Mondo Rock Posted September 9, 2007 Share Posted September 9, 2007 (edited) I headed down to Cronulla Beach at about 2:30 this arvo to see if i could rustle up some whiting or maybe a tailor or two. Tides looked good and the weather had finally cleared up. I started by chasing some beachworms on a likely looking hump on the beach. Unlike my local beach, the worms here were willing to co-operate despite the cold water and the fact that we were already an hour or so into the incoming tide. I quickly managed to get a few heads up, the four pichards in half a stocking being more than enough to get their interest. As usual I spent too much time chasing worms, and then trying to take pictures of worms, and ended up with more than I could use. I let more than half of this lot go at the end of the session, as always, but since I use fingers instead of pliers the worms seem to survive it perfectly well. I started off fishing a big hole next to the sand bar that I had collected the worms on, using a two-hook rig with pilchards and worms. Pillies in case there were any tailor or salmon around and worms for whiting and bream. After about an hour I'd had no bites - didn't seem to be any tailor around for me or anyone fishing nearby - so I decided to move back to the sand-bar. A small gutter had formed behind the shorebreak and with the rising tide and dropping surf there was plenty of shallow but clear water over the worm-bed. It only took a couple of minutes before the first little whiting came in, after nailing a worm right at the edge on a slow retrieve. After releasing him I changed to worms on both hooks and cast out just behind the shorey. Another little whiting came in and was released but I was losing light, so I decided to cast out, put the rod in the sand-spike, and start packing up. As I finished I noticed a couple of small taps on the rod, picked it up and struck. I felt a good fish and fought him into the shorey, washing him up at my feet. 38 cm of whiting to cap off the arvo - but he went back too since one isn't really enough for a dinner for two. Anyway, not a bad end to the long weekend. Edited September 9, 2007 by Mondo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveD Posted September 9, 2007 Share Posted September 9, 2007 Sounds like some great stuff man, like the look of those worms. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jewgaffer Posted September 9, 2007 Share Posted September 9, 2007 (edited) Hi mate.That's what I call back to nature and a back to the earth fisherman Mondo. The old calamari tube trick is works extra well as a beach worm glove, have you tried it out mate ? And probably that gutter just needed a little more time into the night to burley the place like a man possessed and you'd fire the whole darn beach front right up. They're out there mate and you've got to trigger them off and you always seem to get something when there was somethings smaller around especially. You never know mate, till you stay out there and sometimes you might be unable to do that. I have educated Shirl these days after 42 years of marriage, "we've been this long Shirl and we've absolutely gotta wait for the tide Shirl and it wont be all that long" but I never did tell her which tide, and years ago whether the next low or high was gunna be a night or a day one for that matter. She just listens to the radio talk shows these days, takes a nap and doesn't blow the car horn till 10 o' clock in the morning but just looks blank. I've got her into throwing rocks at rats now and then, without asking her nicely like I had to, on our first date. She mumbles she wouldn't have got 40 years for murder, so it's a good sign she's hitting the rats. Women are funny aren't they? Cheers jewgaffer Edited September 9, 2007 by jewgaffer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dengeez Posted September 9, 2007 Share Posted September 9, 2007 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mako1 Posted September 9, 2007 Share Posted September 9, 2007 Great report Mondo. I just love beach fishing,it's so relaxing but I wish I could catch that many beachworms in a session.Good sized whiting to end the evening off with.I find that the bigger fish tend to bite better during the night,they also hit the baits alot harder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fibbo Posted September 10, 2007 Share Posted September 10, 2007 Nice story Mondo, what juicy fat beachworms. I love the pics! hehe Cheers, fibbo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grebbo Posted September 12, 2007 Share Posted September 12, 2007 Nice work Mondo! Good to see that you are getting some action out there! I might see you for a fish on Friday avo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gretsch Posted September 12, 2007 Share Posted September 12, 2007 I usually end up with a bucket of heads when I chase beach worms. Nice whiting to finsih things off. It would have been enough for two if you tossed the flaked flesh through some pasta wth fresh tomatoes, basil and a good slug of olive oil!! I made a meal for two out of some poddy mullet once. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigfoot Posted September 12, 2007 Share Posted September 12, 2007 Top Read Mondo, Fresh is best, yes, But, local fresh is bulletproof. Great work on those worms. That's living off the land alright. Cheers Bigfoot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tumra Posted September 12, 2007 Share Posted September 12, 2007 Mate good to see a report from cronulla beach... I had pack the rods in the car ready to go down to wanda beach on sunday afternoon but the rain clouds looked way to menancing to take the risk of a 45 minute drive just to fish in the rain. I find that there is a decent gutter running all the way across that beach and even if the tailor / salmon arnt biting... you will always hook up whiting. And it good to see that the whiting are getting big around there.... I usually buy live beach worm from my local because i havent got a clue as to how to collect them... it would be good to learn the tricks.... Question for the guys... what do you use to berley up for whiting... considering i am buying the beach worms ($10 for 4 worms) its pretty expensive stuff to use those for berley... does anyone have any suggestions as to what to use?? I find that the fish generally still bite even without berley if the bait is slowly retrived across the gutter. Thanks Anthony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jewgaffer Posted September 12, 2007 Share Posted September 12, 2007 Mate good to see a report from cronulla beach... Question for the guys... what do you use to berley up for whiting... Thanks Anthony I used to freeze left over nippers and blood worms and crush them up in wet sand at Grays Pt and Wanda. I use the same mix to get whiting for trevally when I go to Ballina. Live whiting are the number one bait our local friends use for trevally up there. Hope this helps and the answer is pump a bit more BUT use the sand mix sparcely and well directed, rather than using anything else, as the use of strong burley always attracts rubbish etc and whiting are sensitive and fussy and they will leave. jewgaffer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mondo Rock Posted September 13, 2007 Author Share Posted September 13, 2007 This is a dumb question, and I really should know the answer, but are Cronulla and Wanda the same beach?I thought I was fishing Cronulla beach but now I'm not so sure - maybe it was Wanda. In any event it seems like there's some interest amongst the beachfishing Raiders to learn more about catching beachworms. It's not an easy skill to pick up but extremely fun once you get the hang of it. If I were to hold an informal 'learn to beachworm' session down at Cronulla/Wanda (wherever the hell I was) would anyone here come along? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landbased Posted September 13, 2007 Share Posted September 13, 2007 Depending on the day you could count me in As it happens I have from sunday to thursday off next week ( first holiday for 18 years ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jewgaffer Posted September 13, 2007 Share Posted September 13, 2007 This is a dumb question, and I really should know the answer, but are Cronulla and Wanda the same beach?I thought I was fishing Cronulla beach but now I'm not so sure - maybe it was Wanda. In any event it seems like there's some interest amongst the beachfishing Raiders to learn more about catching beachworms. It's not an easy skill to pick up but extremely fun once you get the hang of it. If I were to hold an informal 'learn to beachworm' session down at Cronulla/Wanda (wherever the hell I was) would anyone here come along? Hey Mondo. Count me in wherever and whatever day you decide . I'll drive over from Campbelltown, no worries for me, Simon I could be there in the day for the worms and the late afternoons and onwards for the fish. I fish those places only a little while after sunrise and fish after sunset well into the night. If you can get half a dozen blokes we can get a worms supply and keep some to cut up for next time. If they can stay on to fish and bring their own burley, all the better. That will mean there will be plenty of burley that can be spread and we can rotate our boys around as each new lot goes out. You get can get fish from from all directions that way and it's an old freshwater method you use when time matters and the best way to fish anywhere. Any others wish to learn how to catch worms ? Mondo will get you right and show you various methods to catch them on the various days. Very good of you, Mondo to volunteer to help the members out in a very important part of natural bait collection such as catching their own bait supply beach worms rather wasting good money on all the most unattractive baits and getting only the worst types of fish. Still that's the way it always works you fish with lousy bait you catch lousy fish. A very good idea! Cheers jewgaffer p.s. the beach is from South Cronulla rocks, North Cronulla, Wanda and thru to Kurnell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwi Dan Posted September 13, 2007 Share Posted September 13, 2007 Good report mate, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grebbo Posted September 13, 2007 Share Posted September 13, 2007 Well if any one is interested in learning how to catch beach worms the proper way, that’s by the use of your finger and thumb and not pliers, Mondo is your man! He taught me some time ago and it really is fun and a satisfying experience. Plus it’s a skill you can show of to passes by who are always amazed by the sight of someone puling a 1m worm out of the sand!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrsswordfisherman Posted September 13, 2007 Share Posted September 13, 2007 That sounds like a great idea Mondo and thank you for helping raiders Cheers mrsswordfisherman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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