Whiting

[fisherdad]

since purchasing our boat we have fed many fish in and around Sydney. We look forward to the day when our practice pays off on a regular basis. A big Kingfish will be a a good day we plan on chasing them in the next week or so in Botany Bay.

Lilly Pilly Flats was our best day when we bagged 5 of the tastiest Whiting, we thought our luck had changed for good. Since then we have gone back with the same approach and everything else we could throw at it.

There are that many fish that you can usually see them but they dont always bite.

I would be happy for suggestions on improving the catch and other spots to try

David (AKA Fisherdad)

Edited February 12, 2008 by David (AKA fisherdad)

[gretsch]

I reckon you need to start to understand the habitats and movements of a particular species.

Whiting, for example, will move onto the flats at high tide although, we have caught most of the big Whiting (35-45cm) in the deeper channels and on the outisde of drop offs. We pick up a few when throwing plastics for Flatties in 5-10 metres of water. Using live bait such as tube worms, blood worms or nippers is essential as is the time of day and tide.

If we target Whiting, we look for an early high tide early in the morning when the light is low and fish the shallower water. As the day progresses, we move into the deeper areas. Chinamans and Clontarf beaches are good spots as is Rose Bay. Be prepared to move around to find the fish. Somteimes a move of 100 metres or less will put you into the fish.

This fish ate a black and gold Squidgy Fish intended for a flathead in 8 metres of water up in Middle Harbour.

Oh, by the way . You will find that this site is a great resource for improving your fishing.

Edited February 12, 2008 by Ceph

[fisherdad]

Ceph A Lopod, I appreciate the welcome and the advice.

Thanks

David

[Davy]

Hi David,

for whiting u might want to try using minimum weight/unwieghted baits with a piece of red tubing attached above the line. you'd want to use a long whippy rod, small reel and light line. whiting tend to 'slurp' the bait first resulting in your rod tip slowly bopping up and down, the whippy rods and light tackle minimises the chance that the fish will feel resistance when slurping the bait and get spooked.

[The Poacher]

Hi David,

One day with a guide will be the best investment you ever make in your ability. It will short cut years of learning yourself. There is a guy who works botany bay so I would go with him and pick his brains while I was at it.

Poacher

[achjimmy]

I reckon you need to start to understand the habitats and movements of a particular species.

Whiting, for example, will move onto the flats at high tide although, we have caught most of the big Whiting (35-45cm) in the deeper channels and on the outisde of drop offs. We pick up a few when throwing plastics for Flatties in 5-10 metres of water. Using live bait such as tube worms, blood worms or nippers is essential as is the time of day and tide.

If we target Whiting, we look for an early high tide early in the morning when the light is low and fish the shallower water. As the day progresses, we move into the deeper areas. Chinamans and Clontarf beaches are good spots as is Rose Bay. Be prepared to move around to find the fish. Somteimes a move of 100 metres or less will put you into the fish.

This fish ate a black and gold Squidgy Fish intended for a flathead in 8 metres of water up in Middle Harbour.

Oh, by the way . You will find that this site is a great resource for improving your fishing.

Hi Ceph

That looks like a pic from "uncle chop chop" guide to fishing for whiting. Just need to lose the freindly demour

[Davemmm]

Nippers and worms.

Nippers and worms.

Nippers and worms.

Nippers and worms.

Nippers and worms.

Nippers and worms.

Nippers and worms.

Nippers and worms.

Nippers and worms.

Sand flats with a bit of weed.

Overcast day in the shallows, bright day in the deep.

Nothing more to say really.

Except night time on the shallow flats, like Maianbar, is great.

Dave

[jewgaffer]

Blackfish weed Dave ? or just another repeat of nippers and worms

Cheers

jewgaffer

[Davemmm]

No Byron the weed is ON the sand flats.

Or alternative you could ....... no this is a family site.

Dave

[jewgaffer]

Dave you were very sharp last night, let's see how this morning goes. Could be more nippers and worms till round about dark, I'd say.

Regards mate

jewgaffer

Edited February 16, 2008 by jewgaffer

[jewgaffer]

Hi Dave Aka Fisherdad sorry I didn't address your question old mate, I was taken in by all those nippers and worms and all sorts of other distractions last night.

The advice Davemmm gave you hits it on the head, whiting thrive on nippers and worms and are faster to sense out and get to blood and beach worms than bream in sandy areas.

The flats you mention at lilly pilli are prolific with whiting in the spring and summer. I don't think you are allowed to pump there any more. It has always been a great spot as the tide begins to flow back in over the central sand bank into your pumping area and when they go quiet it livens up again just down on the corner of Gray's Point off the bank where the Port Hacking is at its narrowest as the tide rises from mid high to full.

I know there a some big whiting being caught by land based fishermen around Wanda when you can find a area well away from the tailor in the gutters as they are getting amongst a lot of big tailor schools in the early mornings after the recent rain.

Cheers

jewgaffer

[slinkymalinky]

G'day Fisherdad,

I've got a great little fishing buddy (6yo) and there's nothing more rewarding than sharing time on the water with them... hope you have many fishy days together (I'm making a few assumptions based on your name by the way.

There are a couple of simple truths of fishing that will help you with whatever kind of fishing you want to try....

- Fish light (using outfits that are light for the application... like Whiting on 4lb or Kings on 14lb) will usually hook you more fish.

- Fresh bait... really, really fresh, gathered yourself, will usually (although not always... like Pilchards for tailor) outfish anything you can buy. Nippers and worms for whiting that are still wriggling when they go on the hook (the frozen stuff you get from service stations is only fit for compost), squid or live yakkas/slimies for kingfish caught from the area you're fishing, etc. And if you must use store bought bait get it from a good tackle shop where they often stock much better quality bait (you'll find they also stock the same stuff as the servos too but if you ask them and pay a bit more you'll be better off)

- Get on the water early or late. There are plenty of fish you can catch in bright sunshine and some even bite better in the daytime but mostly you'll get more action in the first and last couple of hours of the day when the light is low and the predators are more actively hunting.

- Target a species.... fishing for 'everything' is a good way to catch nothing. If you focus on one species, set yourself up with the best gear in the best spots, the best way to catch it, you'll be streets ahead of the game. That's where this site comes into its own. There are people here who are real guns at particular forms of fishing and will give you heaps of advice... follow it until you start feeling confident enough to find your own way. If you can't get out on a charter, try to hook up with a good raider who'll meet you on the water. They're good like that.

Good luck with it mate,

Cheers, Slinky

[fisherdad]

Thankyou for you great suggestions on whiting Jewgaffer and everyone who posted a reply to Whiting.

Took the Fresh is best approach and went for it. Friday evening pumped fresh nippers in Hacking and then landed some live yakkas while enjoying a beer.

Well full armed with live nippers, light gear we were in all the wrong spots, we even offered live nippers to the little bream near the rocks off Yowie and nothing. Went home with Live Yakkas in the tank ready for another day

With all the talk about the Kingies in Botany we decided to go for it.

5am hit the water,off to the markers trying to get snapped off by a kingie.

Wife ended up getting bored as we drowned the yakkas and started throwing out squid, worms, Pillies, anything.

I dont believe this is a Kingie but it will be a great dinner for her. (30cm Flounder)

Back out there soon

David (AKA fisherdad)

slinkymalinky,

My fisher buddy is 14 and yes he is fisherboy, loves fishing and loves talking about it, lots.

Only problem is there are 5 days to interupt the fishing each week

David

[fisherdad]

On Friday evening we decided to put theboat back in to Port Hacking. The plan was a quiet evening and go whiting chasing early Saturday.

Once we moored up we decided to wet some lines. 2 Beers into it a squid followed in a small bream looking for an easy feed. Threw out the squid lure and he made for some fresh bait.

Later that night the rod started to twitch and with a bit of a wind up the fish took a short run, felt bigger than the small bream we had been picking up. Wound it in and as soon as it saw out tourch light it took off again. 10 mins later it arrived into the net and I had my first 41.5 cm whiting weighing just short of 0.6 KG.

The next day the wind came up and we gave up early.

Next week we are off to Sydney Harbour, maybe we can find a King Fish. Any suggested spots will be appreciated as its our first time