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Topwater Caranx Ignobilis: Giant Trevally (GT) => Tackle & Techniques => Topic started by: brian jones on September 02, 2012, 05:36:42 PM

Title: Your best bit of advice
Post by: brian jones on September 02, 2012, 05:36:42 PM
Hey guy's I am off next week for a two week trip to the Chesterfields, I have never caught a GT before so this will hopefully be a baptism of fire, I have prepared well I have the finest lures a selection of the finest rods and all the other bits and pieces i will need. My question for you guys is what advice can you give me to help me land the monster of my dreams?
Title: Re: Your best bit of advice
Post by: Chuen Fan on September 02, 2012, 06:27:20 PM
Don't go too hard too soon! Pace yourself so you can last the whole trip.  ;)
Title: Re: Your best bit of advice
Post by: Ben Rivers on September 02, 2012, 06:33:00 PM
Stretch!!
Title: Re: Your best bit of advice
Post by: Mark Harris on September 02, 2012, 06:36:50 PM
Relax, don't try too hard and above all, enjoy yourself.
Title: Re: Your best bit of advice
Post by: Luke Wyrsta on September 02, 2012, 08:04:26 PM
1. Learn a castable knot/leader setup that you can tie with confidence. You will simply waste your time if your connections are not adequate.
2. Learn to load your rod(s) with a pendulum style cast before your trip starts. The further you cast, the higher your chances will be.
Title: Re: Your best bit of advice
Post by: Jay Burgess on September 02, 2012, 08:37:47 PM
Some lucky anglers will land the monster of their dreams in half a dozen casts and some will spend an entire lifetime with all the best reels, rods, lures, line & leader and never find that fish... my best advice is to go there with an open mind, don't set your expectations too high and have an amazing time  8)
Title: Re: Your best bit of advice
Post by: Kasey Leong on September 03, 2012, 01:36:04 AM
If it looks like death.... cast in there!  ;D
Title: Re: Your best bit of advice
Post by: Kamalu Charlot on September 03, 2012, 01:41:53 AM
All good advice I would add to not getting frustrated and keep at it.  I hear people say 'the fish of a thousand casts'.  I fish from shore and seem to  cast a good deal more than that but I work each casted lure like it was my last... Main thing is to have fun.
Title: Re: Your best bit of advice
Post by: Barry Kurten on September 03, 2012, 06:11:40 AM
Hi Brian,

Best bit of advice i can give .. Start saving a stash of "GT" cash ... that first GT smashing your popper is going to cost you PLENTY cash in the years to come  ;D

Seriously though .. Biggest thing for me was learning when to strike, try to focus on waiting to feel the fish pull on the road before striking. It is all easier said then done because it all happens so fast. The initial smash is most often so impressive that we tend to strike out of excitement.

Lastly ... Try not to take your focus / concentration off your lure .. A smash can happen at absolutely anytime !  :)

Tight lines and all the best for your trip

Title: Re: Your best bit of advice
Post by: Scott Maybury on September 03, 2012, 10:30:11 AM
If it looks like death.... cast in there!  ;D

Agreed  ;D

And pacing yourself, especially on a long trip, very important.
Title: Re: Your best bit of advice
Post by: Mark Harris on September 03, 2012, 12:51:06 PM
If it looks like death.... cast in there!  ;D

I like that Kasey :) . And seriously, it is a good rule-of-thumb.
Title: Re: Your best bit of advice
Post by: Brandon Khoo on September 03, 2012, 01:40:27 PM
Well, you've gotten about a dozen best bits of advice for you to concentrate on now, lol!

Don't base your trip around expecting to connect to and land a monster. Just because you are going to a really remote atoll is no guarantee that you will encounter big GTs. You leave yourself too much room for disappointment.

Just focus on enjoying the experience and giving yourself the best chance of success by getting the fundamentals right - like as Luke says, ensuring your knots are as good as they can be and that you can cast compentently before the trip.
Title: Re: Your best bit of advice
Post by: Ken Best on September 03, 2012, 06:37:06 PM
If you don't have a lure in the water, you won't catch a fish.....cast, cast, cast.....
Title: Re: Your best bit of advice
Post by: Doug Terry on September 03, 2012, 06:40:15 PM
Thanks for the advice lads. This will also be my first trip after a GT, going to Aitutaki. If I can land one regardless of size I will be a happy chappie.
Title: Re: Your best bit of advice
Post by: Daniel Wong on September 04, 2012, 12:21:42 PM
be prepared to get owned and then get right back up an sacrifice another $80 lure!  ;)

good luck mate!
Title: Re: Your best bit of advice
Post by: Alan Syme on September 04, 2012, 06:41:23 PM
be prepared to get owned and then get right back up an sacrifice another $80 lure!  ;)

good luck mate!

he he he, yep i agree with this and all the advice given.

hold on and brace yourself, get someone to take some good photos for you.
Title: Re: Your best bit of advice
Post by: Kasey Leong on September 04, 2012, 07:15:00 PM
ensuring your knots are as good as they can be

Watashi wa kawaii scon class hetadesu bakadesu JooNya Poop Poop  :-[ :( :'(
Title: Re: Your best bit of advice
Post by: Brandon Khoo on September 04, 2012, 07:44:22 PM
When are you going to learn to tie an FG knot properly?!
Title: Re: Your best bit of advice
Post by: Brian J Richardson on September 07, 2012, 01:36:20 AM
Rain Gear, ibuprofen, solonpas, sun screen, good polarized shades.
Title: Re: Your best bit of advice
Post by: Andre van Wyk on September 07, 2012, 02:01:33 AM
Some lucky anglers will land the monster of their dreams in half a dozen casts and some will spend an entire lifetime with all the best reels, rods, lures, line & leader and never find that fish... my best advice is to go there with an open mind, don't set your expectations too high and have an amazing time  8)

For me this is 110% spot on....

Can add be well prepared, stretch etc, don't rush it, stay focused and concentrate ( all of which have been mentioned in previous posts )

Title: Re: Your best bit of advice
Post by: brian jones on September 07, 2012, 06:06:55 PM
Cheers guys some valid points, I have set my goal post's pretty high and I guess the success of the trip is not only based on what i do or don't catch its about enjoying the whole experience. That said I hope to add lots of pics to this thread when I get back....
Title: Re: Your best bit of advice
Post by: Andrew Susani on September 07, 2012, 06:18:55 PM
Focus on making the lure work properly on every cast.  It doesn't have to be ripped in quickly, just properly.

Get the eat, then worry.

Sun protection for us up here is paramount.  I have had friends pull out of good weather days because of bad sunburn from the day before.  Columbia shirt and pants for me in summer, plus an 'arafat' hat and suncream on my face.

Don't use any knots or terminals if you have doubts.  Even small GTs pull like hell and any shortcomings will be quickly revealed!
Title: Re: Your best bit of advice
Post by: Andrew Wilson on September 14, 2012, 03:03:28 PM
For me the best thing, is the places u go, the things u see and the people u meet along the way. the fishing just comes as a big bonus. just have fun. Take plenty of pics and try not to get addicted too bad.