Category Archives: Reviews

Double X Extreme Abrasion

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There are many different lines on the market and many different theories to go with them, so I thought I would let you know what I have bee using for the past year on my Shimano Torium trawling setup.
When I first got my Toriums I wanted to spoil myself and put on some fancy monofilament to go with my awesome new multipliers and I had just finished editing a show from the Transkei where the boys were Rock an surf fishing and had been using the Double X Extreme abrasion monofilament line and I was really impressed to say the least, not only did it handle catching big sharks but it could even withstand getting dragged along the rocks and mussels with big fish on and even handled getting rubbed on by braid with a fish on! So I knew straight away that it was strong line.
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Now having used the line for the last year I can say that it is the top monofilament in the market and having spoken with the Rapala men directly, the Double X extreme abrasion is the highest spec monofilament line in South Africa!
I use the 43lb 0.50mm diameter on my toriums in the Camo colour and I love it, very very strong and doesn’t get nicks or line damage and I have never experienced it breaking while fighting a fish, it definitely lasts longer on my reel, as i found with other line I was changing every 6 months, it has Extreme knot strength which is 20% stronger than any other mono so you can bully your fish knowing your knots are safe and  it also has Extreme low memory which i believe makes it last longer than other mono line. I love the camo colour as it becomes full “Camo” in the water and i think thats awesome as the fish can’t see it!
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All in all Double X extreme abrasion line has the greatest tensile strength vs diameter, and without a doubt the strongest line you can buy, it is a little more pricey than the standard mono line but with it lasting longer and it being EXTREMELY strong i believe it is worth it, so next time you looking at line for your trawling rods have a look at the Double X Extreme abrasion and i bet you won’t be sorry.
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Tackle Talk

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Getting back into the swing of things for us Freaks and we thought it would be a good idea to talk a bit on what tackle we are using, today Dick is going to run us through his trawling rod setup and what he uses.

Kayak fishing is and will always be hard on your tackle so when purchasing or looking at reels and rods you have to keep this in mind as you don’t want to spend your hard earned bucks on tackle that can’t last a month on your ski and believe me we have all been there and shed the tears over tackle.
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So for me now having been kayak fishing for the last 7 years I have got to try a lot of tackle and have tweaked it to what i am comfortable fishing with. On a fishing kayak we normally fish with two trawling sticks and a flick stick and bait stick, my latest trawling setup and my favourite to date is the Shimano Torium 30 HG reel paired with the Shimano trevala 6’6″ heavy Jigging rod, a lot of kayak anglers have two different trawling setups for there kayaks as for targeting different species, i have found that with these typically jigging rods that i have a perfect all round rod, light enough to trawl for snoek and small lures but also heavy enough to turn a big tuna around and show him who is boss! For anyone who has fished with the Shimano Trevala flick stick the jigging rod is pretty much the same fantastic rod just made for overhand jigging with stronger eyes, they have awesome oversize handles which i love as you can really grip the rod and work it when you fighting a fish, to me without a doubt the best all round trawling stick for a ski.
The New Torium 30 HG from Shimano has a high speed gear ratio of 6,2 : 1 which i find handy when you have a fish on the one line and need to reel the other in makes it just that much faster, has a cross carbon drag making it flipping strong when fighting tunny and you need to put the pressure on the fish, it comes with E.I which is an Anti-Corrosion Surface treatment from Shimano, so it can handle the rough conditions experience on a ski, its light weight and compact which i also love as it fits in the hatch easy leaving more space for fish.
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As i tell all fishermen who ask questions on tackle, be comfortable with your gear cause as soon as you have doubt in your tackle  you will always second guess yourself and you don’t want to be second guessing yourself when you fighting a fish of a lifetime! Like i said this setup is what i have fined tuned to my fishing and it may be very different for you, if any of you guys have any question regarding tackle or kayak fishing in general send us a mail or leave a comment and we will help out as much as we can.

Tartaruga Maritima Tented Camp

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The Fishing Freaks are Durban based and while the fishing and general outdoor life is really great here we often find ourselves itching for a trip north to the exotic, Ponta Mozambique. Why I hear you ask?

Well first off, it’s only 5 hours from Durban (6 hours from JHB) close enough for a long weekend getaway; it’s cheap! Lets be honest, that counts more these days; they have the original R&R’s; clean warm sea full of beautiful reefs and marine life (excellent fishing & diving); really kind and honest locals who make delicious food & you can look for miles up and down the beach with next to no one in sight!

Southern Mozambique is so beautiful I (Wes) managed to convince my wife (fiancé at the time) to get married there. We had a perfect wedding with 60 of our closest family and friends. This exotic wedding destination has become highly sort after and for good reason. Take the above and add all your friends & family!

Whether you want a short getaway or a romantic and exotic wedding, Southern Mozambique will be perfect for you. On our last trip we were invited to stay at Tartaruga Maritima Tented Camp. It is ideally situated in Ponta Molongane (5kms north of Ponta Do Oura) in the bush with stunning sea views and a well kitted communal kitchen and dining area. A perfect destination for weddings, family vacations, corporate events and more.

Here is their video, you can see what we mean!

For more accommodation information click here Tartaruga Maritima Tented Camp
For more information regarding wedding bookings, contact The Love Bucket
Video filmed, voiced & edited by The Fishing Freaks (mail us thefishingfreaks@gmail.com)

See you in Moz

Daiwa GrandWave-X 40SHVK

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This multiplier reel is more commonly used by the rock and surf angler because of its free floating spool, making it great for casting. It has a sealed Water Proof oversized drag with Super Corrosion Resistant Ball Bearings (CRBB) making this a Freakin tough little reel!!

So we here at Fishing Freaks have put this ” Rock and Surf ” reel to the test on a kayak and well we can’t say anything else other than BRILLIANT!!! We use it on a lighter rod setup making it perfect for chasing snoek , pulling plastics and even pulling dead baits on the surface but you could easily put this reel on a heavier outfit and target monsters. Its Rugged Corrosion Proof Graphite Frame makes it strong and cable of taking the beating its gets out on a kayak, also Its water proof seals and CRBB is what you need on the water and Dick has dropped his in the ocean a few times and still catching fish with it! Another great thing about this reel is that you can also put it on a rock and surf rod and go do some night fishing for Kob. We here at the Freaks give this reel a thumbs up for Kayak fishing!

So head down to the boys at The Kingfisher and have a look at this brilliant and affordable reel for .

 

Watch Dick Catch a tuna while trawling a plastic with this reel –  

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Winter Warmers

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With Winter upon us the boys at Daiwa have hooked us up with some awesome winter apparel making paddling a little more comfortable on these chilly winter mornings.

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First up we have these not so flattering long Spandex tights which at first we thought it was a bit of a laugh but we have to say they work at keeping your legs warm,they help stop blue bottles from stinging your legs, they protect your legs from the harsh sun and are really comfy to paddle in and since we have got them we haven’t not launched in them.We do go for the more stylish look and wear baggies over them making us a little easier on the eyes.

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Next are these awesome Rashvests that are made from  top quality material and just like the tights it protect you from the elements that you will face out on the water, when they dry you will stay nice an warm but if you take a swim while getting out you will be cold till the sun works its magic!

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Lucky for us we also got these Daiwa jackets that not only look badass but will keep you so toasty on the water you will feel like you still snuggled up in your bed! They have pull tight strings at the waist and velcro around your wrists making a tight fit so you can still paddle. Water proof so when you do get splashed out on the water you don’t shiver away, we do however recommend putting it on after you have got past back line, firstly so you don’t get water into it and secondly it won’t be the easiest thing to swim in, in the surf zone.

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This handy little multi-purpose Sports Scarf is 100% Polyester Microfibre with temperature control, UV Protection and moisture management.Us Freaks love these things and wear them all the time not just on the water and not only does it stop the hectic glare you get from the sun on the water but when your paddling into the wind you don’t get you whole face drenched in splashes and you stay warm!

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So get down to The Kingfisher today and get your winter gear or you will freeze your butts off on the water!

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Pro Fisha 475

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As you all have seen lately we The Freaks have been paddling new Kayaks and man can i say we are in love with them!!! We have been lucky enough to demo on Stealths Pro Fisha 475 kayaks the past few weeks and have really put this Fishing Ski to the test!!!

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We have done drifts in the howling wind, paddled 8km’s out , trawled lures at the same speed as Jetski’s (well it feels like that) been out in big surf and have taken them to Moz and we can really say that this is a GREAT Fishing Kayak!!  It not only handled all the conditions the ocean threw at us , it had us out on the water at every opportunity we have had and we can happily say we have Fished the most this past month then we have the whole year!!!

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The boys at Stealth have really out done themselves on this range and the Pro Fisha just looks FREAKIN Awesome!! Its pointed nose and tail lets the ski cut through the water with the greatest of ease making it super quick and helping out big time when paddling in the wind, but don’t be fooled into thinking that now that it is fast and pointed on the ends it is going to loose its stability because it doesn’t , it is so stable , even in the WIND, and such a pleasure to fight and catch fish on, it has a comfy seat and paddling position making spending hours on the water not so grueling on your butt and back. Punching big waves is not a problem as long as you hit the foamie straight on you will glide trough it like a hot knife through butter, and coming in is a reel ease on these ski’s because of its speed and can easily paddle in between the sets, but it can also ride waves, does take a little practice and to know how the wave is breaking , we have found though that if you do get caught in a foamie you just turn the ski side on put you inside leg in the water and ride in like that no problem! The hatch is big enough and can carry five rods and a couple of fish easy!

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So if you are in the market looking for a Fishing Ski or just wanting to upgrade to a more performance driven Ski go see Brett from Stealth and order yours today!! The Pro Fisha’s come in the 475 , 525 (just released) 575 lengths.

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We cannot wait for our custom 475’s to be finished and we will have a whole video on the construction of these great Kayaks coming out in the next few weeks so stay tuned for that!!

Rattler Series

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Now i am very skeptical when it comes to Plastic Lures and the makes that i buy and i will always buy the more expense lure because i know i am paying for quality and that the lure will swim correctly and most importantly CATCH fish!

 

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The Kingfisher has come out with the Rattler series of trawling lures and we have been lucky enough to test them out!! They come in different sizes, swimming depths and  great colors , they all come equipped with VMC Hooks and the best part!!! They catch FISH!!! I have been Trawling the blue 150mm length 3m diver and i have been hooking into the Yellow Fin Tuna.

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So I , Dick give these affordable lures the thumbs up ,they have a great swimming action,they catch fish and they don’t put too much of a dent in your wallet. So get down to The KingFisher today and go chose your favorite colors and sizes in the Rattlers Series.

 

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Daiwa Exceler Oceano 4500

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I am most impressed with this reel, I have to say when I first picked it up from Kingfisher I had my doubts and really didn’t think that this reel could handle being out on a Kayak , but WOW it has proven me wrong not only can it handle the bashing it takes on a kayak but it can handle big fish too!!  The HardBodyz body construction on this reel has made it one tough cookie and i have already landed Snoek, Couta, Bonnie’s and Tuna on its 9kg waterproof drag system. It’s a great affordable medium weight coffee grinder from Daiwa and one reel that will always be in my hatch.

Watch the Fish i have caught on this great reel –

Dick

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The Reel Review: Daiwa Saltist BG 40 H

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This reel has to be hands down The Freak’s favorite multiplier reel from Daiwa,its anodized finish makes it strong, rugged and protects it from corrosion perfect for out on a kayak. The 40 H is the perfect size for using on your Fishing ski and makes it easy to take in and out of your hatch, especially  when its full of fish. Its has an ultra smooth drag system  which is ideal for tightening up on monster tuna when fishing live bait. All in all this is a great reel to use out on the water and the Black and Gold finish just makes it look amazing. You will remember in Episode 04 Wez landed a nice couta on this reel and raved about the smooth drag. We here at Fishing Freaks love this reel and can’t wait to put it to the REEL test with some Autumn Crocs.

 

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