THE TANK TRAVELS THE WORLD-PHOTOS AND REPORTS TO COME

[Rothmar2]

Spooled up the Tank for swords, which I will hopefully will get out and have a crack at over the next couple of weeks. I put some fresh wax on the spool before winding on the line.

Here it is with 500m of Platypus Pretest 24kg Braid. It's listed as being 0.26mm thick. We ran the braid over a line counter while spooling. We had a 1000m spool of it, but wanted to split this braid between two reels.



And here it is with the top-shot of 24kg pre-test Mono. Estimate we got 150-200m on there, so it should JUST be enough line for swords.



The braid to mono join has been done with a PR knot. We use this knot on our other sword rigs, and it has never let us down.
  As a team, we have claimed several GFAA records using this braid-mono  setup. We have sent samples of this braid off to be tested by the GFAA, and the results have been good enough to have records accepted.
 No affiliation etc, just putting the info up for those interested.
 This set-up should also work well for tuna, having the long top-shot should give a bit more shock absorption. We are hoping the Jumbo blues won't be too far away, although the water down here might be a bit warm for them still at this time.

[Shark Hunter]

The Tank is looking good.
The eccentric lever in the first pic is neither engaged or disengaged.
The second pic looks like it might be tweaked.
This reel has stood the tests of time and more to come.
It might be nothing, but that eccentric lever needs a looking at Chris.
Go Tank!

[Rothmar2]

All good Daron, I probably didn't fully flip the lever when I wanted a bit of extra line off the spool for doing the PR knot. It goes full travel no problem. The slight tweak could be due to the little plastic sleeve over the stopper to prevent it from chipping away the purple ring paint.

Sitting at home stewing...the guys our out fishing and have a sword on, been on it for 2+hrs now. And I'm stuck home for family duties, grrr!

[David Hall]

All good Daron, I probably didn't fully flip the lever when I wanted a bit of extra line off the spool for doing the PR knot. It goes full travel no problem. The slight tweak could be due to the little plastic sleeve over the stopper to prevent it from chipping away the purple ring paint.

Sitting at home stewing...the guys our out fishing and have a sword on, been on it for 2+hrs now. And I'm stuck home for family duties, grrr!

Look at the bright side, the reels ready to go and it's hard to enjoy good times on the water if family obligations are weighing you down.
Finish up and get out there when you can!

[Dominick]

Thanks for the update.  I am anxious for some action.  Go get them.  Dominick

[Rothmar2]

Just a quick heads up for those following; The Tank had its first sword trip today. No sword love, but an interesting day, despite lack of success. Day wasn't a total loss however. Will get a full report up when I get some time.

[BMITCH]

Can't wait👍🏻👍🏻

[Alto Mare]

Chris, come on with it...I'm running out of popcorn

[mhc]

Chris, come on with it...I'm running out of popcorn

  I thought Dominick would be the first to crack under the suspense!
We just need to be patient......... so....... um, ah........ Chris have got the report ready yet?............ Chris - where's the #$%@ing report!! 

[broschro]

Chris, come on with it...I'm running out of popcorn

  I thought Dominick would be the first to crack under the suspense!
We just need to be patient......... so....... um, ah........ Chris have got the report ready yet?............ Chris - where's the #$%@ing report!! 

Lol I cant wait any longer!! come on man.

[Dominick]

See above.  If you don't post pictures it did not happen.  Dominick

[SoCalAngler]

Waiting with baited breath to see what the tank pulled in. I love to see sea monsters.

[redsetta]

If you don't post pictures it did not happen.

So true!

[Rothmar2]

Wow, bunch of impatient patients here, hehehe! I think you guys might be a bit disappointed by this report after all the suspense.

Anyways, we probably shouldn't have even gone.....

Our skipper had been out until 11pm on a bucks night just hours before meeting time, and Leo is a clean living fella these days, and thus his "drinking fitness" is way below par.
He woke up still wasted.
  But as all good skippers do, lead by example, and soldier on.
 It had been Leo's birthday on Thursday just passed, and his birthday pressie was to land a 201kg swordfish on 60kg tackle, now pending a few state and national records.
  To follow Leo's, and the good-ship "Choonachasa" adventures, search and then like "Team Choonachasa" on Facebook.
  So we knew the swords were about. Last week another boat fought a huge sword for almost 11 hours on 37kg tackle, until the hook fell out. They got a good look at it a few times, estimated size "Well over 300kg's".
  The weather forecast wasn't real great for trying where Leo had got his 201kg fish out of Eaglehawk Neck, but looked better further up the coast, and there had been a striped marlin  caught, and quite a few others seen in lure spreads over the previous few weeks off Schouten island, about half-way up Tasmania's east coast.
  So while Leo slept off the shenanigans, 1st mate Simon did the towing duties for the 1 1/2hr run up to Little Swanport to launch our assault. Also along for the ride was my younger brother Kim visiting from Sydney.
  Now we really should have quit while ahead. It's (in my view) bad karma to offer blind mullets to the sea gods while putting to sea. Swanport is no marina, just a ramp inside the barway, and a carpark. No facilities.
 Leo wakes up needing to realease a finless, liquid Teflon coated floater, usually hideously scented. As soon as we cross the barway, the mullet is realeased to its fate.....
  At least we are on our way.



We cross Great Oyster Bay and get to Schouten passage and sound around looking to find some Arrow squid for extra sword baits. No luck there. Plenty of bait schools present, but no sabiki rod. Another error on our part....
  We search through our lure rolls, and come up with a spread for the Marlin. Four lures out, and start trolling east.
  The water looks great, deep blue in colour, and 20degs, there is the odd patch of birds working, and we do laps around them hoping to raise a strike.
  No luck for an hour, but as soon as we hit the 100m line, the right flatline  gives a short growl. Kim says he saw the tail through the splash, then suddenly the shot gun comes to life. Yep, Striped Marlin! But as anyone who has fished them long enough knows, they are notoriously tricky on lures. This one is no exception. Despite Simon getting the rod out of the holder, and line coming off the reel, and the marlin clearly moving away from us, the double Gama SL 12 hooks fail to get a hold and the lure gets thrown in a half hearted jump. Bugger!! We work the area for another 1/2hr, and we get some positive marks on the sounder, but with no live baits, we realise we have missed our chance.
 We decide to head for the shelf, lines in and gun out there. We set the lures again while we sound the drop off. No takers.
 The scatter layer looks good, and we soon find some positive soundings up off the bottom.
 The Tank is readied for the drop into 500m of water. A few nerves as the rock and bait are sent down. Will there be enough line?



A few minutes later we get our answer, yes, and a reasonable bit to spare. Sweet.
    Break the rock off and feel a couple of thumps almost straight away. Is this a sword straight up?? We wait, but do not get a follow up. Ballon the rig out and allow to sit a while before engaging the Tank and then allow the bait and rig to slowly drift up, with the boat.



We aim to keep the bait soaking for about 30-45mins each drop. If no bite, winch all the line back in, and re-deploy. All up it takes about a one hour cycle per drop. Some days we will run two rods alternating so we always have at least one bait in at all times, but as today is all about the Tank, we stick to just one sword rig, and an Electric baited with droppers for deep-water eaters.
  Nothing happens until drop number 3. The Tank gets deployed, and ballooned out. We then get the electric rig down, in 400m, and get bites straight away. Wait a few minutes for the circle hooks to do their thing, and winch up. There's weight this time.



Anticipation runs high, and then we suddenly notice the balloon has broken off the Tank's line. Something has taken the bait!
  I goto work on the Tank, there is resistance, but not much, and the spool fills up quickly. Meanwhile the electric is up, and we have a small Blue-eye Trevalla and a greasy Ribaldo cod.



The Trev goes straight into the icebox, great eating! The Ribaldo to the albatross's.
On the Tank, I get to the mono/braid join, and things go up a notch....doesn't seem sword like, but there is a bit of angle on the line now.



  I call a shark, probably a Blue due to the lack of any fight. Simon still thinks a sword that hasn't woken up yet. Leo is 50-50. I get a bucket on and keep winding, no drag taken, but the odd slip as I wind. Mmm....
 Then nothing.....gone!
I wind up the last 50 odd metres deflated. We check the leader, and there are distinct teeth marks on the 400lb Fluro trace, the remains of the Arrow squid, and scratches in the coating of the Mutu circle hook.



Definately a shark of some sort, and either way, not a real big one. I believe not even big enough to be able to get the bait right down, it was just stubbornly hanging onto the bait while rising to the surface.

And that's pretty much it. Leo is over it, (hungover) and Simon has suddenly come down with flu symptoms, time to go.
 


We have another quick look around with the lures where we had the marlin strike early in the day, but nothing happens. The breeze is picking up, so we retreat back to the boat ramp. Back in Hobart by 6pm, washed up and Kim and I home having a beer by 7pm.
 Not a total loss of a day, but certainly had many better ones.
That's just fishing though innit!

A comment about the Tank. Sal, yes the gears are wearing in, but still a way to go. But I have every confidence when the sword hook-up comes, the Tank will come through.
Hopefully a few more attempts over the next couple of weeks.

Postscript....OK, so a couple of "one that got away" stories here. For you "No pic, didn't happen", callers, well you'll just have to take my word for it.

[redsetta]

Great report!
This is such a cracker thread.
Cheers lads, Justin