What should I spool a Saragosa 8k with to target land-based snapper and gummies?

[Mong]

Hey gang,

Looking to get a bit more serious and target some heavier fish with a new Saragosa 8000. Paired with either a 12" or 9" Penn Prevail 2s, both 15+kg rods. I fish land-based all over Port Phillip Bay, plus some beach fishing between Anglesea and Point Lonsdale. I'm mostly catching pinkies / snapper, salmon, tailor and flathead in my current spots and they have potential for mulloway, gummies and bigger snapper.

I am thinking that I'll put 300m of 50lb Tasline braid on it, plus an 80lb shock leader of some kind. I've got no real interest in chasing bronzies off the beach for example, but I would like to cover the possibility of rock fishing for kingfish or tuna.

I don't want to pick a line weight that is too heavy for medium fish, and not heavy enough for a good fish in my target species. I also want to be able to "punch above my weight" with a good amount of line on the reel so I can let bigger fish run and wear them down if necessary, so I think having the full 300m is good insurance for that but limits me to 40-50lb braid based on line diameters.

So my questions are:

1. Is 50lb braid mainline a good weight for big snapper, gummies and mulloway in a land-based, live bait scenario? Is there any reason not to go with the Tasline?

2. In front of that, should I add 10-15m of 80lb shock leader mono? What brands of shock leader are good? I've seen recommendations for Black Magic Supple Trace - any opinions?

3. Will both of the above allow me to fish for kingfish or tuna from the rocks? If no, what could I change in terms of line weight to make that happen?

4. Does this allow for pairing with a medium-heavy boat rod for reef fishing / jigging?

Thanks for any guidance that can be provided.

[Sebb]

Hey gang,

Looking to get a bit more serious and target some heavier fish with a new Saragosa 8000. Paired with either a 12" or 9" Penn Prevail 2s, both 15+kg rods. I fish land-based all over Port Phillip Bay, plus some beach fishing between Anglesea and Point Lonsdale. I'm mostly catching pinkies / snapper, salmon, tailor and flathead in my current spots and they have potential for mulloway, gummies and bigger snapper.

I am thinking that I'll put 300m of 50lb Tasline braid on it, plus an 80lb shock leader of some kind. I've got no real interest in chasing bronzies off the beach for example, but I would like to cover the possibility of rock fishing for kingfish or tuna.

I don't want to pick a line weight that is too heavy for medium fish, and not heavy enough for a good fish in my target species. I also want to be able to "punch above my weight" with a good amount of line on the reel so I can let bigger fish run and wear them down if necessary, so I think having the full 300m is good insurance for that but limits me to 40-50lb braid based on line diameters.

So my questions are:

1. Is 50lb braid mainline a good weight for big snapper, gummies and mulloway in a land-based, live bait scenario? Is there any reason not to go with the Tasline?

2. In front of that, should I add 10-15m of 80lb shock leader mono? What brands of shock leader are good? I've seen recommendations for Black Magic Supple Trace - any opinions?

3. Will both of the above allow me to fish for kingfish or tuna from the rocks? If no, what could I change in terms of line weight to make that happen?

4. Does this allow for pairing with a medium-heavy boat rod for reef fishing / jigging?

Thanks for any guidance that can be provided.

Hi,
This is from my personal experience.

1. For Port Phillip Bay snapper, the 8000 reel and 50lb line is overkill. A 4000 reel with 20-25lb is enough. You can get average gummies with this too. 8000 reel with 50lb is something for the big gummies in western port, or bronzie and 7gill, etc.

2. Again, 80lb is overkill for snapper and gummy. Way overkill for salmon, flathead and tailor. 15lb is enough for them.

3. 50lb for tuna, yes, depends how big the tuna is. I've only fished for tuna couple times off a boat though, and caught like 10-12kg fish. So don't take it too much from me about rock fishing for tuna/king. Neber caught kingfish haha

4. Depends what fish are you targeting and where. Remember, thicker line means it'll catch current easier.

300m of line is more than enough for those fish. Except if you hooked onto 100+kg tuna maybe.

[Mong]

Thanks Sebb for your reply, that's really helpful.

It seems that although overkill, the 300m x 50lb braid option will give me good coverage for the different types of fishing that I may do. This is going to be my heaviest reel for a long time (I have a 5000 Ultegra ci4 with 30lb and a 4000 Stradic with 20lb so I have the option already to fish lighter) and I am hoping to try for a landbased king inside PPB in the coming year. But for now, I think I'll just add a 30lb mono leader - sounds like that will do the trick coming in to winter snapper season.

Thanks for the advice, it's good to know that I don't need to rush out and buy any heavy mono. Line prices getting up there these days. Cheers mate.

[Sebb]

Thanks Sebb for your reply, that's really helpful.

It seems that although overkill, the 300m x 50lb braid option will give me good coverage for the different types of fishing that I may do. This is going to be my heaviest reel for a long time (I have a 5000 Ultegra ci4 with 30lb and a 4000 Stradic with 20lb so I have the option already to fish lighter) and I am hoping to try for a landbased king inside PPB in the coming year. But for now, I think I'll just add a 30lb mono leader - sounds like that will do the trick coming in to winter snapper season.

Thanks for the advice, it's good to know that I don't need to rush out and buy any heavy mono. Line prices getting up there these days. Cheers mate.

Where are you going to fish for kingfish inside PPB.
I'm not aware of any location that requires 50lb in PPB. Thinner is better. Use/put thinnest line you can get away with. Those kingies caught in PPB usually aren't the monster kingies like the ones in New Zealand.
Pretty sure you can land them with 30lb.

I'd put 30lb braid and 30lb leader and change the leader to 50lb if needed. In case you fish somewhere that has structures that requires a bit more scratch resistant.

[Mong]

I am yet to catch a PPB king myself, but my brother has got on to a few rats in the Corio Bay area while fishing for snapper and mulloway or throwing big metal slugs for salmon and tailor. Probably something to be said for being there at the right time of year, but it seems to be mostly luck if there's bait around and they're moving past. There's a youtube vid from not too long ago where a fella gets a 60cm king from one of the small jetties around St Helens which got us a bit interested. I'm guessing that the shape of Corio Bay is good for chasing bait into, thus why you get some reports of kings on Cunningham Pier and the surrounding area occasionally.

Not having much experience in heavier fishing, I think I'd be an equal chance of mulloway, gummy, snapper or kingfish with my approach. I'm just trying to put a bridle-rigged live mullet into a channel that I can reach from shore. Point Lillias is my current go-to for that. Also going to have a crack at the Werribee river mouth for a chance of a mulloway.

For kings, I'd be thinking more Cape Schanck and Bushranger Bay on the ocean side on Mornington.

I'm going to have a think about returning this 8000 for a 6000 and going with a lighter line.

Thanks Sebb, super helpful mate.

[DougieK]

30lb tasline or shimano/daiwa if you didn't already have a 30lb option.

50lb tasline will do the job on literally anything you'll hook from the shore in Victoria

Top shot it with enough mono that the braid will never touch the rocks / pier etc that you're fishing off, I would suggest 10ish metres joined with an FG.

I made a vid about rigging for LBG here, but this is probably 2x as much as heavy as you need. I rigged this up while I was chasing trophy kings in NSW.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBtB36DTRH8&ab_channel=Annaren

[DougieK]

Also, since I don't live there anymore and nobody ever actually did this with me other than Cam.... Grab a bait pool, squid sorrento jetty and keep some live squid alive, then drift them off the jetty on a low tide between 7 and 10 am. Rip the biggest shiniest popper you can back and forth around where your live squid is sitting.

[4liters]

Grab a roll of whipper snipper cord from Bunnings and spool it up with that.
Then you get a set of pliers and tighten the drag knob until it won’t turn any more.

Then you’ll be all set.

[frozenpod]

For 8000 size reel I would use 50lB braid. The topshot would be good when going after kings and tuna but I wouldn't be using it when going for snapper etc just use FC/mono as part of your rig.

[AntW]

Also, since I don't live there anymore and nobody ever actually did this with me other than Cam.... Grab a bait pool, squid sorrento jetty and keep some live squid alive, then drift them off the jetty on a low tide between 7 and 10 am. Rip the biggest shiniest popper you can back and forth around where your live squid is sitting.

I've stickbaited Sorrento pier before but had no luck for kings only schools of big salmon being caught which is still good fun but not the ultimate goal. Is there a particular reason you choose to drift squid near the pier on a low tide? Is it so you don't have to move baits when ferry and boats pass? Have you had much luck targeting kings inside the bay?

Just want to add that last week I was spinning Portsea pier for salmon and saw some insane bust ups with garfish and baitfish flying everywhere. Had 3 people casting slugs and all sorts of metals different sizes into it with no luck. I was kicking myself thinking what if they were kings and I didn't bring any stickbaits or sluggos with me, anyway I guess I won't know. Was very cool to see.

Cheers