GTPopping.com - Giant Trevally, GTPopping, Topwater & GT Fly-Fishing Resource
Topwater Caranx Ignobilis: Giant Trevally (GT) => Reports & Expeditions => Topic started by: Duncan O'Connell on December 22, 2010, 04:57:38 PM
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Or not! ;D
Fish Head staffer Troy with a nice ~35kg GT caught off Point Lookout on Sunday
Lure that did the damage was a Patriot Design Masterd Bomb 155 in Tetra
Rod used was the new FCL Labo 80 Extreme 2 Piece GT rod, one of my personal favourites.
Hope you enjoy the photos
Cheers
Tom
(http://s4.postimage.org/8y8q1w9w/IMG_9740.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/8y8q1w9w/)
(http://s4.postimage.org/8yqwyppg/image.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/8yqwyppg/)
(http://s4.postimage.org/8yski278/GT2.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/8yski278/)
(http://s4.postimage.org/8yu81ep0/GT_Fight2.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/8yu81ep0/)
(http://s4.postimage.org/8yvvkr6s/GT_Fight3.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/8yvvkr6s/)
(http://s4.postimage.org/8yxj43ok/GT_Fight.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/8yxj43ok/)
(http://s4.postimage.org/8yz6ng6c/GT_pop.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/8yz6ng6c/)
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Hi Tom,
Can you describe how the FCL rod perform? That rod is part of my throw up between Hammerhead Faube 77M and Gipang 79XH so your opinions on the FCL will help...Thanx.
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very nice Tom, a job well done.
i like the photo's.
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Hi Samuel,
As I said. The FCL is one of my personal favourites. Having not use the Hammerhead or the Hots in a fishing situation I won't comment on them but I have used the FCL on numerous occasions.
Casting wise I've never found a rod quite like it. It's physically one of the lightest GT rods available which makes it easy to use all day. The crispness of the graphite really punches out lures. It's definetly one of the easiest rods to cast a long way I've come accross.
It's great for medium size poppers and stickbaits. It's somewhat of an in between rod in that it works stickbaits and poppers very well. That 155 masterd bomb is about as big of a cup that the rod would comfortably pop. Great with stickbaits up to about 180g or so. Though I reckon it's sweet spot is around that 150g mark. Casting a CSP S220S is a dream on this rod.
As you can see from the pictures. It's somewhat progressive in it's action. Which makes it super comfortable to fight fish with.
Overall it's definetly the most comfortable GT rod I've ever used. Very light. Enough power to stop even quite large GT's. I've caught fish in the low 30kg mark and it handled them with ease.
It is up on the new website for people that are interested. If you go to the rods section then into FCL Labo you will see it.
If you are looking for a more dedicated stickbait rod the new FCL 81 Extreme has just arrived in store. It has a softer tip than the 80 Extreme and is also a standard butt joint. I used this rod when it was in prototype stages and loved it for both surface and sub surface stickbaits.
Hope that helped, if you have any more questions don't hesitate to ask.
Cheers
Tom.
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Nice work Tom,
Beaut fish from local waters.
Pete
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Very nice fish Tom - well done.
Extremely interesting report on the FCL Labo rod. This is a completely new one on me and I asked in the Fishhead sub-forum if anyone knows who is making it for them? Or where the blank is sourced? Price is extremely reasonable for a rod of the quality you describe.
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Was a fairly epic weather for a day out on the water on sunday. The strike from the fish was brutal with the whole body exploding out of the water before it powered down to the depths. Just wish I had the go pro and got it on film :(
Here is a pic of Troys Yellowfin we found looking for trevs two weeks back. Caught on the same popper
(http://s4.postimage.org/cv9xxcbo/troy02.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/cv9xxcbo/)
Brett
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Another healthy looking local GT!
It's in superb nick. Well done Troy!
Did all 3 of you go out on Sunday?? That never happened when I worked there!
Good to see the sashimi are getting around too!
Cheers
Aaron.
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Great work Troy and Brett :D Gotta love local Gee's.
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Fantastic catch! Wow 8)
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Another healthy looking local GT!
It's in superb nick. Well done Troy!
Did all 3 of you go out on Sunday?? That never happened when I worked there!
Good to see the sashimi are getting around too!
Cheers
Aaron.
No Aaron i didn't get an invite :(
i was too busy swallowing cough syrup by the gallon on Sunday.
Fingers crossed for this weekend though!
Cheers
Tom
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Hey Tom,
Sorry to hear you're crook mate!
That's gotta bite a bit eh?? Those 2 other buggers going off without you. For shame, for shame on them!
I thought it might have been a photo taken on your new camera.
Here's hoping you crack a 40+ over the weekend :)
Donkey.
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Fingers crossed me and Kurt will get out
if we get one im sure you will hear his excitement from over there in Wynnum
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Hi Samuel,
As I said. The FCL is one of my personal favourites. Having not use the Hammerhead or the Hots in a fishing situation I won't comment on them but I have used the FCL on numerous occasions.
Casting wise I've never found a rod quite like it. It's physically one of the lightest GT rods available which makes it easy to use all day. The crispness of the graphite really punches out lures. It's definetly one of the easiest rods to cast a long way I've come accross.
It's great for medium size poppers and stickbaits. It's somewhat of an in between rod in that it works stickbaits and poppers very well. That 155 masterd bomb is about as big of a cup that the rod would comfortably pop. Great with stickbaits up to about 180g or so. Though I reckon it's sweet spot is around that 150g mark. Casting a CSP S220S is a dream on this rod.
As you can see from the pictures. It's somewhat progressive in it's action. Which makes it super comfortable to fight fish with.
Overall it's definetly the most comfortable GT rod I've ever used. Very light. Enough power to stop even quite large GT's. I've caught fish in the low 30kg mark and it handled them with ease.
It is up on the new website for people that are interested. If you go to the rods section then into FCL Labo you will see it.
If you are looking for a more dedicated stickbait rod the new FCL 81 Extreme has just arrived in store. It has a softer tip than the 80 Extreme and is also a standard butt joint. I used this rod when it was in prototype stages and loved it for both surface and sub surface stickbaits.
Hope that helped, if you have any more questions don't hesitate to ask.
Cheers
Tom.
Hi Tom,
Your website rated the FCLUCB80EXT for max 200g popper, but I would assume best size would be about 160g, to toss and chug? Must say, an actual 2 pc rod is appealing. :)
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Hi Samuel
Yeah. It can handle up to 200g though it's real sweet spot is around that 150g mark.
Cheers
Tom.
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Well done Troy, was waiting to see the photos. Can't wait till this week is over, I hate working in retail at christmas time, might get a chance to get out a throw a few on monday and tuesday depending on the weather. Looks like the weather and fish gods where shining on you guys at once, very rare at this time of year.
Andrew
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Nice work. Can you guys send some a little further south this summer?
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I'll try my best Darren,
Would like to do a bit of popping further south next year,
My mate was telling me the other day he heard a story from a bloke that someone trolled a 15-20kg fish off Black Rock not so long ago. Not sure how much of the story is truth but they have definetly been trolled up out there before.
Fingers crossed for tomorrow, i have a brand new Ebipop that needs some teeth marks!!
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Good luck for tomorrow Tom have to bloody work, will hopefully be heading out my self on monday, weather permiting of course.
Andrew
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I'll try my best Darren,
Would like to do a bit of popping further south next year,
My mate was telling me the other day he heard a story from a bloke that someone trolled a 15-20kg fish off Black Rock not so long ago. Not sure how much of the story is truth but they have definetly been trolled up out there before.
Fingers crossed for tomorrow, i have a brand new Ebipop that needs some teeth marks!!
That is a true story Tom. A few were caught on livies last summer as well. This year I'm be out there with some poppers having a crack. There are a a handfull of likely places. I think this will be the year.
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Great work,nice fish.. 8)
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The man of the moment has done it again! ;)
Images and video to follow in the next few days
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oh well, someone's got to do it.
Personally, I perfer the role of 'moral support' and 'guidance'....lol
Nice work Troy
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You're there to fire us up with that filthy house music you have thumping from your stereo :P
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yeah, as i said...."support"!
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here we go
I also added a photo of the cod Troy caught whilst targetting GT's the other week.
They have been biting well lately with those two caught and numerous others raised to the poppers.
Good time to be out there fishing if this weather ever goes away.
This GT was on a Kong180 and Troy was using the FCL Labo UCB-80 Extreme again.
Cheers
Tom
(http://s3.postimage.org/1miirkkhw/P1060732.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/1miirkkhw/)
(http://s3.postimage.org/1mikf3wzo/P1060736.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/1mikf3wzo/)
(http://s3.postimage.org/1minq6lz8/IMG_9878.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/1minq6lz8/)
(http://s3.postimage.org/1mipdpyh0/P1060731.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/1mipdpyh0/)
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Great GT's in the small windows presented latley - So well done mate !
Hard work out of the Tiller - fun, but hard....
Those pesky COD still wrecking the poppers ah ? - slime city.......
RESPECT !
8)
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Nice fish on the Kingy colour guys, you two make a great team....obviously Troy can fish while Tom takes pics ;) ;D :P
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Nope :(
i wasnt on that trip either!!
I barred popping to go down south and chase kingies and snapper DOH! Good thing i caught heaps otherwise i would have been shattered haha
I think that trip he was out with his father and a mate of his.