# The last 10 years - what has revolutionised your fishing?



## anselmo (Aug 26, 2008)

Apart from your 'yak?

For me its either:
1) learning to use SPs properly or;
2) the new superbraid lines 
possibly a combo of both because 1 wouldn't happen without 2

In January 1990 Fishing World (20 years ago - ah! I'm getting old) had an article where they predicted what would be the big developments over the next 5-10 years
SWF and increased use of SPs were the two big predictions
both appear to have come true
SWF earlier though to a lesser extent
and SPs later though greater

In January 1988 Modern Fishing had an article about the (re)"discovery" of Rattlin' spots
In it Starlo mentioned an idea about using dacron due to its non-stretch nature to increase "feel" (a sign of things to come ...)

Until 5 years ago (for me anyway) lure fishing was Bill Norman DTNs for bream and bass or manns stretch 5+ for flathead
both on 6lb platypus silver mono - cast and crank - hit the structure, get it down
now its more likely to be 1/8oz jig head with a squidgy wriggler on 5lb powerpro
now its flick flick wiggle wiggle

the style of rod would be much the same (although now its a 4 piece home rolled custom with Sic guides and a split grip, rather than a factory Shimano Starlo/Miller 2 piece with hardloy guides)
the reel would be much the same too (although now its a stock 1000 Stella rather than a 1500 Shimano symetre with a tricked up double handle and anti twist roller)

I still have the old tackle
(and its still usable and would proably still work well)
but damn - the new stuffs nice

I'm not sure I catch more fish (although I do think thats because I'm in the land of the long white face rather than at home)
but the fish I do hook have more of a chance to show off

so what about the rest of you?


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## Feral (Oct 18, 2008)

For me the change to fresh water fishing, and the discovery of stocked impoundments. My subsequent involvement in fish stocking activities rose from that, but also my use of lures, live shrimp being the only decent fresh water bait being impossible to get in winter, I started toying with soft plastics which lead me on to hard bodies. I pretty much exclusively fish with hard bodies these days (unless fishing with the kids in summer, I'll use the ever reliable shrimp then).


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## troutfish (Jun 21, 2007)

my main game being fly, it would be taking the time to learn to cast well

braid, my god, how did i live without it

and, for a few years i helped out on the casting pool at the melb tackle shows, and was lucky enough to get some help, and loads of practice, on casting both spin and baitcaster properly. that definitely changed my fishing

ps. great thread


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## wopfish (Dec 4, 2006)

I think that the quality of reels and drags - coupled with braid and powerefull but light rods - means that you can chase quite large fish on quite light and compact gear - casting all day with lures or placcies. So finesse fishing for angry fighting brutes. Doesnt always mean that you can land them but given half a fighting chance you might.


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## Ranger (May 31, 2008)

Research
Effort
A new boat
A kayak
Soft Plastics & Hardbodied lures
Braided lines
Graphite rods
Developments in tackle technology

WOW, a lot more has changed for me in the last 10 years than I realised!.............Maybe one day I'll even catch a fish too!


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## keza (Mar 6, 2007)

the kids getting older


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## Davey G (Jan 15, 2006)

getting a kayak = getting out more often.

I still suck at fishing though...


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## grant ashwell (Apr 24, 2007)

The Hobie aside, being able to afford and use a compact (5")colour sounder on the yak.


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## sitonit (Dec 29, 2006)

The internet which has allowed me to find different techniques and access info such as weather etc, soft plastics and braided line


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## blahger (Feb 6, 2009)

Those crazy japanese squid jigs, back in my day we jammed bits of wire through a mullet and watched a float all day for one suicidal squid.

That may be off topic as that's "squid"ing not "fish"ing


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## .329 (Apr 17, 2006)

Braided line, the crazy assortment of soft plastics, and the sheer amount of info available on the web have all been huge huge steps forward for me...


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## anselmo (Aug 26, 2008)

wopfish said:


> I think that the quality of reels and drags - coupled with braid and powerefull but light rods - means that you can chase quite large fish on quite light and compact gear - casting all day with lures or placcies. So finesse fishing for angry fighting brutes. Doesnt always mean that you can land them but given half a fighting chance you might.


Actually you said (much more succinctly) what i was trying to!
Finesse tackling for bigger fish - love it

[note: finesse as opposed to UL - very important distinction]

Nick


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## Barrabundy (Sep 29, 2008)

Fishing often enough to learn the habits of the fish I target. Although the gear I use has changed, all the old style gear still does the trick....the 50lbs mono wrapped around a coke bottle still works as good now as it did 25 years ago, the little Penn is just nicer to use.


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## skorgard (Oct 6, 2007)

The web. I came back to Oz after 20 years in the UK where I did not bother to fish. Back in Adelaide I thought that I would resume land based where I had left off : long road trips, heavy surf gear etc. I found Fish SA on the web and saw a photo that must have been taken from the seat of a narrow yellow pointy plastic boat. I typed "kayak fishing" into Google and found AKFF and first yak bought soon after. My family were not into outdoor stuff so I had to learn everything the hard way. On the web there is so much helpful information you can be much more successful as well as feel part of a community. As others have helped me, I try to help others. Although I have enjoyed the improvements in tackle, especially braid, allowing me to use small baitcasters, the web is the top improvement for me.


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## dru (Dec 13, 2008)

skorgard said:


> The web. I came back to Oz after 20 years in the UK where I did not bother to fish. Back in Adelaide I thought that I would resume land based where I had left off : long road trips, heavy surf gear etc. I found Fish SA on the web and saw a photo that must have been taken from the seat of a narrow yellow pointy plastic boat. I typed "kayak fishing" into Google and found AKFF and first yak bought soon after. My family were not into outdoor stuff so I had to learn everything the hard way. On the web there is so much helpful information you can be much more successful as well as feel part of a community. As others have helped me, I try to help others. Although I have enjoyed the improvements in tackle, especially braid, allowing me to use small baitcasters, the web is the top improvement for me.


Very similar for me. We used alvies and a boat rod in the estuaries, alvies and a long rod in the surf for taylor, hand lines with min 60lb mono bottom bashing on the reef. Hook something big and you needed gloves. 20 years (half in Sydney not fishing, the rest in the UK) got invited fishing by a cousin with a seriously set up fishing boat. Enjoyed it. Wondered what sort of boat I could afford, and as a laugh typed in "kayak fishing", into the complicator. It's a different world. For me the changes are:

Kayak! And all the safety kit that is available (keeps swmbo happy which lets me keep fishing)
Egg beaters are now cool.
Braid, and with it a need to learn to tie knots properly.
SPs.
Nothing would have worked without www in general, and AKFF in particular.
Weather, wind and tide sites.

One of my greatest achievements was combining the above with a drift technique casting for frogs. A real "ah-ha" moment that not only this stuff works, but it bloody good fun. How the hell did I manage to miss 20 years of this?


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## Marineside (May 8, 2009)

Ah the olden days, my first recollection of an artificial lure was my father tying an old shoe lace to his hook (should have patented), which used to work, also the bucket of bait left in the boat in the sun all year round & replenished now & then, both sufficed for berley & bait, but did it stink. I think things have changed immensely, is it like the computer advances where technology doubles or triples every year?? :shock:


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