Blackfishing

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Originally Posted by korg20000bc

A soft flexible rod is particularly important for the above mentioned reasons so its hard to avoid the necessity for it. 9ft is a little short for fishing off the ocean rocks as you may need some better leverage to head them off from rocky edges or kelp.
I learned using a threadline/eggbeater style reel and am very happy with using one. I usually leave the bail arm open and use palm pressure on the spool to stop the line paying out. I can flick the bail arm over with my fingers if I need to rather than by turning the handle which would leave precious moments on no line control. I have used centrepin and sidecast reels but I always seem to end up with a bird's nest and frustration. Remember that for a balanced set-up you should have a low mounted reel if you intend to use a centrepin- but all things are possible.

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My Dad was a true believer in the 'old style' of Luderick fishing gear but at the age of 80 years young he bought an egg beater and used it hand in hand with his older gear with the same success rate in real time fishing on the water :)

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Originally Posted by UNDEROVER

By the way,
are those coloured chemically sharpened hooks worth the investment?? or is it a bit of a gimmick??:(

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Gamagatsu make a green pan fish hook in size 8 which is deadly on blackfish. Well worth the money. If you can't find these Mustad sneek hooks are the go

For what it's worth, I had a go last week off Woolgooga Headland, and managed a couple that would've given the kilo mark a nudge!:) Used cabbage on gamakatsu hooks with reasonable results, but after pulling hooks on a few while trying to keep them out from under the rock ledge at my feet, I finally managed a few. I landed 5 but lost probably that many again. Loads of fun though!
It was a good alternative when the strong winds would've otherwise kept me indoors.

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Originally Posted by UNDEROVER

For what it's worth, I had a go last week off Woolgooga Headland, and managed a couple that would've given the kilo mark a nudge!:) Used cabbage on gamakatsu hooks with reasonable results, but after pulling hooks on a few while trying to keep them out from under the rock ledge at my feet, I finally managed a few. I landed 5 but lost probably that many again. Loads of fun though!
It was a good alternative when the strong winds would've otherwise kept me indoors.

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Give red rock a go near the shop where the rock platform is and up near the water outlet,have caught a few there.I use a 8 weight flyrod and reel,heaps of length and nice and soft.

I'm hearing you!
I've been snorkeling at Red Rock quite a few times now, and have seen plenty of fish patrolling that ledge.
Some of which were quite a good size, but am yet to pull my finger out and get up there!

It has been some time since I posted previously and I'm only just getting my finger out trying to locate blackfish in the Tamar River, TAS.
The Brother in law and I (he's keen to learn) spent some time trying, at absolute low tide, to find some green weed growing in the Tamar. This will hopefully give us a bit of a guide for places to fish.
There seems to be no shortage of green weed about. This pier was just off the Beauty Point boat ramp:
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...012/01/897.jpg

On the opposite shore to Beauty Point we spied a very green line of rocks and checked it out. There was a stretch of about 150m of very weedy rocks just North of the woodchip mill wharfs. The tide was really ripping through on the in run. Maybe closer to the top of the tide when the rocks are covered it'll be worth a good go.

Still, I'm trying to find some places on the Western shore for land-based blackfishing.

Also, I found a photo of my dad blackfishing on Lake Illawarra, my older brother and myself- sometime in the late 70's. He taught me and his dad taught him. Now I have a son, I want to do my bit to keep the skills going.
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...012/01/898.jpg

Also, these are great old videos.
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2eCUrJ_mWaw]Rock Hoppers part 1 - YouTube[/ame]
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0P_G-vGXf8]Rock Hoppers Part 2 - YouTube[/ame]

Thanks for those old vids with the late great Ron Calcutt.

I've been an avid recipient of various fishing media over the years (although not Rons vintage!), and he was one of those timeless fishing personalities/gurus along with John Bethune and others.

As for the Blackfish hunting, keep us posted on your progress...Always keen to hear a good fishing yarn.

Cheers.