Omeo Bound

There's something wonderful about a trip away camping and fishing with mates. Cold beer round a camp fire after a day treading the streams, a few trout under your belt, a good feed to keep you warm and a night under the stars to remember past trips and talk about those to come.

Fishing Tackle Trade Show 2011 - Daiwa New Releases

It's was a run and gun affair for us at the trade show this year. Two days on the Gold Coast and one of those being devoted to Compleat Angler meetings meant one day to do a three day show. That said we did manage to get around and see pretty much all of the big wholesalers as well as a few of the smaller niche companies.

Haywire Twist & how to make a changeable Single Strand wire leader

When you're chasing species like Wahoo single strand wire traces are a must.
(pic by Tim Simpson)

It's a lot of years ago now that I watched a young Tim Simpson do a haywire twist in single strand wire for a customer chasing Spanish mackerel. I remember seeing the perfectly even twists that formed as he worked the wire between just his thumb and a few fingers. For some unknown reason I just had to learn how it was done. And so Tim gave me a demo, gave me a 1/4lb spool of 69lb single strand and sent me on my way to practise.

Mongolia - Titanic Trout (this article first appeared in some form in Modern Fishing Magazine)

Hucho Hucho Taimen - Worth a trip to the ends of the world!

I can’t quite tell if I was asleep or knocked unconscious from the pummelling I’d taken in the back of the Russian 4WD combi van. Either way it was rest, much needed rest.

Shimano Talica 8

Shimano Talic 8

Shimano tell us that the Talica reel is the best lever drag casting reel ever produced. With a drag capable of fishing heavy braid even on the tiny Talica 8 these reels are set to become a classic with those that like little reels that really pack a punch.

The Power to Assist - Assist Rig for Vertical Jigs

It’s an intense feeling. Finally after a year of preparation you’ve dropped a jig through a hundred metres of water and a school of samsons. You flip over the bail arm, jig your lure through the bottom layer of fish and come tight.

Slow Rollin' Trout.

I’d become complacent, hadn’t had so much as a tap, a follow or a swirl on the previous four lures and my motivation was starting to fade. It was an hour off dusk and the rain was starting to build. I wasn’t expecting much from the last lure change but mid retrieve on the very first cast the lure got crunched and I came tight to an angry Great Lake brown trout. The fight was short and sweet and moments later my first lure caught Tassie trout was being photographed by one very happy angler.

Daiwa Coastal Barra 153H

The new Coastal Barra 153H from Daiwa is a reel that is aimed specifically at the dedicated saltwater Barra angler. There are some neat features on this reel that should help it live up to that aim so let’s have a look at them.

Penn Pursuit Multi Coloured Braid

You’ve travelled from the east to west coast and have finally gotten to the wrecks that hold the Samson fish that were the whole point of the journey. Your 400gram jig has just reached the bottom in 100m of water and as you start your retrieve you know you’re only moments away from one of the most monumental hook-ups you’re going to get all year. It’s at this very moment that you hope and pray that everything in your setup is just right. 

Fox Jig Trek XT - 4pc Travel Rod

For too long the travelling angler has had to suffer the hassle of getting rods from home to the fishing destination. Long, cumbersome and somewhat heavy tubes, special check-in procedures, pick up from oversize baggage and the associated wasted time that goes with it. Fly fisherman have been blessed with rods that pack down to go inside standard luggage for years and certainly companies like Nitro have had the lighter end of the market covered for several years now also. What of the mid to heavy tackle fisherman? Those that want to troll for Marlin, Jig for Samson fish or throw poppers along a reef edge? They have been forgotten for too long…….until now!