Thread: Catch Any Trout Today?

Originally Posted by kiwijames

I've no problem killing fish. Just don't kid yourself that your doing a fish a favour by releasing it poorly. A poor release and you'd have been better off to kill it and feed it to the neighbours cat.

That's a great post! It's even harder to get this stuff in to the thick skulls of saltwater anglers. Barotrauma is an additional issue for snapper which many choose to ignore. Heaps of social media posts daily showing gallant anglers releasing big snapper after they describe an epic fight from 50 metres. Seriously? I can often tell from a short video that the fish is destined to be shark food. Rant over. Sorry to go off topic.

Upgraded the rod to an 8’ 6’’ Daiwa strikeforce with a Daiwa RE LT real with 10 pound braid. Feels alot more responsive and should work for egg rolling too.

No luck on the float rigs today so chucked on a black and yellow tazzie devil and caught 3 fish in 3 casts. Ended up catching 3 browns and a rainbow. Let the first fish on the new rod go and kept the smaller of the brown trout to bake for lunch.

Fun lunch break trying the new rod.



Rubbed with crushed garlic, ginger, soy, a little oil, pepper and chilli flakes and baked at 200 for 20 mins.

Hi Haggie, nice catch and cook, may I ask the line diameter of your 10 pound braid, it `s 0.6mm, or...?

Originally Posted by Black Rabbit

Hi Haggie, nice catch and cook, may I ask the line diameter of your 10 pound braid, it `s 0.6mm, or...?

Says 0.11mm on the box. It’s the berkley blue camo stuff.

Tried out the new rig at twizel rolling some eggs and caught a few baby salmon. No monster trout unfortunately.

Originally Posted by Haggie

Says 0.11mm on the box. It’s the berkley blue camo stuff.

Tried out the new rig at twizel rolling some eggs and caught a few baby salmon. No monster trout unfortunately.

Attachment 224786

Right. Recently, I brought some #0.4 braid line, the diameter is 0.105mm for long cast on my baitcaster reel. Thank you for let me know, this size of line is capable for trouts. I got lots of fishing lines in NZ but they all too thick, the thinnest I can remember is #3.0 braid.

Originally Posted by Black Rabbit

Right. Recently, I brought some #0.4 braid line, the diameter is 0.105mm for long cast on my baitcaster reel. Thank you for let me know, this size of line is capable for trouts. I got lots of fishing lines in NZ but they all too thick, the thinnest I can remember is #3.0 braid.

I have used Daiwa Tournament EVO + 8 Braid this year. Fantastic stuff. I have the .14 mm / 10.2 kg. Could go down one weight but no more.
Very expensive here $79.99 for 135 metres. What price in China ?

Originally Posted by Moa Hunter

I have used Daiwa Tournament EVO + 8 Braid this year. Fantastic stuff. I have the .14 mm / 10.2 kg. Could go down one weight but no more.
Very expensive here $79.99 for 135 metres. What price in China ?

@Moa Hunter
Hi mate, just checked for you, the price for 135m is about $20-$30 dollars, as usual same product in NZ is 3 to 5 times expensive than you by from country of origin. I do `t use expensive lines or any fishing gears, because I think for me it should be all the same if it `s not defective products. How many meters do you want? As you know I am coming in soon, have `t finished my shopping list yet. But, keep it light all right, this time I only have one checked bag because there is no direct flight now to Christchurch. If you are strongly asking for Daiwa, I can bring you something else and you can help to check their quality.

Originally Posted by Black Rabbit

@Moa Hunter
Hi mate, just checked for you, the price for 135m is about $20-$30 dollars, as usual same product in NZ is 3 to 5 times expensive than you by from country of origin. I do `t use expensive lines or any fishing gears, because I think for me it should be all the same if it `s not defective products. How many meters do you want? As you know I am coming in soon, have `t finished my shopping list yet. But, keep it light all right, this time I only have one checked bag because there is no direct flight now to Christchurch. If you are strongly asking for Daiwa, I can bring you something else and you can help to check their quality.

The Daiwa EVO is very good, the coating on it seems to really make a difference in those thin / fine grades. I have some Chinese made braids, all heavier grades, I also have Spider wire and that multi coloured Daiwa braid all are good in heavier / thicker grades but the lighter grade / weights tend to 'fluff' after a bit of use.

More of the 10.5 kg would be good as it is fine enough to cast small softbaits but strong enough for a Salmon or Kahawai. The next weight down would be useful as well for trout.

@Moa Hunter have you used any 6lb 0.06mm braid x8 or x12? I normally go for kairiki in 8lb but temped to put 6lb on a new 1000 Stella fk I've managed to get hold of. Except I'm having a hard time finding any so maybe I should stick with 8lb.

I use 6lb Berkley Fireline. Plenty strong enough for fresh water.

Originally Posted by Moa Hunter

The Daiwa EVO is very good, the coating on it seems to really make a difference in those thin / fine grades. I have some Chinese made braids, all heavier grades, I also have Spider wire and that multi coloured Daiwa braid all are good in heavier / thicker grades but the lighter grade / weights tend to 'fluff' after a bit of use.

More of the 10.5 kg would be good as it is fine enough to cast small softbaits but strong enough for a Salmon or Kahawai. The next weight down would be useful as well for trout.

Copy that. See you when I got back.

Originally Posted by Hahn

@Moa Hunter have you used any 6lb 0.06mm braid x8 or x12? I normally go for kairiki in 8lb but temped to put 6lb on a new 1000 Stella fk I've managed to get hold of. Except I'm having a hard time finding any so maybe I should stick with 8lb.

I tried some very light braid but not of the quality of the Daiwa. What I found was that any wind knot was almost impossible to undo. Also in my experience braid looses strength through abrasion much faster than mono so I allow for a bit of strength loss as a safety margin.
My advice would be to Ph Malcomb Bell at The Complete Angler in CHCh and ask for a recommendation. Malc is at the top of the softbait game and has even had 1000 specialist 9'8" rods made up to his own design and spec. These allow the casting of super light 1/16 oz softbaits out 80 + metres over the weed beds in lakes. You might end up buying a new rod

Originally Posted by Moa Hunter

Malcomb Bell at The Complete Angler in CHCh and ask for a recommendation. Malc is at the top of the softbait game and has even had 1000 specialist 9'8" rods made up to his own design and spec. These allow the casting of super light 1/16 oz softbaits out 80 + metres over the weed beds in lakes. You might end up buying a new rod

Getting back into fresh water fishing for the first time since being a kid this guys YouTube videos were also a fabulous resource.

Weather is terrible in the southern lakes district today but snuck out and had a cast during a very short break in the wind and rain bagging a brown on the first throw. No picture as it was pissing down by the time I got my third cast off. Just about to pop it in the oven.

I'm hopefully heading down that way so might be a good excuse to call in.

I used to smoke most of my trout but this is fast and simple in a pan. Tastes real good for those fat lake rainbows. Haven't tried it on any muddy tasting browns yet though.

This evenings effort, nice Brown that gave a stubborn fight.
Released