Tackle & Techniques

Terminal tackle is the stuff at the pointy end of your fishing gear.   Hooks, swivels, lines, leaders and clips.  Over the years I've tried many different brands of all types and here is my selection of trusted terminal tackle.  This is gear that I know won't let me down when the fish of a lifetime smashes the lure or grabs a bait.

Swivels

I use swivels in my livebait rigs, its important to have a good quality swivel because the fish can be quite large and extended fights can put alot of stress on swivels.  Shogun once again is the only brand I trust in particular the black crane or rolling swivels.  They can be quite cheap if purchased in packs of 50.  Available from the The Tackle Warehouse or BCF.

Brand to avoid: Surecatch, Seahorse, any elcheapo brand.

Hooks

Good quality hooks are needed for livebaiting as they are at the pointy end of your rigs.  Firstly they should be sharp and retain that sharpness over a number of fish and secondly they should be strong yet thin enough to have good penetration.  Over the years I've tried a number of brands but now the only brand I'll use is Gamakatsu.  In particular the Octopus Black in sizes 4/0 -8/0.  I'll also use the Octopus Red but they do not hold the sharpness as well as the blacks, they also lose the red colouring after a few fish. Prices are $29.95 per box of 50. Available from most tackle stores.

Leaders

I've tried a number of leader materials over the years and went through a period of heavy testing early in 2010.  I tried flourocarbons and monofilaments and eventually settled on Famell Super Shock Leader and now its the only leader material I use in the 20 -50lb range.  The only bad aspect about it is that I haven't been able to find any of  it in the lighter or heavier sizes.  So whats so good about it?  Firstly and most importantly it ties a superb knot, and secondly its very hard wearing and abrasion resistant.   I use it for both lure fishing and live baiting leaders.  Available in 20, 30, 40 and 50lb sizes for around $29.95 per 100m spool.  BCF is the only store that stocks it.

Brands to avoid: Berkley Vanish

Trebles

Finding good quality trebles has always been difficult.  A few years ago Owner launched a new range of trebles called the Cultiva Stinger.  The silver ST-56 is my preferred strength as it is the perfect match between strength and penetration.  Avoid the black stingers as they lack the strength needed for seaway fishing.  The ST-66 is a heavier gauge but the retention rate is poor due to the thickness of the hooks. The ST-46 are okay for smaller and larger lures but avoid in the mid sizes.  Australian shops stock a limited range so most of mine are sourced from online japanese websites, notably Samurai Tackle and Oriental Angler .  Both now stock them in barbless variations as well. Special mention goes to Gamakatsu as well, although you need to pick the style carefully.

Brands to avoid: Just about any other brand on the market.

Braids

There are 3 brands of braid that I use, Firstly I use Stren Sonic Braid for casting work, its very limp though so should be avoided for plastic use as it has a tendency to tip wrap jigging plastics on the bottom.  It casts like a dream though and is ideal for working the washes or casting slugs to working fish.  Only available from 10lb to 50lb sizes.  Unlike other braids it doesn't fray after extended use.  Secondly I use Fins PRT for plastic or light work as its a bit stiffer, still a good quality braid I can trust and available in lighter breaking strains. Does fray after extended use though.  Thirdly I use Bionic Braid for livebait work mainly because its one of the cheaper good quality braids. In the 20 -50lb sizes it works fine.    I always use hi vis colours such as yellow because being able to see what your line is doing at all times is very important.  PE Braids are all the rage at the moment but the cost is prohibitive so I haven't tried any as yet.   Stren Sonic is only available through BCF, Fins PRT and Bionic Braid can be found in most tackle stores.  Prices are around 30 dollars for 125m.

Brand to avoid: Stren Micro Fuse, Berkely Fireline Crystal.

There have been a few questions about how I go about attaching the wire between the hooks of the 2 hook rig.  I was using a uni knot  but I've been testing a new knot over the last few weeks and now that I've caught some nice fish on it I'm quite happy to recommend it.  I can't remember if I read about it somewhere or if I came up with it on my own so we'll just call the the Figure 8 knot for now.  Its quite simple and very strong but there are a few caveats.  You must use nylon coated multistrand wire and the strength needs to be 30lb and above, any lighter and it will likely fail.  You must also test it by hooking it up to a bar and giving it a hard pull, if the wire was kinked during the knot cinching it will break, otherwise it will be solid as a rock.  Its worth noting that all my traces are tested with heavy load prior to bagging, that way you know the trace wont fail when you've got a fish on.

Step 1.  Tying the figure 8 knot.

Cut about 20cm of wire.  Thread the wire through the eye of the hook then bring it back along the incoming wire, loop it around the wire then thread it back through the loop you created close to the eye of the hook.  Once you've done that it should look like the picture below.

Tighten up the loop by pulling on both the incoming wire and the tag end and it should look like the picture below.  Cut the tag end leaving about 3mm of tag.  Ensure that you slide the  knot down the right hand side as shown in the picture below.   This will be the eye the mono gets attached to.

Tie another figure 8 knot to the hook on the other end of the wire.  Test both knots by hooking it onto something and giving it hard pull.  Once finished it should look like the picture below.  That is the wire section completed.  Ideally it should be between 10 & 15cm long for pike, 7-10cm for slimies & yellowtail.

Cut about 45cm of 40-50lb mono, using a uni knot attach it to the top hook making sure that it is tied to the left of the wire and tie a swivel on the other end also with a uni knot.  Your trace should now be completed, test the trace under load before bagging.  Your completed trace should look like the picture below.

Once completed and tested all my traces are placed into ziplock bags showing hook size, intended bait use, wire and mono strength.

Well after testing out the modified rig, it works and works well.  The clip allows easy changes of traces once they get damaged (and they do get damaged alot).  The addition of wire between the hooks didn't seem to bother the fish at all but I am going to increase the strength of that wire to 30lb. As you can see from the pic of the tailor below, they have a nasty habit of chopping off livebaits behind the head and in a dual hook rig, the only way you'll stay connected is with wire.  I'm going to go with 5/0 Gamakatsu octopus black as my standard hook size as it matches the pike size nicely, but I'll keep a few in the 3/0 size for herring.  Pike is definitely a favoured livebait, as they were generally eaten within minutes of being put down there, some were even taken before they reached the bottom, but I'm sure slimies and yellowtail would work as well.  Hookup rate was excellent, around 90% of all hits resulted in a hookup which is why I prefer the dual hook rig.

I'm going to be throwing around some unweighted pike into the washes over the next couple of months, just to see if there are any big tailor or trevally skulking around that are ignoring lures, it should be an interesting experiment.

I have decided to try a bit of livebaiting the seaway after a long absence so I thought I'd take a look at the rig I use and see if it can be improved.

The old rig consists of a standard 2 hook rig(Gamakatsu Octopus Black 3/0 - 7/0) on a metre long 30-50lb trace this is tied to a swivel then I place a 5mm bead on the upside of the swivel then its tied to a 5 m long shock leader of 40lb then tied onto 50lb braid.  Next part is a sinker(1-4 oz) on a 1.5m long trace of 12lb mono tied to a clip.  This clip is then attached above the bead.

First up I'm adding a high quality clip (shogun size 3 rated to 80lb) just below the bead, this will enable me to change traces easily as the traces are already premade.  So if the trace gets abraded or the bottom hook gets cut off I'll just unclip it and add a new trace in about 10 seconds.   Secondly related to the problem of getting cut off which is quite common due to the large tailor that frequent the area, I'll be adding a short wire trace between the first and second hook, this will be a limited trial to see if it has any effect on the hookup and retention rate.  If it scares off the big jews then I may discontinue its use.

I'll be using two outfits.  first one is a heavy outfit designed for use with 40cm+ livebaits and targeting sharks. Reel is a Daiwa Sealine LD50H loaded with 500m of 50lb Bionic Braid, Rod is a Shimano Backbone Rod rated to 20kg.  Second outfit is a 7" Team Daiwa Advantage Medium Heavy rod rated to 8kg with 300m 20lb Bionic Braid, this one will be for small live baits, herring, small pike and small mullet.

Among the latest lure releases online were these Fish Arrow Flash-J 3" in Glow Silver, now that I have a pack here to look at I'm very impressed, easily the best white pilchard imitation I've yet seen. They have a metallic foil insert which imitates the silver belly section.  A bit expensive at around $13.00 a pack for only 5 plastics so not something you want to be throwing at tailor or pike, but would be ideal for fussy tuna and trevally.  A finesse plastic they should be ideal for dropshotting.

Some new lures on the market now with decent seaway fishing potential, check out the lures below I've added videos where possible.

Zipbaits System Minnow 15F - 150mm, Floating, 26.5gms

A big floating shallow diving minnow, one of the closest pilchard imitations I've seen.  Looks like it would be ideal for wash fishing especially at the top of the tide when you can get right into the rocks.  Ideal for The Edge prospecting.  Hardware is good with #3 Owner St46 as standard.  An expensive minnow though at around $30-35.00.  I'll be getting one for testing during the summer months. Some nice colours in the range though the Hologram Sardine(pictured) is the standout.

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Ima Barbarossa - 120mm. sinking,  33 grams

A sinking pencil lure, has an excellent flash and a nice wobble on the sink.  Should work well on the flats and working the Face with a decent sink time.  No real standout colours though, I'd probably go with the Sahari Joker colour(pictured).  The hardware looks good with #3 ST 46 as standard. Price is around $30-35.00.

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Zipbaits Surf Driver 110s - 110mm, Sinking ,19.5grams

A medium sinking diver with a good wobbling action, would be a good lure for the flats and prospecting around the front of the walls.  #6 ST46 are standard, these are a bit light for seaway fish, probably better off upgrading to #6 ST56.  Price is around $25.00.   A nice range of colours with Sand Borer(pictured) my favourite.

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Zipbaits ZBL Monsoon Breaker - 115mm, Sinking, 29grams

A sinking pencil designed for long casts during strong winds, very streamlined and has a nice wobble on the sink with a slalom S action on a standard retrieve.  Standard hooks may be a bit light being only #6 ST46, might need to upgrade those to ST56.  Superb colour range with many nice colours including a nice garfish imitation 'Ohnago'(pictured).  Price is around $25.00.

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New Zipbaits Vib 80-25g NEW Limited Edition colour

This is a new limited edition colour of one of my favourite lures the Vib 80-25g, called Bloody Sardine this colour looks superb and is on my must buy list.

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The Japanese make some great lures and finding them in Australia can be a frustrating experience, usually retail shops carry only a small range and only have them once never to be seen again, they also have a tendency to overcharge something chronic.  Over the last couple of years Japanese tackle shops have seen this demand and are now catering for international anglers over the Internet.  This guide will go into detail and review each of the online tackle stores that I know about judging each one on ease of use, payment methods, delivery times and range of stock.  If you have experience with other online tackle stores please let us know in the comments below.

Firstly a word of warning about online purchasing.  Online purchasing carries an element of risk as it relies on the honesty of the online retailer and there are alot of scammers out there willing to take your money and run.  The old saying that 'If it is too good to be true then it usually is' most definitely applies to purchasing over the internet.   That said most online tackle stores are honest and realise that repeat business is the path to success so they will dispatch your order promptly and communicate well.  Wherever possible pay by credit card or Paypal as both methods carry buyer protection.  Never spend what you can't afford to lose and always when purchasing via a new website make only a small order first to test dispatch times and communication.

Next, Delivery is something you need to take into account when purchasing.  Unless you have the patience of a saint, EMS or FEDEX is the only way to go.  These 2 options usually cost around US$15 and have a delivery time of 4-7 days.  Standard Air Mail can take 2-4 weeks.  Beacuse of this delivery charge you are better off buying 4 or more lures at once to offset the cost.

Price, on average you will pay between $20-25 each for lures shipped in from Japan, but this obviously depends on the strength of the Aussie Dollar.  Always use a currency converter before you complete checkout to know exactly how much you are spending.  XE.com is a good one to use.  When  paying by Paypal, they always have a exchange rate a couple of cents lower than the standard rate so it will cost you a little bit more.

Now on to the websites...

Samurai Tackle

Samurai Tackle has a good store with a decent range of Vibs, Minnows and Poppers and a good range of quality trebles to choose from, as with many of the others its plastics range is limited though it does score points  for having an excellent range of Ecogear Grass Minnows.  Quite a few items are out of stock though, and sometimes items are listed that are not in stock. They do let you know when this happens and give you a choice of another or refund.  The only payment method accepted is Paypal for international buyers.  Dispatch time is very good, usually within 24-48 hours, delivery time by EMS is 5-7 days.  Navigation is good with lures divided by type then brand, and brand searchable from the front page. Sale prices are in US Dollars only.

Plat

Plat often gets lures that noone else has, for example its the only one that has had the Daiwa Over There Range of sinking pencils.  Most lures are not restocked though after they are sold out so you need to subscribe to the newsletter to find out when he gets them in.  You can pay by Credit card or Paypal but the methods of doing this are a bit convoluted, he really should simplify it.  Dispatch time is good, within 48 hours, delivery time by EMS is 5-7 days.  Navigation is difficult with lures sorted by area of use( which is very subjective) then by brand. Sale Prices can be converted to Japanese Yen or US Dollars.

Ebay Tackle Stores

There are plenty of Ebay tackle stores but I'm only going to review the ones I've dealt with.  Ebay has a feedback system that allows buyers to rate the seller, this is a powerful tool for a buyer to decide whether or not the seller is worth dealing with.  The standard online warnings(see above) still apply though.

Shimreels (Ebay)

Shimreels is located in Vietnam and has an excellent Ebay store with over 8000 items in stock and the only store I have found which stocks a good range of Zipbaits Vib58-13g.  Feedback is okay considering the sales he has.  Communication is okay, but can take a day or 2 to get back to you. Payment is by Paypal only.  Items are Buy It Now only, no auctions.  Navigation is good, with categories by type and then brand.  Dispatch is within 24-48hrs and delivery time is 4-7 days by FEDEX. Sale prices are in $US only.

Sayaka 603 (Ebay)

Sayaka 603 has a good store with a fantastic range of Megabass lures, which many of the other stores only carry in limited quantities.  Feedback is okay considering the amount of sales he has.  Paypal is the only accepted payment method.  Dispatch time is okay with items posted within 2-4 days from date of purchase.  Delivery time by EMS is 5-7 days.  Because his range is limited navigation is easy via the brand categories.  He auctions lures constantly which enables you to pick up lures very cheap at times, though it requires a bit of patience.  Set an amount and only bid in the last 15 seconds of the auction, if the auction goes over your amount, ignore it and move to the next lure you are intereted in.  Communication is okay but not great.  Sale Prices are in $US only.