I hear you here, but i am using a handline and bungee sometimes, and soft plastics are about the safest and cheapest option here..... i dont buy the Yamashita's, instead go for the cheaper version, they work just as well and they are thicker than the yamashitas!!
Water temp here..... I actually dont know exactly, i spent about a Hour in the water yesterday clearing some ropes and i recon that it must be between 24 and 26 seg.... its a crappy green color though and the Tuna are missing, usually there is no shortage of Big eye tuna here, and the last few weeks i have only caught about 10! No shortage of Wahoo and Dorado'ss though, so i am not complaining!!