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...with Tony Webber, Noosa Blue Water Charters. |
Over
the past four years we've experimented with various types of rod and reel
combinations to be used exclusively on  our
charter boats. Choosing an outfit for the absolute beginner through to
the most experienced angler is never an easy task, especially when we
start talking the offshore scene. Initially we tried several off the rack,
mass produced rods but they didn't stand the test of time especially when
you consider that the rods have a different angler every day.Now, after four years of trial and tribulation we have settled on a custom built rod from the Wilson Live Fibre Range. The blank is the Wilson Live Fibre 15kg to 24kg which sounds a bit of overkill until you consider that the live fibre blanks have the sensitivity of a 5kg to 10kg tipped rod but also have the low down grunt of a 24kg to 37kg rod. These blanks have been cut down to 5'6" which makes them ideal for maneuvering about the boat. These outfits are given a soap and scrubbing brush treatment after each outing and inevitably they tend to wear down over time. To minimise this this they have been fitted with quality light game graphite reel seats and oversize hypalons, ensuring long life under harsh conditions. We use the Alvey 725C deep sea fishing reels. These quality Australian made reels have been on the boat for approximately 3 years and still continue to provide excellent service. It is only in the past month that we have had to replace the drag washer sets, which from our perspective is excellent service. Any problems can nearly always be fixed onboard the boat with the cost of the parts being minimal. These reels are loaded with 15kg Schneider line which has given us sensational service. This heavy duty, versatile, easy to manage rod/reel combination has accounted for numerous quality fish. This includes Black Marlin to 50kg, Cobia to 25kg plus, Spanish Mackerel to 15kg and many other quality trophy fish for the numerous patrons whom have fished with us. This combination has rarely ever lets us down and big fish have only ever been lost by driver error. We always continue to keep up with state of art tackle and follow new developments within the tackle industry but we believe that we have found the ultimate bottom bashing outfit and we will continue to use the equipment until a company or individual can come up with something that works better. Thinking of trying your hand at offshore fishing in Noosa? You can email Tony at: noosablue@bigpond.com |
