Kenshin): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1EdrTvTKsQ - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1EdrTvTKsQ
Avoid aggro: Both dealing it out and receiving it are unpleasant, unless you're a sociopath or a masochist. When someone does something inconsiderate or just plain idiotic, try to avoid losing it. This is something I have to remind myself. Rage can get you in a heap of trouble, or just ruin your happy fishing vibe. Being on the receiving end of aggro is usually due to a lack of awareness. One big way to avoid aggro is to follow these rules: keep your distance and communicate. This means going out of your way a bit to miss an anchored boat when travelling from spot to spot. If fishing on the shore, talk to fishos already there before you set up. Ask them where it's OK for you to fish. A lot of the time if you hit it off, they'll be happy to let you share their berley trail, or at least give you a few pointers. |
Posted By: PJay
Date Posted: 01 Mar 2012 at 6:07pm
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From Ahab's previous post: never take an overhead casting reel with magnetic brake on to one of the West Coast black sand beaches, for the reason that even if it isn't magnetised sand it will be get pulled inside the reel. Even windborne sand will get in...crunch crunch crunch. Like so many on this thread, I learned by experience (should've been obvious...). Also, on tangles: the line cannot tie knots. All it can do is make loops. So don't tighten them unless you're sure they'll pull out (the last couple of loops in a braid windknot can often be sorted out this way, but only that last stage).
------------- PJ |
Posted By: The cook
Date Posted: 02 Mar 2012 at 3:39pm
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Eagerness cont; Edit B's point about eagerness is a good one, only last night in a hurry to get out for a fish after work forgot the bait knife & burley rope.
But where it really hit home was at Tauputaputa, arrived late afternoon for a week of camping & so eager to get out for a fish charged off to launch boat as soon as we had set camp. Long story short, snapped transom & drowned motor on the dinghie in a big set while launching.
Had a week to sit & whatch the beach & discover that surf did very different things at different stages of the tide.
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Posted By: Ahab
Date Posted: 02 Mar 2012 at 4:23pm
Sounds like a bloody nightmare, PJay! I've twice had reels get immersed in that iron sand under the water: not pretty. Here's a rescue at Awhitu Peninsula. Wasn't watching the tide.  |
Posted By: Ahab
Date Posted: 04 Mar 2012 at 4:13pm
Avoid drowning or splashing your mobile phone. Many fishos, myself included have done this. Now I use a dry bag like this: This is a Sea to Summit one, have been using it for years. I had two Kathmandu bags before that, they both tore quite quickly. I keep a lot of stuff in mine, painkillers, toilet paper, trout licence etc. I usually have a cigarette lighter too. I turn the phone to its highest setting. Avoid answering the phone if you have a line in the water. Fish come first. Most fishos have lost a fish/missed a bite while answering the phone. Avoid losing your rod on the rocks. This happens when a fish grabs your bait and for some reason the drag doesn't kick in, eg you've set it too high or haven't clicked the baitrunner/freespool on, or you got an overrun. You can buy various leashes, but this system works best for me: Mooring hitch to the rod above the reel.  NB: I used to use a clip or carabiner connection, but they're too much of a fiddle when you want to grab the rod to follow a rampaging king. This knot is released by a strong pull of the tag end. http://www.netknots.com/html/mooring_hitch.html - http://www.netknots.com/html/mooring_hitch.html
At the other end, a pyramid sinker on a wire. Thick mono would do just as well. This jams into a crack, very handy if there's no rock to tie off to.  Camera case: These little food containers do a good job of protecting your camera from impacts and splashes.  |
Posted By: Ahab
Date Posted: 06 Mar 2012 at 10:19pm
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Emergency baits and berleys. If you can't get to the bait shop and the servo is out of bait, you can usually get squid from the supermarket. If not fresh, get the frozen tubes. You don't need a lot, as hopefully you should be able to catch some bait fish to get you started. Live mussels are another option. You'll need to take bait elastic, as mussel is a soft bait and every little toothy bugger in the sea likes to eat it. Also take plenty of rags as they're bloody slimy. For berley, fish-based cat food is not too bad. Sprats (Yellow eyed mullet) love it. Puncture a few holes in the cans. A big dog sausage is also decent berley. You can chop big discs of it off and lob them in as groundbait. Dough is another bait option. Use flour, water and if you like put the juice from a can of sardines. Mix to a consistency where it's something like putty. You can add torn up cotton balls to give it some structural integrity. I've only used it for piper (it's great), but it would have to be worth a try for snapper and kahawai in larger quantities. White bread is a great base for home made berley. Just by itself it will attract a wide range of species. If you put a whole loaf in your berley bag/pot it dissipates fairly gradually, and is normally so soggy that the gulls can't carry it away. Bits will float away on the surface and you'll often find that you have a heap of kahawai sucking them off the surface just out of sight, but within casting range.
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Posted By: Richard34482
Date Posted: 06 Mar 2012 at 11:38pm
| Avoid rushikng out and buying a boat ( they are a money pit unless brand spanking new) take your time talk to zillions of people about boats, talk to boat sales people, but buy a boat with a new fuel efficient engine it will save you heaps |
Posted By: laidbackdood
Date Posted: 07 Mar 2012 at 2:55pm
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Hey mate...can you point me in the right direction for one of those crayfish bags....paid for one from diveplanet...waited 15 days(no replies) and ended up being refunded(at least i got my money back i suppose!)...Thanks ------------- Once the idiots turn up..Im outta here...No time for Drama Queens. |
Posted By: Ahab
Date Posted: 07 Mar 2012 at 10:35pm
| Yeah mate, I got mine at DiveHQ in Westhaven. |
Posted By: scuzzymoto
Date Posted: 07 Mar 2012 at 10:57pm
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reels in black sand- are fine if you put a smear of vas on the inside of the spool lip, I fish black sand alot and clean my reels all the time and dont really have a issue- I have and have seen f/s reels destroyed by black sand as alot of people just hose them down - pull them apart and clean them, seen reels with far to much grease and oil in them which does not help ------------- "It's easier to fool people than to convince them that they have been fooled” Mark Twain |
Posted By: laidbackdood
Date Posted: 08 Mar 2012 at 12:33am
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Thanks ------------- Once the idiots turn up..Im outta here...No time for Drama Queens. |
Posted By: Ahab
Date Posted: 08 Mar 2012 at 6:54am
Good tip Scuzzy. Have had the sand get into the bail roller, but I've been able to get it out myself.
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Posted By: laidbackdood
Date Posted: 08 Mar 2012 at 8:59pm
Bad news ahab...went to dive HQ and smart marine etc today and they dont have that crayfish catch bag any of them...so it seems i have failed in my attempt to secure one ------------- Once the idiots turn up..Im outta here...No time for Drama Queens. |
Posted By: scuzzymoto
Date Posted: 08 Mar 2012 at 9:12pm
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dive tank cover- stitch up the end works like a treat and cheap ------------- "It's easier to fool people than to convince them that they have been fooled” Mark Twain |
Posted By: Ahab
Date Posted: 08 Mar 2012 at 9:14pm
Stink mate! Maybe post on the spearo's forum? Someone should know where to get one. You could buy loose thick mesh at the sailing spot next door to Dive HQ last time I was there. Probably cheaper and not too hard to sew into a bag.
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Posted By: BigHead
Date Posted: 10 Mar 2012 at 11:19pm
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Why do some people say always poke the hook through flesh first and then into the skin? Does it make a difference if done the other way around? |
Posted By: Capt Asparagus
Date Posted: 11 Mar 2012 at 12:25am
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Two ways of looking at it there.... I like having the hook in thru the flesh, out thru the skin as it exposes the hook and barb better. Others say thru the skin and out the flesh as the fish eat the flesh side first. Who knows? |
Posted By: Lethal
Date Posted: 11 Mar 2012 at 1:13am
try here he has one for sale.... Trade me... http://www.trademe.co.nz/sports/scuba-snorkelling/bags/auction-455175964.htm - http://www.trademe.co.nz/sports/scuba-snorkelling/bags/auction-455175964.htm ------------- Thanks for everything you did for us Eric. may you rest in peace, You were one of the real legends of NZ recreational fishing |
Posted By: Jet_ski_fisher
Date Posted: 11 Mar 2012 at 1:44am
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Flesh side first as the hook keeps the meat intact for a bit longer. if you hook it skin side first you end up crushing the flesh to mush. and the fish pickers pick the flesh out and leave the skin on ------------- http://www.legasea.co.nz" rel="nofollow">  MH... Catch measure release...<*))))< |
Posted By: smudge
Date Posted: 11 Mar 2012 at 8:46am
| Yes what HCG said. It simply is easier to do and helps keep the bait intact. |
Posted By: Panser
Date Posted: 11 Mar 2012 at 5:46pm
| Supercheap sell Lanox. I use it on my boat trailer. Works a charm |
Posted By: Ahab
Date Posted: 11 Mar 2012 at 6:46pm
Thanks mate, will grab a can.
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Posted By: BigHead
Date Posted: 11 Mar 2012 at 7:11pm
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I see.. Will try that next time!
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Posted By: smudge
Date Posted: 11 Mar 2012 at 10:07pm
| Depends a bit on how the fish are biting, if you're using small baits and the fish are wolfing down the baits then fish a heavy drag. If bigger baits let them run a little before setting the hook. |
Posted By: BigHead
Date Posted: 11 Mar 2012 at 10:52pm
Thanks Smudge! Learnt something new 
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Posted By: MrRabbit
Date Posted: 12 Mar 2012 at 8:39am
A couple of things to add. Berley bags. They need to be strong and resilient-loose your berley you are heavily compromised in many cases. Grab a metre or two of offcut heavy net like trawl net from the netmakers. In my experience they'll just let you have a chunk as it's not much use to them. It's pretty easy to make a bag from there. A chicken wire "lolly" works pretty well too. Second, mistakes to avoid; Forgetting/neglecting to take a good parka. If you get wet (and you are going to) any kind of wind will ruin your day or worse. I've got a PVC jacket that rolls into a bundle the size of a Subway, and its a lifesaver. Suggest also a polyprop top to go underneath just in case. As Kitterage pointed out in his Kingfish book, it's easier to take a layer of warm clothing off than put it on if you don't have any with you. Rods; I have a custom made rod wrap, but its a bit bulky for most of the missions I do, so I use it for transporting rods in, or on cars and storing them. 30cm of EVA foam like the stuff on bike handlebars from Payless Plastics, Para Rubber et al is great slipped over rod tips for protection and the Dollar save in Mt Wellington sells this really useful narrow gauge bungy cord in bright colours for $3 for 10 metres. It is invaluable cut into [disposable] strips for tying rods & gaffs etc into a manageable bunch, lanyarding gear to rocks/boats/kayaks etc.
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Posted By: MrRabbit
Date Posted: 12 Mar 2012 at 8:47am
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Oh yeah. Another thing, good quality filleting & bait knives. Marsic Bros in GI sell Victory brand knives at their fish shop. They are between $30 to $45 dollars depending on which model you want. Anyone who knows that family knows that they are experts with fish, and Victory are the knives they are using, and have been for ever. Lofty Marsic, told me "These are so sharp you could shave pussy with them", I bought one, and although I haven't had the opportunity yet, I believe him.. Victory are Kiwi made too.
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Posted By: SufixRockMan
Date Posted: 12 Mar 2012 at 9:53am
| If you're connecting braid-to-mono a pair of oven mitts are good for when you're really pulling the knot tight at the end - a few wraps around each gloved hand and pull tight. Especially handy as braid is more than capable of cutting you given enough pressure. |
Posted By: MrRabbit
Date Posted: 12 Mar 2012 at 10:05am
Now thats worth knowing. I'm going to take one in my kayak kit for freeing snags too. Braid cuts-trez fou!
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Posted By: SufixRockMan
Date Posted: 12 Mar 2012 at 10:05am
| Old socks also make passable reel covers when walking into the rocks. My favourite are old rugby socks. |
Posted By: MrRabbit
Date Posted: 12 Mar 2012 at 10:10am
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Posted By: Ahab
Date Posted: 12 Mar 2012 at 3:11pm
True on both scores mate! Hemmingway's Big Hearted River is my favourite trout yarn I reckon.
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Posted By: MrRabbit
Date Posted: 12 Mar 2012 at 4:09pm
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I just read a Hemingway published posthumously by his daughter "Islands in The Stream", it's mostly set in the Carribean during the 40's and is totally analogous to Hemingway's life. There is a section in it where the central figure takes his sons gamefishing in the Gulf Stream and one of the boys endures an epic battle (6 hours I think) with the biggest Marlin anyone on the boat has ever seen. This is back in the days of star drag 1 to 1 ratio winch reels and linen string that had to be de spooled every night after fishing. It's a wicked tale even by Hemingway standards. Auckland Libraries have it dude...
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Posted By: MrRabbit
Date Posted: 12 Mar 2012 at 4:23pm
Lemon juice works well too, but the best one I've discovered is Plax mouthwash. Just wash your hands and rub mouthwash through them, it nukes fish stink!
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Posted By: Ahab
Date Posted: 12 Mar 2012 at 9:36pm
Thanks mate, think I remember it. There's a WWII element to it, isn't there? They're chasing a German or Japanese boat through the cays? Remember the fishing bit too, including the outcome. |
Posted By: Ahab
Date Posted: 12 Mar 2012 at 9:58pm
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Avoid the bottom corroding out of your hot smoker by washing the ash out thoroughly, allowing to dry and spraying it with cooking oil. If you don't have spray oil, the regular stuff will do just as well, smear it on with a rag. If you leave ash in it reacts with the metal and eats through quite quickly, especially if it gets wet. Don't use industrial protectant, of course (yes, I did this once, with silicon spray!).
Better yet, put the woodchips on tin/aluminium foil to protect the metal of the smoker (thanks Mike12fttin and Pjay) |
Posted By: MrRabbit
Date Posted: 12 Mar 2012 at 9:59pm
| That's the one. Chasing a murderous crew from a sunken U Boat through the cays. All his sons die, he never keeps the women he loves and he's a chronic booze hound with mental American mates and huge artistic talent. Lots of drinking, guns, fishing & boats-in a nutshell vintage Ernest Miller Hemingway, more god than man.Kinda like Frank Zappa... |
Posted By: Ahab
Date Posted: 13 Mar 2012 at 10:16am
I'd like James Ellroy to do fishing stories...
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Posted By: Ahab
Date Posted: 13 Mar 2012 at 10:23am
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Avoid getting sunscreen and insect repellent on your terminal tackle, baits and softies. Apparently the smells put fish off. Hard to avoid when you've just smeared yourself with sunscreen, but wipe your hands well and if you're really keen you can mush a pillie between your hands to mask the alien smells (I know a guy who does this). You can get special smell-neutralising wipes too from the fishing shops, too. If you're on heart meds you're supposed to wear gloves, as the meds come out in your sweat and can get on your gear and spook the fish (don't know if this is true or a myth).
If you hook a ray, they'll usually stop and clamp down to the bottom. You can often get them moving again by pulling the line tight and twanging it like a guitar. It's best to do this without using the rod (ie pull the line with your hand directly connected to the fish). Then you can tire them and bring them in for release. Releasing is best done by turning them upside down so they go passive. Don't cut their tails off, they need them.
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Posted By: MrRabbit
Date Posted: 13 Mar 2012 at 10:40am
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Haha, yeah, "The Cold Six Kilo"- "Kingies cruised the currents and jived.Ahab dug on Kingfish. Ahab fought Kingfish sloooow. Said Kingfish snarfed Kahawai..." Crack me up mate, politically deviant Kingfish with mob coon-ections..Snapper with drug habits and sexually deviant Rock Cod....
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Posted By: Mike12fttin
Date Posted: 13 Mar 2012 at 10:43am
Or you can put a layer of tinfoil on the bottom of the smoker before each smoke. At the end, once its cooled down, you just wrap it up and put in the bin.
I do admit - this can get expensive if your doing a lot of smokes.
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Posted By: Ahab
Date Posted: 13 Mar 2012 at 10:49am
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Posted By: Ahab
Date Posted: 13 Mar 2012 at 10:50am
He he, that would be a great read...
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Posted By: MrRabbit
Date Posted: 13 Mar 2012 at 11:02am
| Not hard to imagine a bad tempered 38kg Kingie called Pete B in the plot is it...Hoover would have to be a John Dory surely. |
Posted By: Ahab
Date Posted: 14 Mar 2012 at 8:36am
If two piece rods get stuck together at the join, don't use the eyes of the rod as a grip to twist them apart. You'll probably ruin one or both eyes. Sam Mossman published this tip in NZFN a couple of years ago: get one of these gloves from a saddler (it's called a grooming mitt): One of these makes the job very easy. You can also use rubber oven mitts, and probably heavy duty rubber cleaning gloves. Someone on this forum also suggested wrapping thick rubber bands around the rod and twisting. To prevent it happening again, take the lead (graphite) out of a pencil and crush it to a powder. Then shake this onto both male and female sections of the rod. Another option is to rub the male end on the side of your nose or behind your ear. A surprising amount of grease in these places! You can also use a candle: just rub it on the male section. I've found this can be a problem in extremely tight joins, however. The wax seems to create a suction effect which makes things more difficult. Hence graphite is better, I reckon. |
Posted By: Ahab
Date Posted: 14 Mar 2012 at 8:39am
Yeah, and plenty of hagfish in the mix!
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Posted By: EditB
Date Posted: 14 Mar 2012 at 9:24am
Stinky rubbish bins  to avoid stinky rubbish bins/bags after filleting/smoking/eating your catch at home, put all the heads and frames into a bag and freeze them. Then put the frozen frames into your rubbish bin/bags before putting on the street.
------------- I do not lie about fishing, I willingly participate in a campaign of misinformation. |
Posted By: PJay
Date Posted: 14 Mar 2012 at 10:28am
No, none at all. The alufoil doesn't show any sign of any damage at all after the fire's out. This idea's saved me heaps over the last 10 years. ------------- PJ |
Posted By: Ahab
Date Posted: 14 Mar 2012 at 12:14pm
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Thanks fellers, will amend the original post. |