zoddy Posted January 30, 2008 Share Posted January 30, 2008 Hello everyone, this is my first post having just signed up for the forums and I wantd to introduce myself. My name is Nathan and I live in Lake Macquarie (Cardiff South) and I'm very new to fishing I signed up as these boards seem very friendly and a valuble wealth of knowledge... I've read the majority of the Lake Macquarie threads and they've given me some good spots to check out so thank you to everyone that has shared their knowledge as its hard to know what to do or where to go without such information. I'll primarily be fishing from land and was after a few quick tips: 1. The line I have at the moment is a 11kg line, is this too heavy? I've read I should only be using the lightest line possible, which would be around a 3-5kg line unless I'm fishing for Whiting, in which case the 11kg is alright. Do people take multiple rods with different sized lines, or whats the deal here as line weight is confusing me a little. 2. Rigging options. What I've read suggests some good tips, but the majority seem to imply I should have as long as possible a leader (i think thats the correct term) - what is the purpose of this? Is it to ensure your sinker etc isn't visible to the fish, thus preventing them from possibly being scared off? I don't have a lot to say nor brag about - just questions, so I'll slink away now.. but look out for some more newbish questions in the future Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squizzytaylor Posted January 30, 2008 Share Posted January 30, 2008 (edited) G'day Nathan, for most lake Mac situations I would think the 11kg is a little heavy and I would probably downsize to 4-6 kg main line, whiting are very skittish so the lighter the better. For leaders I would carry a couple of different sizes say 4lb for bream and whiting and something heavier say 8-10lb for flathead. Use a good flurocarbon leader (the japenese stuff is excellent) as it is all but invisible to fish (so they say). Always use the smallest sinker you can for the conditions. What size rod and reel are you using as this would also have a bearing on the mainline you are using? Cheers Geoff Edited January 31, 2008 by squizzytaylor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoddy Posted January 31, 2008 Author Share Posted January 31, 2008 Thanks for the reply Geoff, much appreciated! I actually have two rods, both second-hand given to me by my father as he no longer wants them - they are a few years old and are both Jarvis Walker jobs (rod & reel) although I have no idea of model numbers etc.. One is a surf rod and is maybe 7 to 8 feet long whilst the other is around 4 or 5 feet. I'm going from memory as I'm not near the rods at the moment. So I can use a lighter main line and a heavier leader? I didn't realise that. For the leader as I understand it I simply tie off the main line with a swivel and then tie the leader to this swivel? Is this the most practical way of joining the two lines? Then just swapping based on what I'm fishing for or whats biting? How do I know which one to use (ie: bream leader versus flathead leader), is it just a case of try one for a while and swap? You've mentioned a fluro line, so I can use a standard chearp 'clear' line for the main line and the more expensive fluro line just for the leader? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hooked-Up Posted January 31, 2008 Share Posted January 31, 2008 Hello everyone, this is my first post having just signed up for the forums and I wantd to introduce myself. My name is Nathan and I live in Lake Macquarie (Cardiff South) and I'm very new to fishing I signed up as these boards seem very friendly and a valuble wealth of knowledge... I've read the majority of the Lake Macquarie threads and they've given me some good spots to check out so thank you to everyone that has shared their knowledge as its hard to know what to do or where to go without such information. I'll primarily be fishing from land and was after a few quick tips: 1. The line I have at the moment is a 11kg line, is this too heavy? I've read I should only be using the lightest line possible, which would be around a 3-5kg line unless I'm fishing for Whiting, in which case the 11kg is alright. Do people take multiple rods with different sized lines, or whats the deal here as line weight is confusing me a little. 2. Rigging options. What I've read suggests some good tips, but the majority seem to imply I should have as long as possible a leader (i think thats the correct term) - what is the purpose of this? Is it to ensure your sinker etc isn't visible to the fish, thus preventing them from possibly being scared off? I don't have a lot to say nor brag about - just questions, so I'll slink away now.. but look out for some more newbish questions in the future gday mate and welcome to fishraider, here youll find everything you need to know. 1. The line = you want to be using the lightest line possible for a number of reasons, the lighter the line usually means the thinner the line, means less drag in the air when casting so you get increased casting distance, and are able to cast smaller baits and lures further, theres less chance of your line spooking fish if they dont notice it, and you get a much better feel of whats happening (subtle bites etc), 11kg is a bit heavy in my opinion i use 6lb line which is about 2.7kg for the bread and butter fish and have another spool loaded with 12lb ready to change on to my reel in case theres anything larger around like school jew, 2. The leader = your right on a longer leader is less spooky, theres less chance of the fish seeing your mainline which is usually coloured and sinker if its a bit further away from the bait, if casting lures i use an extra long leader upto 2 metres and tie straight to mainline without a swivel, this way the coloured mainline is even further away from the lure and because theres no swivel you can reel the leader through your rod guides and even onto your reel and are able to cast perfectly with an extra long leader on a small rod. if you can afford it buy yourself a spool of braided line its half the diameter and twice as strong as mono, 6lb braided line actually breaks at a fair bit above 6lbs probably around 10 id say, it also has zero stretch so can feel those (subtle bites), its expensive but soooo worth it i reckon light lines hook more fish, you just gotta land em good luck mate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoddy Posted January 31, 2008 Author Share Posted January 31, 2008 2. The leader = your right on a longer leader is less spooky, theres less chance of the fish seeing your mainline which is usually coloured and sinker if its a bit further away from the bait, if casting lures i use an extra long leader upto 2 metres and tie straight to mainline without a swivel, this way the coloured mainline is even further away from the lure and because theres no swivel you can reel the leader through your rod guides and even onto your reel and are able to cast perfectly with an extra long leader on a small rod. This makes sense bar one thing. Where does the sinker fit in all of this as the sinker wouldn't fit or cast correctly if run through the rod guides would it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hooked-Up Posted January 31, 2008 Share Posted January 31, 2008 This makes sense bar one thing. Where does the sinker fit in all of this as the sinker wouldn't fit or cast correctly if run through the rod guides would it? no sinker if casting lures no swivel either soft plastic jig heads have wights built in, and if throwing hardbodys you need really light line eg 4 to 6lb id suggest to get any distance with the cast. plus the hard bodys usually swim on on near the surface so sinkers arent used, hope this helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tumra Posted January 31, 2008 Share Posted January 31, 2008 (edited) This makes sense bar one thing. Where does the sinker fit in all of this as the sinker wouldn't fit or cast correctly if run through the rod guides would it? Mate if you use a typical running sinker rig, the sinker will sit above the swivel (see attached). The sinker is larger than the top rod guide so it wont pass through the guide itself. If you want to make it easy for yourself, you may want to rig up the rod without using a swivel. Just put a sinker on the main line and attach a hook to it. (see attached). I find this one good for flatties. Edited January 31, 2008 by tumra Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoddy Posted January 31, 2008 Author Share Posted January 31, 2008 Now I understand it all much better, thanks for the diagrams too tumra Im definately a picture person so these helped a lot! As suggested by you guys I just ducked across the road and grabbed some 6lb mainline and some 6lb flurocarbon line to test out. I'll start by using a running sinker rig on one rod and a plastic jig on the other so I can get a feel for how they cast, wind etc.. and more importantly to broaden my exposure to whats available. I really appreciate everyones help in replying, you've made me very excited about going fishing this weekend as I feel I know enough to catch at least one fish now Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hooked-Up Posted January 31, 2008 Share Posted January 31, 2008 good onya mate check out the albright knot in the knot section here on fishraider to join mainline to leader Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coastspinna Posted February 1, 2008 Share Posted February 1, 2008 good onya mate check out the albright knot in the knot section here on fishraider to join mainline to leader i hate that knot there is a much better and stronger version in g. wilsons book or on the platypus website ian.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andrew399 Posted February 1, 2008 Share Posted February 1, 2008 i hate that knot there is a much better and stronger version in g. wilsons book or on the platypus website ian.. What is it called? zoddy- there are some great tips above which should help you alot. also remember that lighter rigs catch more fish so when using a sinker use the lightest possible to get your bait to the bottom in the given conditions. If there is not much current and the water is not to deep you could also do away with the sinker altogether as the bait presentation will look much more natural. Buy a few magazines or books and you will learn alot very quickly. good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jewgaffer Posted February 1, 2008 Share Posted February 1, 2008 i hate that knot there is a much better and stronger version in g. wilsons book or on the platypus website ian.. Hi Ian How about this one mate. Uni knot in the mono locked blood knot in the braid. Braid fishes up against the mono and tightens in much lower than the uni. You can use a very long leader as the knot glides thru the rod guides easily. How's your own fishing been up there been Ian Cheers jewgaffer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hooked-Up Posted February 2, 2008 Share Posted February 2, 2008 i hate that knot there is a much better and stronger version in g. wilsons book or on the platypus website ian.. works for me no problems. 68cm kingfish didnt break it on 6lb line, neither did a 4.5+kilo lizard on the same outfit, theres also a strengened version of it too but i havent found it neccessary so far, id like to know which knot your talking about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flightmanager Posted February 2, 2008 Share Posted February 2, 2008 Here is a pic of the rig I catch most of my fish ( bream , snapper and flathead ) on. 6lb braid , with either 6 or 10lb fluorocarbon leader . A running barrel sinker ( size depends on depth and current) , and a small circle hook. Also a small red bead , to attract the fishes attention. Note I said SMALL hook . Big hooks catch big fish , small hooks catch ALL fish! I join the leader to the braid using a uni to uni knot , and the hook to the leader with a palomar knot. This is as simple as it gets !! Done properly , this is quite a strong and effective rig . Pictorial guides on how to tie these and many other knots can be found by clicking on the KNOTS link at the top of this page. Ross Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jewgaffer Posted February 2, 2008 Share Posted February 2, 2008 Note I said SMALL hook . Big hooks catch big fish , small hooks catch ALL fish! Ross Will make a note of the date . Cheers jewgaffer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoddy Posted February 2, 2008 Author Share Posted February 2, 2008 Thanks everyone... I went fishing twice today to see how I went and god its official I suck! I spent 2 hours this morning in the rain over at stockton fishing from the breakwall only to give the fish gods eight hooks/sinkers there due to snags without a single fish landed. So this afternoon I went to swansea to see what I could get near the bridge (I was on the blacksmiths side) as there was some presentation near the rsl. Whilst I only got snagged on a rock once on this side I stood there for 3 hours without even feeling a nibble. I tried across both trips a variety of baits and sinker weights trying to get a feel for whats what... I did find I had a lot of trouble casting any decent distance using really light sinkers and once I bumped the size up a little I could cast, but then they must have just sunk and found the nearest rock to grab a hold of I had fun, so this won't put me off... I think I need to find some spots with minimal rocks or it will become a very costly hobby with little return. The main bait I was using (suggested to me by fishing store I was at this morning) were 2 inch and 3inch pumpkinseed minnows - slimy smelly things but the small fish near the rocks I were fishing from loved em as you could see them going nuts trying to eat it as I wound the line in. I also tried some frozen prawns/shrimp but no luck either. Oh well, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
youngy555 Posted February 2, 2008 Share Posted February 2, 2008 Dunno if your into squid, next time your at the bridge go 30m or so up the breakwall a bit and throw a squid jig around, theres plenty of them around at the moment and at least you'll probably get a feed, salt and pepper squid with lemon mayo, that was my dinner from a handful i got on thursaday, good stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoddy Posted February 3, 2008 Author Share Posted February 3, 2008 Dunno if your into squid Love eating them, never tried catching them. I bought a few cheap squid jigs yesterday so I'll throw some around next time Im out that way. Thanks for the tip! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
achjimmy Posted February 3, 2008 Share Posted February 3, 2008 Thanks everyone... I went fishing twice today to see how I went and god its official I suck! I spent 2 hours this morning in the rain over at stockton fishing from the breakwall only to give the fish gods eight hooks/sinkers there due to snags without a single fish landed. So this afternoon I went to swansea to see what I could get near the bridge (I was on the blacksmiths side) as there was some presentation near the rsl. Whilst I only got snagged on a rock once on this side I stood there for 3 hours without even feeling a nibble. I tried across both trips a variety of baits and sinker weights trying to get a feel for whats what... I did find I had a lot of trouble casting any decent distance using really light sinkers and once I bumped the size up a little I could cast, but then they must have just sunk and found the nearest rock to grab a hold of I had fun, so this won't put me off... I think I need to find some spots with minimal rocks or it will become a very costly hobby with little return. The main bait I was using (suggested to me by fishing store I was at this morning) were 2 inch and 3inch pumpkinseed minnows - slimy smelly things but the small fish near the rocks I were fishing from loved em as you could see them going nuts trying to eat it as I wound the line in. I also tried some frozen prawns/shrimp but no luck either. Oh well, Welcome to the world of fishing, I always justify this and think postitivly that at least the fish didnt spoil your peace & quiet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoddy Posted February 4, 2008 Author Share Posted February 4, 2008 Welcome to the world of fishing, I always justify this and think postitivly that at least the fish didnt spoil your peace & quiet Hahahah... well said Is there a secret to reducing/preventing snagging when land-based, or is it just a game of getting the sinker weight right for the conditions? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hulafish Posted February 4, 2008 Share Posted February 4, 2008 (edited) Hahahah... well said Is there a secret to reducing/preventing snagging when land-based, or is it just a game of getting the sinker weight right for the conditions? G'day zoddy , Mate Idont relly know the area your fishing ,but if you are fishing during the last few hours of light and into the night you could try using a float and gang hooks baited with pilchard for tailor . A freind of mine that lives up that way tells me he pulls some nice tailor up there . Other than that try wading or fishing around sand flats where there wont be as many rocks . Ask some one behind the counter at your local tackle shop to show you how to rig a float and put a pillie on gangies . Cheers , hulafish Hahahah... well said Is there a secret to reducing/preventing snagging when land-based, or is it just a game of getting the sinker weight right for the conditions? G'day zoddy , Mate Idont relly know the area your fishing ,but if you are fishing during the last few hours of light and into the night you could try using a float and gang hooks baited with pilchard for tailor . A freind of mine that lives up that way tells me he pulls some nice tailor up there . Other than that try wading or fishing around sand flats where there wont be as many rocks . Ask some one behind the counter at your local tackle shop to show you how to rig a float and put a pillie on gangies . Cheers , hulafish Edited February 4, 2008 by hulafish Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoddy Posted February 4, 2008 Author Share Posted February 4, 2008 Mate Idont relly know the area your fishing Thanks for the info - the area/s are basically rock breakwalls either side of a channel/inlet into a harbour or lake. I'm effectively standing on the rocks as close to water level as I can, but due to the nature of breakwalls the line is wound back up through rocks. Nothing special really - just a standard breakwall. I'll talk to the guys at the tackle shop nearest where Im fishing as the other store I've been visiting, whilst their prices are pretty good - their local knowledge is very lacking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hulafish Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 Thanks for the info - the area/s are basically rock breakwalls either side of a channel/inlet into a harbour or lake. I'm effectively standing on the rocks as close to water level as I can, but due to the nature of breakwalls the line is wound back up through rocks. Nothing special really - just a standard breakwall. I'll talk to the guys at the tackle shop nearest where Im fishing as the other store I've been visiting, whilst their prices are pretty good - their local knowledge is very lacking. Mate thats prime tailor territory your fishing by the sounds of it . Ask the guys at the tackle shop about tailor and rigs to use for them , they will gladly show you if you spend a few dollars . Get to your spot about an hour and a hlf defore sun down . And fish till a couple of hours after dark or all night if you want . Remember tailor have a minnimum size limit of 30 cm and a bag limit of 20 fish . Let me know how you get on . Cheers hulafish Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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