Snapper is a gateway drug

[Mattblack]

Yep…Snapper is a gateway drug. After finishing my 1st proper season of snapper fishing (pretty average results too I must say) I was starting to show the signs of addiction, you guys know….spending too much money, neglecting family duties, lying to the missus about where I’ve been & all that.
The thing that has really got me hooked was recently in Westernport when something large took off with my bait…..I had it set up for snapper so I had no chance. Trying to tighten the drag with the sound of the reel screaming was awesome…I presuming it was a shark or jet skier or something. I had absolutely no chance of stopping this thing and I ended losing all my line…..what a rush.
Then I get on this forum and see you guys catching Tuna and chasing Kingfish over Christmas and I’m thinking “sh*t yeah…I want some of this!”.
So tell me guys…what sort of reel/rod should I be looking at getting for this kind of stuff? (shark/tuna/kingfish).

[davek]

If snapper is a gateway drug you had better ease yourself into the harder stuff mate, cheers davo

[Mattblack]

If snapper is a gateway drug you had better ease yourself into the harder stuff mate, cheers davo

I'm ready for it man!...Is a Shimano Tyrnos 30 2 speed overhead reel and Shimano Backbone rod a good combo for a newbie?

[scott__henning]

Depends on your budget. 10-15kg rod with a 6500 size reel will knock over your normal school kings, and tuna. For bigger sharks you want a 15kg setup probably, but again the other rod can do it.

[smile0784]

We were catching 65 cm kingies on shimano 4000 size reels and 8kg rods so its possible on lighter gear.

My light tuna/ shark gear for Melbourne and bass strait sufff are 2 x tld 30 on 15kg over head game rods and shimano triton trolling 30 on 24kg flexible rod

For porltand and bermagui
Big tuna and marlin and sharks over 70kg i run tld 50s on 24 kg shimano game rods

[davek]

If snapper is a gateway drug you had better ease yourself into the harder stuff mate, cheers davo

I'm ready for it man!...Is a Shimano Tyrnos 30 2 speed overhead reel and Shimano Backbone rod a good combo for a newbie?

You're asking the wrong fella, I don't get to do the salt thing much anymore, no idea of the gear used these days, cheers davo

[Mattblack]

Depends on your budget. 10-15kg rod with a 6500 size reel will knock over your normal school kings, and tuna. For bigger sharks you want a 15kg setup probably, but again the other rod can do it.

....$500ish give or take. I don't want a Rolls Royce, but I don't want a Kia either

[4liters]

Penn Squalls seem to be pretty cheap. I've got a couple of smaller ones and have just ordered a 60

[purple5ive]

how did you go mate.
im also looking for a similar outfit.
so far a few choices for the smaller school sized fish have been.

shimano terez 15-30lb
shimano revolution offshore 6-12kg
Daiwa geberation black (Macka) 10-15kg
Daiwa saltist coastal 7-12kg

these are all around 200 give or take or on specials atm for similar price

a daiwa 4000/4500 or shimano 5000 sizing woukd be good on these rods

they are all based on lure fishing

[Mattblack]

how did you go mate.
im also looking for a similar outfit.
so far a few choices for the smaller school sized fish have been.

shimano terez 15-30lb
shimano revolution offshore 6-12kg
Daiwa geberation black (Macka) 10-15kg
Daiwa saltist coastal 7-12kg

these are all around 200 give or take or on specials atm for similar price

a daiwa 4000/4500 or shimano 5000 sizing woukd be good on these rods

they are all based on lure fishing

Went down to everyone's best friend at Southern Sportfishing in Black Rock and it sounds like I'll be back there to get a Shimano Tyrnos 50 2-speed with a Shimano Backbone Rod single roller (?kg?). It was $100 cheaper (+ free mono) than anywhere else....they also suggested bigger was better because there is only a few dollars difference between a 30 and a 50. They also said the cheaper TLD is a ripper reel.(Fitzy90 has been a really big help as well....he's a big fan of the Shimano Spheros because its a bit more versatile than an overhead)
All these Portland photos are inspiring arnt they!