Fishing Gear??

On my first trip with the family to CY, my son wanted to take a rod. No space I told him. Stopped at Weipa and spent a fortune on fishing gear. Amazing how I could find space when I saw the size of the stuff caught from the wharf ...:))

I would suggest something like Rex Hunt all purpose Shimano combo. Shimano make good stuff. 6-8 ft long 8-10lb line. I have lots of fishing rods and gear but if u only take one just make it a general purpose rod.

Go down to Kmart and pick up a GP rod and reel pack for about $20. I carr one about all the time with a small set of hooks and lures. Bait is easly just have a look what is floating down the waterway and use that. grasshoppers, bugs. At busy wharfs bread and hot chips work a treat.

shadow

alvey

Hands down in my opinion Penn makes the best reel, the investment will last you 10 years or more if you keep it oiled. For general purpose I'd go with a spinner reel, check out the Penn Spinfisher SS 6500 or 7500. As for a rod I'm originally from the States so I dont know what's being made in AU, but StarRods handcrafts the finest rods I have ever seen and they are sought after around the world. I've had the same Penn reel and StarRod set up for 11 years and they perform same as the same day I bought them. I think the rod/reel cost me $100 back then. The shipping to Australia would be well worth it.

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I've got a wide variety of fishing rods and reels (we use a boat, work off the beach and in the river etc) but when bush I take very simple basic gear. There is a heightened risk of breakage and losing the gear - unless the trip is all about fishing, cheap easily replaced gear is the go IMO. If it was one rod, a cheaper egg beater combo would be my choice - something anyone can use - $50 max probably - about 7-8 foot long (try for a set with a spare spool for the reel - for different line weight) - a small tackle box with the usual mixed goodies. As Eric suggested, a few hand reels with varying line weights is good for the other situations.

get handlines ,cheap, easy to store , no moving parts for dust. and doesnt matter if you lose them or get stolen.

i use a telescopic 6 ft baitcaster, compact when stored and so easy when moveing thru the scrub

I've got a length of 100mm sewer pipe that I mount on the roof racks. Have set it up so I can padlock the screw caps on both ends. Good protection for the rods when bush bashing and out of sight from those who think they need it more than me. The length is so I can get a full length beach rod in, but I can put a variety of rods in it, around eight rods if I choose.

I undestand the wish to carry as little as possibe, but with my set up I don't need to worry. I fit all the tackle, reels etc in a 20 Lt plastic bucket with lid, with small plastic containers for the tackle, sorted by fishing type. Keeps it all tidy and smell free in the vehicle. Bucket comes in handy when fishing as well.

Whatever rig you get, ALWAYS fish at low tide. There is less water and the fish are more concentrated then.

Matt.

I disagree with those who recommend a "cheap" outfit. $20 reel? You will be lucky if it lasts more than a few outings. The problem with these is the bail arm has a fixed line wheel which is usually nothing more than cheap chrome plated. It will cause undue stress and wear on the fishing line.

Like Brew, I have several different combinations, but a 6'-7' spinning rod and a reasonable quality "egg beater" reel spooled with 6-8kg line will suit most general purpose fishing trips.

The reels in KMart are generally quite good quality as reasonably priced. Something like Shimano, or Penn, or Jarvis Walker are all good brands and are available with multi ball bearings and rust proof construction. This type of reel will "feel" right and work well due to a counter balanced handle. They can be easily swapped from right to left handed operation.

A soft line such as "Pretest" will give you a longer life, better feel and far less tangles than a stiff type and you just may catch more fish.

Also, don't discount the local fishing tackle shops either. They are usually competitive with the big Shopping Centre stores and will give you valuable advise and assist you in selecting a total fishing solution to suit your budget, without "ripping you off". They will advise you on sinker weight and hook size to suit the Rod/Reel/Line combination and basically make that first fishing experience an enjoyable one.

And then there is expanding bait ...

When I had my Trak Shak CT built , I asked them to divide lengthways , the 6 foot long locker on the side . Now I can store poles in one side and a big assortment of rods or rod sections , in the other .

I always have a fast taper 10' rod that I can use for spinning off the rocks with a high speed overhead reel , a light beach rod of 11'4" for 12-15 lb liner , a light baitcast rod for 6 lb line and a barra baitcast rod which should handle 20 lb if I am careful .

If I am taking my tinny , I increase this selection ..................

If I could only take one rod and reel , it would be the 10 foot rod , but with an eggbeater ( good quality ) . Maybe with two spools of line - 12 lb and 20 lb . Then I could go beach fishing , estuary fishing and rock fishing . Not the ideal outfit for any of these situations , but able to do them all at a pinch .

I would suggest you go to a discount tackle store ( or check out some prices on the web ) for the following :
Silstar PT- 1002SFM
Okuma EZ-60
This outfit will last you forever and will not cost the earth . The Okuma has stainless steel gears and sealed bearings for use in salt water . The Silstar rod is a fast taper with a light tip so you can use it in many varied situations - and it won't bust on a fish .

I do not work for any fishing tackle company , I just want to give you good advice .

Cheers ,

Willie .

IMO , a good starting point is a Rex Hunt Shimano Combo (General Purpose) for around $100.

Something around 6-7 ft, eggbeater reel.

Very simple , pretty reliable.

Will handle estuary, boats , wharf , and places like the beach/rocks , where there is little wave action.

On ebay there's a mob in WA here who have a 2 piece 10ft spinner ugly stick for under $100. Add a reasonable reel (I like the Okumo's too) and IMO you've got a setup that will last you for ages (10 year guarantee on Ugly sticks I believe).

keep $20 in a bag hidden under the seat , find the local phone book or ask around where the nearest fish shop is, saves heaps, go to the jetty take your seat, couple of beers sit back & relax & watch the others do all the work while your enjoying the meal.