Gengar

Thanks all for the replies. I have seen that YouTube video (and quite a few others as well). I mainly use lures but the videos made it look so easy I thought I could get the kids involved while I go fish but seems it's an art more than an exact science. The suggestion of chucking in bread to find them is a good idea. Maybe i need to go elsewhere to try. Will post back how I go. Thanks all!

As in all clear bottles? Mine still has a label on it.....maybe i take that off next time.

Thanks mate. The area i see them isn't really a sandflat.....its more like a gently sloped beach along the river. Maybe I am not standing far away. Anyway will try again at high tide next time either in morning or late afternoon.

Ok let me try to make it into breadcrumbs next time

Hi @Little_Flatty thanks for sharing your experience! However you are absolutely right that they are just not interested in the bread pieces I chuck in water which then i guess is why they are not going into the trap. It could also be location as you said as my attempts so far has just been a couple of spots along lane cove river. I also do lures mainly but my boys say those youtube videos and got really excited! They don't have as much patience as me so trying to get them interested for longer.

Ok I must be doing something wrong as those on youtube make it look so easy! I posted earlier about targeting these large jumping mullets. I haven't landed one yet but in the same area I saw these small mullets (i think they are poddies) so did some research on trapping them use these clear plastic bottles (2L and 4L bottles). Here is what i have been doing: (a) Cutting a 5cm hole in the bottle (b) squishing a couple slices of bread and putting it in the trap (c) putting the trap in about 30 to 40 cm of water (d) chuck a few small pieces of bread around the trap (e) wait!!! I have tried it about 4 times but no success yet. Once i couldn't see any poddies so not surprised i didn't get any (it was low tide). The other times i see them around the trap but they don't seem too interested in either the bread i chuck around the trap and/or the bread inside the trap. I have tried going to high tide at noon, low tide at 5pm. Is it because they tend to only feed at certain tides or time? If anyone can help with where i am going wrong that would be much appreciated. Thanks!

Thanks mate but wouldn't the half a slice of bread be too big for my small size 10 or 12 hook? Or do you usually use a bigger hook?

OK got it. Sounds more like an art than exact science. Cheers!

Nah don't have to use long shank I have other regular small hooks about the same size. Will try.once the rain is gone!

Thanks for sharing! I didn't bring chicken last time but will try that as well. I was suspending my bait a good 50cm below the float which in hindsight might have been too deep. I also didn't use much berley last time so maybe that makes a difference. I just saw them jumping all over the place i didnt think berley was required. Anyway guess its a bit of trial and error. Will report back guys. Thanks!

Thanks BN for sharing! I was using like a size 12 long shank hook I think, those are the smallest I have. When you mould it around the hook I presume you press it firmly right? Would I need to rebait every couple of minutes? Just wondering how long it would last on the hook that way. Will try yours and Yowie's method and see how i go.

Mate thanks for replying. There were poddy around so I just assumed these larger specimen were usual mullets. Anyway will have a go next time to see if i can tempt them. Do you mean I should squeeze as much water out as possible before putting it on the hook? Do you just wrap it around the hook then press it in against the hook?

Due to covid and other issues I haven't fished anywhere as much as I wanted to over summer and unfortunately I still haven't hit my objectives of trying to catch a kingfish on lures and whiting on surface lures. . Anyway given the pouring rain in Sydney I ventured out over the weekend to the literally the closest body of water to master walking the dog with my sugapen. After flicking for about an hour and trying to do what @DerekD taught I think I finally cracked the "rhythm" as Derek puts it! The flick of the rod with the winding of the line. I don't have it 100% but probably at about 80% which i am stoked with! Now i need the whiting to turn up! When I was there I saw these mullets just jumping out of the water! I reckon they would have been about 30 to 50cm long and presumably were feeding? Anyway my boys were fishing with me and so they started throwing out bread and squid on tiny hooks on a float. The bread didn't stick to the hook at all and nothing touched the squid. My boys also tried a twisty fast retrieve and actually hooked a couple but lost as he was reeling it in though he said it looked like a tailor rather than a mullet(?). Anyway this got me interested in catching some (big) mullet! I have caught poddy mullets before using bread as burley and squid but they are usually very close to shore. I did some research on these larger specimen and seems to be that bread is the bait to go? But how do you make it not break apart once it hits the water? Some people say make your own dough of flour and water? People also say burley with bread but i can't throw it that far or do you squish it with water first so its heavier? Also I tried a variety of lures (eg sugapen, popper, grubz, slimswimz) but either my retrieve was wrong or mullets don't take lures? Anyway hoping another raider more experienced can put me in the right direction of catching these larger mullets! Cheers!

Mate appreciate it. Cheers.

Cheers, thanks for sharing! I only have a few days so great that I have the places pinned down. For settlement point, do you mean at Settlement Point Reserve just past the ferry?

Hi all, am planning for my trip up to Port Macquarie and Coffs Harbour and was wondering if anyone could share some location that is easily accessible landbased and relatively safe that I can take the kids. I couldnt see any obvious flats next to land on google map but did only find a post that says there are flats near the bridge at park street at Port Macquarie but again couldn't see any obvious flats on google map. Thanks guys!

Mate absolutely awesome report! It's clear how much effort you put into to learning and also writing the report to share! I am in a similar boat to you after running into @DerekDonce and my skills have really improved. Unfortunately I haven't had much practice over lookdown but look forward to catching up with derekd for a fish over the summer! perhaps I can join next time u fish with derekd. Hoping to catch my first king on lures!

@DerekD Mate another incredibly valuable session for me on Sunday and a real eye opener especially when we got to the slapstix. I remembered I asked why you need such a massive lure and was honestly shocked how incredible lifelike they were whether on the straight retrieve or on the bouncing retrieve. Unfortunately I can't quite remember all the different types of lures you used after the slapstix or the different kinds of retrieve techniques. Definitely need another session once I get my lines and have had a few casts with the 9 foot rod. The only downside to Sunday's session was that the fish weren't playing their part but we did see this red/orange flash from a fish that was following one of our lures. Not sure what it was but it seemed a good sized fish. Would anyone know what it could have been? Anyway can't wait for summer but until then i can start to get some of these lures you recommended and go out for a flick during winter and see if I find any salmons cruising around. Next time we can hopefully catch some pelagics together!

Actually i have the same net also bought from ebay. The good point is that its light and compact but not the best quality but guess its why its cheap. In my case, the clip that flips the net is half stuck (even though i wash my net after every use) and one of the length of the pole has pulled completely out but otherwise its ok.

Thanks for the responses especially derekD for explaining it over a call! Love this forum. I ended up getting the 9ft2in and actually picked it up earlier today. Look forward to using it on the beach and even in the harbour!

Thanks for the responses especially derekD for explaining it over a call! Love this forum. I ended up getting the 9ft2in and look forward to using that on the beach and even in the harbour!

Looks nice but unfortunately seems out of budget for me. Me looking at no more than $100. Just not sure if 9ft2in is enough for casting from the beach. Any thoughts on that?

Thanks for the replies. Actually the abu garcia veritas is a 9ft2in rod so it sounds like its doable for not too rough wave conditions. Seems to be their higher end model but always hard to tell from the website description alone. Still not sure but maybe i would trade up to the 9ft graphite......

Hi raiders, with my recent conversion to lures I have been thinking of giving beach fishing a crack. Never really tried it except using nippers on 7ft rods which is great fun but wanted to give beach fishing with metal lures a go. Maybe catch taylors, salmon, etc. Been just waiting for the right rods to go on sale! ha I recently bought a Penn Mariner II 10ft (composite, 6 to 10kg and 20g to 87g cast weight) which was on sale but felt a bit heavy. Then today noticed the abu garcia 9ft full graphite rod (6 to 10kg and 20g to 68g cast weight) for a good price. I haven't used the Penn yet so can take it back to upgrade to the abu garcia. However, I am worried the 9ft might be a bit short for beach fishing? Read previous posts but still not quite sure. Any thoughts/advice? Thanks all!

I am another one of Derek's student! He has a wealth of knowledge and humbly shares his experience and time! I have been to a few sessions with him (the most recent being pumping yabbies) and definitely fast tracked my fishing skills!