shallower water under 20m i would sugest a drift bait rig set up wih two snelled hooks on 30-50lb leader with a bean sinker running straight onto the hooks. any deeper a paternoster rig mate. not sure you will have the line capasity on that reel for bottom bouncing much deeper than 50m but.

 I agree with Matt's rig set ups but disagree with the line capacity comment.

The Ugly Stick is a solid rod that will last for years and years. I've owned one for nearly 20 years and it just recently started to fall apart. The metal in the eye's has corroded and the ceramic has dropped out. Good starter rod and good allrounder.

If you just bought the Stradic then you would have loaded the braid at the shop so at a minium there would be 150m on the spool. 95% of all the fish you get bottom bouncing will not strip you of a massive amount of line. Instead they will make a run for the reefs and holes and if tanks will usually bust you off there. Of course there is exceptions. Noah's and Sambo's can strip off all your line (30Lb).

Your set up can also be used for trolling out to your fav ground with a stack of palegics up for grabs. Around Perth most of what you will hook up (90%) will be small enough to subdue with 30Lb. 

Personally i fish as if every time i'm going to get that fish of a lifetime. The monster that that will never be caught again. Every rig i tie is done properly, the reels are in perfect condition, the set up i'm using is right for the job. Still getting Bricked is part of fishing so be prepared with only one set up for this. Buy some more braid and keep it in your tackle box.

If the fishing bug really gets under your skin then more specialized set ups will folow and then, like a lot of the guys on this forum, your shed will fill up.

Tight lines

Merv

I have spooled up a few 5000 size reels now and if done properly ie by a shop the line capacity was very good.

I got 300m of pe 2 and 240m of pe 3, should be more than enough for what you want to do.

thanks for the replies guys

i spooled the braid myself, got the 300yrd fins 30lb and must have spooled 3/4 of it?

pending on weather we will be going out sunday morning, so what the best way to get out to the five fathom?

straight from Warnbro?

normally go out from Woody

so what does bottom bouncing involve?

would i be able to use lures or poppers with this rod?

school me guys :)

thank you

 Doubt it, would be too stiff to cast anything with any distance or accuracy.