There is one small hitch encountered by many first time ...



There is one small hitch encountered by many first time knot-tiers. Their expert instructors seem to assume that their fellow fishermen are familiar with the Surgeon's Knot, the Bimini Twist and the like. But long before I moved into the field of knot-tying, I was content to join a line-to-swivel, swivel-to-trace and trace-to-hook via a Simple Loop Knot, where the loop is made only perhaps 25mm long - just long enough to pass over the hook and swivel.

The Loop Knot can be tied readily in the dark, and equally readily attached to swivel and hook. If fishing for flathead, you may have more confidence in your gear if the loop to the hook is made about 12.5cm long, thus taking the fish on a doubled trace.

[pic]

As experience is gained, you may wish to move on from the Loop Knot to knots that lie closer to hook and swivel.

One of these is the Half Blood Knot, which is more correctly half of the Barrel Knot. THIS KNOT WILL SLIP. It has cost me more fish than I want to remember.

If you must use it, then you have two choices:

a) Stop the end of the line with a simple Overhand Knot, and draw it against the turns of the knot.

[pic]

b) or make the Half Blood Knot into a Clinch Knot.

[pic]

The following illustrations are fairly well all-purpose, but for tropical waters we strongly suggest that a 35-45lb mono leader be used prior to attaching a lure. If you are going after fish like mackerel, it is also a good idea to use black wire and swivels.

[pic]

[pic]Clinch Knot

1. Pass the line through the eye of the hook, or swivel.

2. Double back. make five turns around the line.

3. Pass the end of the line through the first loop, above the eye, and then through the large loop. Draw the knot into shape.

4. Slide the coils down tight against the eye.

[pic]Jansik Special

Another beautifully simple knot that can be tied in the dark, The Jansik Special is a high strength knot tied as follows:

1. Put 15cm of line through the eye of the hook.

2. Bring it around in a circle and put the end through again.

3. Making a second circle, pass then end through a third time.

4. Holding the three circles of line against each other, wrap the end three times around the circles.

5. Either hold the hook steady with pliers, or make it fast to boat's rigging or safety lines.

6. Holding strain on the hook, pull on both ends of the line to tighten.

[pic]Palomar Knot

The Palomar Knot is another very simple knot for terminal tackle. It is regarded by the International Game Fish Association consistently as the strongest knot known. It's great virtue is that it can safely be tied at night with a minimum of practice.

1. Double about 12.5cm of line, and pass through the eye.

2. Tie a simple Overhand Knot in the doubled line, letting the hook hang loose. Avoide twisting the lines.

3. Pull the end of loop down, passing it completely over the hook.

4. Pull both ends of the line to draw up the knot.

[pic]Hangman's Knot

There are at least 6 variations of the Hangman's Knot, - all of them excellent for terminal tackle, swivels and hooks. The "standard" Hangman's Knot holds only five turns when tied in monofilament nylon. If tied in rope, and used for its stated purpose, it takes eight turns.

1. Pass a 15cm loop of line through the eye.

2. Bring the end back on itself, passing it under the doubled part.

3. Make five loops over the doubled part.

4. The formed knot is worked into shape.

5. The knot is sent down the line, against the eye of the hook or swivel.

[pic]Scaffold Knot

This is a much simpler variant. In all likelihood, this Grant's Uni-Knot. I have used it for more than fifty years and it has never failed me, whether tied in 1kg or 50kg monofilament. It was taught to me by the late Wally Kerr, a top flathead fisherman.

1. Pass a 15cm loop of line through the eye.

2. Lock the upper part between thumb and forefinger, making a loop.

3. Make two more loops over the double part, holding them too, between thumb and forefinger.

4. Pass the end through the two loops just made, plus the first loop made in step2.

5. The formed knot can now be drawn into shape, and worked down against the eye of the hook or swivel.

[pic]

[pic]Snelling A Hook

One small problem is the variety of names that may be applied to the one knot, for example, a Granny is a False Knot, a Clove Hitch is a Waterman's Knot, an Overhand Knot is a Thumb Knot. But when we come to snelling a hook, the length of nylon attached to the hook may be a snell or a snood.

I now find that the actual job of tying the snood may be called snoozing, while snelling is often jealously thought of as an art restricted to the fly fisherman. I have fished with bottom-fisherman on the Great Barrier Reef who routinely snell their hooks.

Restricted to lines of breaking strength less than about 20kg, the process is a simple one.

1. Pass the end of the line, trace or tippet through the eye twice, leaving a loop hanging below the hook.

2. Hold both lines along the shank of the hook.

3. Use the loop to wind tight coils around the shank and both lines, from the eye upwards. Use from 5 to 10 turns.

4. Use the fingers to hold these tight coils in place. Pull the line (extending from the eye) until the whole loop has passed under these tight coils.

5. With coils drawn up, use pliers to pull up the end of the line.

[pic]

[pic]Joining Line To Line

There are two top grade knots used to join one line to another, where these are approximately of the same thickness. These are the Blood Knot and the Hangman's Knot - also called the Uni Knot by the International Game Fish Association.

Where there diameters are very dissimilar, either the Surgeon's Knot should be used, or the thinner line should be doubled where the knot is formed.

[pic]Blood Knot

1. Lie the ends of the two lines against each other, overlapping about 15cm.

2. Take 5 turns around one line with the end of the other, and bring the end back where it's held between the two lines.

3. Repeat by taking 5 turns around the other line, bringing the end back between the two lines. These two ends should then project in opposite directions.

4. Work the knot up into loops, taking care that the two ends do not slip out of position.

5. Draw the knot up tightly.

[pic]Uni-Knot Version Of The Hangman's Knot

A better join can be made using one of the Hangman's Knots, known to the International Game Fish Association fisherman as the Uni-Knot.

This is a knot used for attaching the line to the spool of the reel.

1. Overlap the two lines for about 15cm.

2. Using one end, form a circle that overlies both lines.

3. Pass the end six times around the two lines.

4. Pull the end tight to draw the knot up into shape.

5. Repeat the process using the end of the other line.

6. Pull both lines to slide the two knots together.

[pic]Surgeon's Knot

Earlier mention was made that if the two lines to be joined vary greatly in their diameters, the lesser line may be doubled at the knot, or the Surgeon's Knot may be used. In the latter case, it will probably be necessary to have one of the lines rolled on a spool, or perhaps wrapped on a temporary card, so that it may be passed through the loop.

1. Lay the two lines against each other, overlapping about 22.5 cm.

2. Working the two lines as one, tie an Overhand Knot. It will be necessary to pull one line (say the leader) completely through this loop.

3. Pull the leader through this loop again.

4. Pass the other end through the loop.

5. The formed knot can now be worked into shape.

[pic]

[pic]Spider Hitch

The offshore fisherman often have a need to tie a double line - a long loop of line that is obviously stronger, and easier to handle, than the line itself. In accordance with International Game Fish Association Rules, the double line may be up to 4.5m long in lines up to 10kg, and as much as 9m in heavier lines.

The double may be tied by means of the simple Spider Hitch with lines to 15kg. The big game boys use the Bimini Twist, a double that is normally formed by two people who make the intitial twenty twists. The Bimini is obviously beyond the scope of this little book. It's smaller brother, the Spider Hitch, is a much faster and easier knot for the light tackle fisherman.

1. Form a loop of the desired length, say 1.25m.

2. Twist a section into a small loop.

3. This is the only tricky part - hold this loop with thumb and forefinger, the thumb extending above the finger, and with the loop standing up beyond the tip of the thumb.

4. Wind the doubled line around the thumb and the loop 5 times.

5. Send the rest of the long loop through the small loop, and pull gently to unwind the turns off the thumb.

6. The knot is now formed and worked into tight coils.

[pic]Offshore Swivel Knot

This is a special knot used for attaching a swivel to a double line.

1. Put the end of the double line through the eye of the swivel.

2. Rotate the end half a turn, putting a single twist between the end of the loop and the swivel eye.

3. Pass the loop with the twist over the swivel. Hold the end of the loop, together with the double, with one hand, and allow the swivel to slide to the end of the double loops that have formed.

4. Continue holding the loop and the lines with the right hand. Use the left hand to rotate the swivel through both loops 6 times or more.

5. Keep pressure on both parts of the double line. Release the loop. Pull on the swivel and loops of line will start to form.

6. Holding the swivel with pliers, or (better still) attaching it with a short length of line to the rigging, push the loop down towards the eye while keeping pressure on the double line.

[pic]Surgeons End Loop

Loops are made for the purpose of attaching leaders, traces or other terminal tackle. They have the advantage that they can be tied quickly and in the dark.

The Surgeon's End Loop is an easy way to go.

1. Take the end of the line and double it to form a loop of the required size.

2. Tie an Overhand Knot at the desired point, leaving the loop open.

3. Bring the doubled line through the loop again.

4. Hold the line and the end part together, and pull the loop to form a knot.

[pic]Blood Bight Knot

Another end loop can be tied quickly and easily using the Blood Bight Knot.

1. Double the line back to make a loop of the size desired.

2. Bring the end of the loop twice over the doubled part.

3. Now pass the end of the loop through the first loop formed in the doubled part.

4. Draw the knot up into shape, keeping pressure on both lines.

The Blood Bight Knot is often used for attaching a dropper when fishing deep water with several hooks.

Some anglers attached the hook directly to the end of the loop, which should be at least 30cm from the end of the line.

This is not a good practice, especially when the fish are shy. Far better to attach a single strand of nylon to a short Blood Bight Knot, using another Blood Bight Knot, or a Surgeon's Knot.

[pic]Dropper Loop

A better method of forming a loop, or loops, in the line above the sinker is to use the old Dropper Loop. This draws into a knot that stands out at right angles to the line.

If desired, the loops can be made long enough to have a hook set on them. And once again, this is not a good practice unless the fish are biting-mad, which they rarely are.

1. Form a loop in the line.

2. Take hold of one side of the loop, and make 6 or more turns around the line itself.

3. This is the tricky part - keep open the point where the turns, or twists, are being made.

4. Take hold of the other side of the loop, and pull it through the centre opening. use a finger in this loop so that it is not lost.

5. Hold this loop between the teeth. Pull gently on both ends of the line, making the turns gather and pack down on either side of the loop.

6. Draw up the knot by pulling the lines as tightly as possible. The turns will make the loop stand at right angles to the line.

[pic]Tucked Sheet Bend

Usually employed by the fly fisherman, the Tucked Sheet Bend is commonly used for joining the backing line to the tapered line. It is not an especially compact knot, but has a very strong attachment which cannot be said for the more aesthetically pleasing Perfection Loop.

[pic]

1. Make a Blood Bight (see above) at the end of the backing line.

2. Take the end of the tapered line. Pass it through the Blood Bightand make a simple Sheet Bend.

3. Now pass the end of the tapered line back through the closed loop of the Sheet Bend.

4. Hold both ends of the tapered line to tighten and draw into shape.

[pic]Float Stop

The float fisherman uses a running float for casting and general handiness, and stops the float from running up the line by using the Float Stop. It has the advantage that the stops moves readily over the rod guides, but grips the monofilament nylon so tightly that it will not slide over the line.

It should be made with about 12.5cm of nylon, usually the same diameter as the line itself.

1. Take 2 turns (3 if necessary) around the main line at the chosen point.

2. Bring both ends around to form a Surgeon's Knot (see above).

3. Tighten into shape bringing the coils close together.

[pic]Turle Knot

I have included the still-used Turle Knot for old times sake. Also known as the Turtle Knot, and Major Turle's Knot, it is simplicity itself to tie, but is one of the weakest knots.

It should never be used for light lines, and there are better knots for use with heavy ones.

1. Pass the line through the eye of the hook.

2. Make a simple loop.

3. Carry the end of the line on to make a Simple Overhand Knot upon the loop.

4. Pass the loop over the hook.

5. Draw up into shape.

[pic]Double Turle Knot

Tied in monofilament nylon, the Turle Knot may slip unless another Simple Overhand Knot is made at the end of the line where it leaves the Turle Knot.

It is improved substantially by using the Double Turle Knot.

1. Pass the line through the eye of the hook or swivel.

2. Make two simple loops, and carry the line on to make a Simple Overhand Knot around both loops.

3. Pass both of these loops over the hook or swivel.

4. Pull on both parts of the line to draw the knot up into shape against the eye of the hook or swivel.

How To Fillet A Fish

Here are a series of 15 pictures describing the simple techniques of filleting reasonable sized fish like coral trout, barramundi, mangrove jack, salmon etc. This method can be adapted to suit most fish species with scaled skin, and the end result will give you beautiful clean fillets, little bones and virtually no wastage.

1. What is required is a simple cutting board or flat surface, a thin flexible blade for cutting along the backbone, and a broad flat blade for removing the hard skin.

2. Holding the fish flat on the cutting board, and while using the thin knife, pierce the skin behind the front dorsal fin.

3. Slice the knife diagonally across the fish, cutting to, but not through, the backbone.

[pic][pic][pic]

4. Hold the fish by the head and run the blade down the backbone towards the tail with a sawing motion. Do not try to cut too much of the fillet off the backbone at this stage, this will come later.

5. When near the tail region, hold the knife flat against the backbone and push the point right through the side of the fillet. With the knife protruding out the other side, cut right through the remaining fillet towards the tail.

6 & 7 Peel the fillet back with one hand while cutting the fillet away from the backbone using small slicing motions. Don't try to cut too much away in one stroke. It is better to use many small cuts, guiding the knife along any bony structures and removing all that beautiful flesh.

[pic][pic][pic]

8. The most difficult task is to remove the fillet from the rib cage area. A very sharp knife is essential here. Using small strokes again, just feel your way around the bones, eventually completely removing one side of the flesh.

9. Turn the fish over making sure to hold the fish fairly flat on the cutting surface, and repeat the procedure to remove the other fillet. Some fisherman will keep the first fillet loosely attached to the backbone to improve the "shape" of the fish and making it easier to work for removing the second fillet.

[pic][pic][pic]

10. The fish "wings" are regarded by some culinary experts as the second best eating part of any fish, second only to the meat found at the back of the head. Break or cut them off whole and save them for the BBQ.

11. And there you have it, two superb fillets, the wings and the carcass.

12. Next comes the removal of the skin, note that the fish has not been scaled and this is not necessary.Hold the tough skin in one hand and using the flat bladed knife, slice a small portion of the flesh away from the skin.

[pic][pic][pic]

13. Cut a "finger hole" into the skin.

14. Hold the skin by the finger hole, and using the broad bladed knife, gently remove the skin from the remaining fillet. It is important to hold the knife at the correct angle and to pull on the skin, not push or cut with the knife. Holding the blade too flat will result in a jagged cutting action and probably leave some skin on, hold it too upright and you will slice through the skin and make it difficult to re-start the procedure. There is no substitute for practice, so go catch a few and give it some trial and error until you work the right angle to suite your blade.

15. The completed job.

[pic][pic][pic]

MOUTH-WATERING MEATS

The following recipes show just how easy it is to create mouth-watering smoked meat dishes at home. Using the Anuka, you can infuse your meat with a delicious smoky character in no time at all! Don't forget, there's plenty of marinades & rubs you can use to vary the flavour.

Simply click on the dish you're interested in to go to that recipe...

* Tantalising Smoked Lamb Rack

* Smoked Beef Satay

* Smoked Spare Ribs

TANTALISING SMOKED LAMB RACK

This recipe & many more can be found in the Anuka Instruction/Recipe Book which comes with every unit.

Ingredients

Rack of lamb

Rosemary Rub

2 Tbsp fresh rosemary

1 Tbsp crushed garlic

1 Tbsp sea salt

1 Tbsp freshly ground black pepper

Tandoori Marinade

1 Jar of Tandoori Paste

Method

Rosemary Rub

Combine rosemary, garlic, salt & pepper and then rub mixture well into the meat. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight if time permits.

Tandoori Marinade

Place rack of lamb in container & pour Tandoori paste over it. Leave to marinate for at least 2 hours, or overnight if time permits.

Smoking...

Place lamb on stainless steel cooking rack (covered with aluminium foil if smoking Tandoori lamb) and smoke for 30 minutes. Finish off by cooking in a BBQ kettle or a preheated 200 deg C oven for approx 30 minutes or until cooked to your liking.

Serve with roast vegetables and enjoy!

If you're entertaining at home, why not serve up a platter of 'frenched' lamb racks for entree - we guarantee there'll be no leftovers!

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SMOKED BEEF SATAY

This recipe & many more can be found in the Anuka Instruction/Recipe Book which comes with every unit.

Ingredients

500g beef sirloin steak

4 tsp curry powder

1/2 tsp ground coriander

1/2 tsp chilli powder

1/2 tsp turmeric

1 Tbsp sesame oil

1 tsp water

50g coconut cream

150ml boiling water

1 Tbsp lemon juice

2 Tbsp soft brown sugar

125g salted peanuts, finely ground

Method

Trim the beef & cut into approx 5mm x 20mm strips.

In a bowl blend 3 teaspoons of the curry powder, the coriander, half of the turmeric & half of the chilli powder. Add the sesame oil and one teaspoon of water; mix to a paste.

Place the pieces of beef in the bowl with the spices & mix well. Skewer the meat, with about 6 pieces per skewer. Cover and leave to marinade for at least 2 hours.

Place in smoker for 25-30 minutes and rest with lid on for further 5 minutes. Meanwhile prepare the sauce. Place coconut cream & boiling water in medium-sized pot & mix well. Add remaining ingredients, including curry powder, turmeric & chilli powder. Heat the sauce until hot, not boiling.

Serve on rice or pita bread with salad & enjoy!

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SMOKED SPARE RIBS

This recipe & many more can be found in the Anuka Instruction/Recipe Book which comes with every unit.

Ingredients

2kg pork spare ribs

Salt, pepper & garlic powder to taste

2 cups BBQ sauce

Method

Rub the seasoning into the ribs and arrange on the stainless steel cooking rack to allow good circulation of smoke. Place in smoker for 30-45 minutes, then rest for further 5 minutes with lid on.

To finish, brush lightly with BBQ sauce and place on oven tray. Place in BBQ kettle or oven preheated to 200 deg C. Turn ribs occasionally over 20 minutes.

Enjoy!

|First of all, the idea for doing this comes from Alton Brown and his show Good Eats.  Without his inspiration, I wouldn't have even considered|

|making this. |

|Recently my good friend Martin moved back to Kansas from LA.  When he left, he took his smoker with him.  This left me without access to a |

|smoker.  This is A Bad Thing.  Smoked food is one of life's great pleasures.  I decided that I need to make my own smoker. |

|I should explain the basic differences between grilling, BBQing, and smoking meat.  Each is a way of cooking meat, but they differ in methods |

|and results. |

|[pic] |

|Grilling is cooking meat by the direct application of high heat with a gas burner or an electric heater.  Grilling is simple since temperature|

|is easy, but doesn't bring any new flavors to the party. |

|BBQing is cooking meat by the direct application of heat with charcoal or wood.  The burning of the fuel adds flavor to the meat.  BBQing |

|requires more skill since the flames must be managed to prevent burning or low temperatures. |

|Smoking is cooking meat by the indirect application of heat with wood at low temperatures.  Low temperatures are considered around 225°.  The |

|smoke of the burning wood adds significant flavor to the meat. |

|Due to the lower temperature, smoking meat takes a longer time than grilling or BBQing.  Using different woods leads to different flavors |

|being imparted into the meat.  |

|  |

|[pic] |

|This is the basic design of smoker. |

|See how the smoke created by the wood chips rises and slowly cooks the meat? |

|  |

| [pic] |

|So the plan is simple, use an electric hot plate to heat wood chips inside a metal trash can. |

|I picked up a trash can at the hardware store and ordered a single burner hot plate. |

|The first issue is getting the power cord out. |

|  |

| |

| [pic] |

|I used a drill and metal nibbler to open a hole in the trash can. |

|Be sure to file down the edges so that the power cord can't get cut. |

|  |

| |

| [pic] |

|I had a small wood chip box that I had previously used with my gas grill. |

|   |

| |

| [pic] |

|Here's the general setup with the hot plate powered. |

|  |

| |

| [pic] |

|The wood chips are easy to find at any BBQ supply place. |

|For my test run, I used hickory wood. |

|   |

| |

| [pic] |

|The wood chips in position, ready to burn. |

|  |

| |

| [pic] |

|After a few minutes the wood is starting to smoke. |

|The first sign of success. |

|  |

| |

| [pic] |

|With the lid on top, the heat and smoke build up rapidly. |

|  |

| |

| [pic] |

|I decided to use top sirloin with a dry rub. |

|The traditional meat to smoke is a tri-tip, but the supermarket was out. |

|  |

| [pic] |

|I got the temperature to 227°, right on target.  Keeping the temperature |

|between 220° and 230° is optimal for the long slow cook you are looking for here. |

| |

|Once the smoker is going, grab a beer and a good book and have a seat. |

| |

|The wood chips seems to last 60-90 minutes before they need to be dumped and |

|replaced with fresh chips.  Cooking the beef took about 4 hours to hit the target temp of 145°. |

|  |

| [pic] |

|The next day I decided to make a few additions. |

|I went to the Barbeques Galore and picked a temperature gauge. |

|I also drilled another airhole in the lid. |

|  |

| [pic] |

|For the second run, I decided to try chicken. |

|I sprinkled a little Old Bay seasoning on the chicken and |

|soaked the apple wood chips in water. |

|  |

| [pic] |

|You can see the smoke particles on the sides of the trash can. |

|  |

| [pic] |

|Here's the chicken ready to go. |

|The water soaked wood helped the smoking go longer and kept steam in |

|the smoker to keep the chicken moist. |

|  |

|So there you have it, a working smoker made from easily available parts. |

|Here's what I spent: |

|Trash Can w/ lid:  $12.00 |

|Electric Hot Plate: $13.00 |

|Grating: $10.00 |

|Wood Chip Box: $10.00 (actually, I already had this, but they are cheap if you need to buy one.) |

|Temperature Gauge: $9.00 |

|So for just over $50, you can build a smoker. |

|Now that I'm a very experienced smoker with two days of smoking, here are my suggestions: |

|1) Soak the wood chips in water for 20-30 minutes before using them. |

|2) Keep an ash can ready to dump the ashes into when you put new chips in. |

|3) Take your time.  Smoking takes a while.  Don't be in a hurry. |

|4) After taking the meat off the grating, wrap it in aluminum foil and let it sit for 30 minutes before eating. |

|Thanks to Martin for his support and answers while I got rolling on my smoking career. |

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