ripshitandbust

caught a 15lber in good nick trolling in otago harbour this morning and saw one of a similar size landed off the wharf yesterday which prompted me to head out. Still not a lot of action but fish appear to be in good condition.

Does any know if the rangitata surf has been firing????!!!!

The model of Shimano you are thinking of is a TSMII C, the only reel of the TSM series with centrifugal braking. They are now quite rare. The guy who was using it was probably Kelvin Sewell, a guy who could outcast pretty much anyone. They are known as a good but extremely fiery reel.

To your list I would add
abu 6500 CT Rocket
abu 6500 CT mag…[Read more]

I have not tried an SL30SH, but i have used an SL20SH a lot, it was my first non level wind reel. I then had a 7HT when they first came out. The problem with the SL20SH was because of the narrow spool it lost volume too quick even with 0.35 mono and this caused a natural form of breaking. I gained a few metres with the 7HT which has a wider spool.…[Read more]

You are only ever going to be average distance-wise at best running a 7000, 7500 or Sl20SH, that said at some locations like the hurunui, orari and opihi big distance is not required. For top surf reels I would look at Akios 555 or 656 , penn mag 525, or penn squall 12 (all with no level wind) for mono and possibly one of the abu revo (level…[Read more]

Anything out of the rangi surf yet????!!!! here’s hoping Otago harbour pretty quiet at present hopefully the couta will be less of a problem than the last couple of years……

They are a good reel except the frame is not as sturdy as the older 7000’s or 7500’s and if you are capable of really laying into a cast you will eventually bend the frame (shove it sideways relative to the reel foot). It can be bent back into shape when you dismantle the reel. Mark Preston who is a very good surfcaster (used to be at the compete…[Read more]

great post. What is your recommendation for bibbed trolling lures? I routinely use rapala CD7’s They are expensive I pick them up cheap off ebay. Are there some good alternatives which give a bit of depth? I have a downrigger but in some places like the ahuriri arm of benmore it’s not really much use due to the shallow nature of the edges

why are you guys thinking big fish? I thought the numbers of small seemingly malnourished fish this past season reminded me of the collapse that occurred at the early 2000’s where at least on the waitaki and rangi where i was fishing a year of poorly conditioned fish was followed by a huge drop in numbers

Hi Lureman I too have a pmr custom Akios, nice wee reel its a 555 with the level wind removed. Jamie convinced me to go 555 not 656 he reckoned for up to 90g it would go better than a 656

Any reports of action from the hurunui mouth and surf? After a brief flurry a couple of weeks back inner otago harbour has gone quiet again. Also there were quite a few fish caught in the orari surf a few weeks back. Any recent word from there?

Is that an abu aeon? are you running braid on it?

Any new reports? anything more been weighed in at south rangi camp? All I have heard of is a 9lber out of the otago harbour basin on Friday night.

Nothing in Otago harbour yet, plenty of couta thou

How do things compare at the rakaia and rangi in comparison to normal years sounds pretty quiet? usually a few starting getting caught at show weekend??

nice work always a thrill to get an early one in the gut or in the surf?

has anyone heard if anything has been pulled from the rangi surf yet?

pretty quiet in here any one having any joy anywhere?

Thanks guys I’ll take a look at the waimak if I get a chance. I checked in at the otago harbour comp, it fished very poorly. There was an early run in the harbour but it fizzled out, nothing like last year. A few fish were coming from the Waitaki both up river and the surf till recently when they opened the tap and flows are now at 600 cumecs.…[Read more]

I am a dunedinite who will be in Christchurch this coming week. Chucking my gear in the truck. I have never fished the Rakaia, is it far to walk from the parking area to the southern side of the mouth. How has the rakaia surf been fishing? How about the waimak mouth/surf would this be a better option? which side is best to access it from?