ATrezise Posted January 27, 2007 Share Posted January 27, 2007 Hiya's, I got back into fishing about a month ago after about a 15 yr break, (work, alcohol, cars, wife, kids etc). First few outings I caught a few small whiting (threw back) then I got a feed of decent whiting using blood worms bought from local bait shop. That was about 3 weeks ago, Since then Ive been fishing soo many times and caught nothing worth keeping. Im using a variety of blood worms or sand worms (live), green prawns and squid, fresh or frozen, day or night and catching nothin. Ive tried fishing run in tides, run out tides, high tide hours and low tide hours and nada. Can anyone give me some pointers ? My next step is go buy a yabbie pump but I dont really want to spend too much more money than I have already if Im not going to get results. Sure just the act of being out by the water is great and relaxing but hey, I want some fish too. I think what I really need (read "want") is a boat to get out to areas that are not bombarded by a million bits of crappy bait every day, populated with hook smart fish that can strip a bait without you feeling a darn thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wildfish Posted January 28, 2007 Share Posted January 28, 2007 g'day andy welcom to fish raider! i bought a pump about two years ago cost $50, after buying live nippers from the bait shop $10 for 10. well on my 1st outing i pulled up 20 and my next i took out my mate and got about 30 pump paid for my next outing i grabed 40, ive been fishing 50 times since and never paid for bait!!!! oh and the fish love em!!! youll still catch littlies sure but youll also get the bigies. some times five casts in a row the bait dont even hit the bottem and im on!! just make sure theres nippers in your area available too pump 1st and around those areas will also be the best spots to fish em as their natural feed for the area! fish light for bream flatties whiting trevally ect. good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest rzep Posted January 28, 2007 Share Posted January 28, 2007 I bought a yabbie pump when I was down the south coast and while we pumping for them we put one on a hook and threw it out and within 2 or 3 minutes we pulled in a Bream. I know the pumps are available at Watto's for about $35 I think. I would have to say that this is the cheapest that I have seen them for. Alot cheaper then I paid. Well worth it I think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ATrezise Posted January 28, 2007 Author Share Posted January 28, 2007 I bought a pump yesterday afternoon and went exploring. All I managed to get was a few small worms and some little round crabs, but I was distracted by having to watch my 20 month old boy too. The worms were too small to be easily baited, Im guessing I need to wait for a lower tide to go hunting bait, and get some local advice as to where to go hunting. Yesterday afternoon was about 2/3 high tide. Thanks for the replies guys. I also had a talk to the guy in bait shop who told me the river is seemingly full of little fish at the moment. At least down stream, those with boats are getting bigger fish a few miles upriver Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest rzep Posted January 28, 2007 Share Posted January 28, 2007 Keep with the bait collecting Andy, You will definately find the low tide alot more productive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Aron Posted January 28, 2007 Share Posted January 28, 2007 I bought a pump yesterday afternoon and went exploring. All I managed to get was a few small worms and some little round crabs, but I was distracted by having to watch my 20 month old boy too. The worms were too small to be easily baited, Im guessing I need to wait for a lower tide to go hunting bait, and get some local advice as to where to go hunting. Yesterday afternoon was about 2/3 high tide. Thanks for the replies guys. I also had a talk to the guy in bait shop who told me the river is seemingly full of little fish at the moment. At least down stream, those with boats are getting bigger fish a few miles upriver Those crabs you pumped were they blue - sounds like soldier crabs - also good bait for bream Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ATrezise Posted January 29, 2007 Author Share Posted January 29, 2007 (edited) Aaron, they were soldier crabs, but tiny, about the size of a pea or slightly bigger. I went bait collecting again today on the low tide and got about 5 or so good size blood worms and 15 good size yabbies, in about an hour of searching. The worms are in a container with a bit of sea water and the yabbies are in a flat tub, on a rag that's wet with sea water, both in a cool spot until this evening. Edited January 29, 2007 by AndyT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Aron Posted January 29, 2007 Share Posted January 29, 2007 Aaron, they were soldier crabs, but tiny, about the size of a pea or slightly bigger. I went bait collecting again today on the low tide and got about 5 or so good size blood worms and 15 good size yabbies, in about an hour of searching. The worms are in a container with a bit of sea water and the yabbies are in a flat tub, on a rag that's wet with sea water, both in a cool spot until this evening. Nothing beats the feeling of catching fish with the bait that you have collected.....and its not all about the money you save on bait...its more about a back to nature/survival feeling.... Good luck with those livies Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wildfish Posted January 29, 2007 Share Posted January 29, 2007 also i have found try the same hole 4/5 times going deeper down catch lots more 3rd/4th pump. and ive caught em at high tide in over 1m of water use a siv & bike tube, tho u lose a few getting them up through water. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ATrezise Posted January 29, 2007 Author Share Posted January 29, 2007 Well, I caught fish I get to the river and theres a guy in the spot I want. I move downstream a bit, get my gear ready and bait up one of the live yabbies. Cast out and within 2 or 3 minutes I had a 35cm whiting. I get him in the catch bucket and bait up again. . . . . . . Nothing. 4 or 5 yabbies later (being stolen by little fish) I walk over to see the guy in my spot and he's got 2 fish, both on fresh blood worms. Ive got some of them so I race back and bait up again. Cast out and in short order I have another keeper whiting. Insert about an hour give or take, of nothing, until inevitaby the live bait supply ends. I pack up and walk back to see my neighbour, he now has 13 whiting in his bucket and says he'll hang around until he gets his 20. I leave. I did ask him where he gets his bait ? He says same way I did, with a pump. Except he had a helper and got most in water up to a foot or so deep with the use of a sieve. Now I learnt theres yet another item I need. I had read about the seive before and saw a pic of someone using one with a pool floaty noodle thingy tied around it, it was tethered to the user so it didnt float away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wildfish Posted January 29, 2007 Share Posted January 29, 2007 oh well done on ur catch! well worth the money spent! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilm Posted January 29, 2007 Share Posted January 29, 2007 he now has 13 whiting in his bucket and says he'll hang around until he gets his 20. Not sure I agree with his approach. I generally take what I can eat that day or the next. Just my opinion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest rzep Posted January 29, 2007 Share Posted January 29, 2007 Well done Andy, Fresh bait makes a huge difference in your catch rate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ATrezise Posted January 29, 2007 Author Share Posted January 29, 2007 Neil, I have to agree with you there, Id only take what my family can eat in a day or so, if I could catch that many fish. Another 1 or 2 wouldve been great to feed us. Especially as this guy told me he'd caught 20 only a few nights ago in the same spot. Maybe he has a large family ? On the bait collecting topic, Im off to get a seive and floatation device today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Aron Posted January 29, 2007 Share Posted January 29, 2007 That other guy has proberly been fishing using those methods for years......he too would have had more bait, used the right rig and had a better feel... You too will be able to catch your bag after practice...... What rig were you using??? And congratulations on the 2 you caught Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davy Posted January 30, 2007 Share Posted January 30, 2007 Aaron, they were soldier crabs, but tiny, about the size of a pea or slightly bigger. even at that size try a couple on the hook by nicking them through the bum, you'll be surprised how much bream and whiting love them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ATrezise Posted January 30, 2007 Author Share Posted January 30, 2007 That other guy has proberly been fishing using those methods for years......he too would have had more bait, used the right rig and had a better feel... You too will be able to catch your bag after practice...... What rig were you using??? And congratulations on the 2 you caught Thanks Aron. Yeah Ive met this guy before last night, he's an old guy (german or dutch Im not sure) who spends a few hours each day collecting bait and then all night fishing. I was telling him that I used to fish as a kid but as my teenage years advanced, beer, cars and girls became more interesting. He says he doesnt have much else to do, drinking beer just makes him sleepy, driving fast cars doesnt interest him anymore and he says sex isnt on the menu either. I was using a straight rig or 'estuary rig'. No 2 bean sinker, to No 8 swivel, 30cm line (same as main line) to a No2 baitholder (bream style) then swapped to a No4 long shank when I swapped to worms. As to the feel for whiting, should you be striking at every bite or waiting until the fish is obviously hooked and fighting ? ? Ive found that striking at a bite only causes there to be no more bites or foul hooks the fish. Waiting unitl the fish is fighting seems to ensure the hook is well down the fish's throat, therefore if its undersized it goes back with a hook down its guts and some line hangin out its mouth, which I reckon is a death sentence anyway ? ? the first one I hooked last night had the baitholder hook so far down I almost had to chop its head off to get it out. Also in the above situation with a hook way down deep, I think I may have been better to cut it off and retrieve it latter when cleaning the fish rather than wasting precious fishing time removing it. What do others do in this situation ? ? ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now