Off The Beach

[Mercer007]

Raiders,

I organised to meet Harrishobbies, aka Leigh at Avoca Beach for a night fish.

Got down there round 7pm and for winter the conditions couldn't have been better.

Rigged up with some salted Tailor and within 5 mins was on to a nice brim.

Another half hour produced a couple of small tailor, bit of bait for later on.

Leigh arrived, and Ray R called saying he may pop down for a bit.

No bites, no nothing for a while.

Ray arrived bearing gifts of Ice cold beer, so we chatted and welcomed Harrishobbies to Avoca.

For the next hour not much happened, a couple of big bites, then I'm on to another Tailor.

I asked Ray to explain a butterfly bait, and after some hard work with my blunt knife, managed to prepare a tailor ready to go out.

This within it's self faced us with a problem.

How to get a bait of that size and weight out there into the gutter.

I tried throwing it out by hand. No good.

I then attempted to cast it out.

Snap, there goes my rig. No good.

So I have put the big bait on hold for a while till I work out how it's done.

By this stage Ray's ready to go home and Leigh seems to be having a few problems with birds nest and his rig.

I showed him a simple paternoster rig which Ray had shown me and on our last cast at midnight lands a nice Trevally.

All in all, good night ,was pleased to meet Leigh, and I have some fish for the Barby tomorrow, and some Tailor for Jew bait for Saturday night if your keen Mondo.

Cheers,

Peter

P.S. Ray, as usual bought his American Express (Camera attachment for his hand) and snapped a few pics.

I'm sure he'll share the captured moments.

[squid hunter]

awesome fish mate

regards

Squid Hunter

[Ray R]

Good onya Pete, you ended up getting a few nice fish, great conditions last night and it will be on tonight,

rising tide, rising moon perfect for the Mulloway bloke to raise his head looking for some tasty morsels.

Was good to meet Leigh (harrishobbies) too and show him a beaut spot to fish, now let me see Pete you owe me a coffee a beer and about 3,000 fishing tips, see ya tonight..

Part of Pete's catch..

Fresh tailor fillets ready for the hook

[robeebee]

some nice fish there fella's

have to give bait a go one day

[jewiehaven]

well done on the Taylor and Bream!

congrats on a fine catch

[harrishobbies]

Thanks to Pete and Ray we had a good night out my first time Beach fishing and the new rod was brocken in

after a long night my last cast peter and I said lets go so as I pulled in my line Bugger I said more bloody sea weed as it came outof the surf I could see it move well look at that A trevally peter said , cool my first fish at Avoca .

thanks Peter and Ray

it was 31cm 605grms (and two bugs in its gut ?. )

[glennmreid]

Well done on catching a good bag of fish.

[stinger]

that is a nice bag

i still want to get a decent tailor

stinger

[jewiehaven]

I tried throwing it out by hand. No good.

I then attempted to cast it out.

Snap, there goes my rig. No good.

Hey Pete,

Next time you butterfly your Taylor for a Jew here's a good idea with getting the biat out to the zone without hassles of excessive weight and hand casting.

There are 2 critical things you need here:

1. Grapple or Snapper sinkers

2. bait on a leader with a big snap swivel or a crimp in the swivel

Method:

Tie on the grapple or snapper lead and hoik it out into the surf as far as you can cast

Attach the leader (with the bait and just let it slide into the water on the same angle as the rodto the sinker.

(Use matchsticks or split shots for stoppers so the leader doesnt hit the lead...)

Let the bait slip out slowly and it will cover a large area on the ay out and you can often pick up other species in real lose but the bait looks and feels natural cause its kinda pring loaded (if you get my drift)

Also, live squid, mullet, yakkas and evens stuff like Beach Worms, Pippies, blood worms, tube worms etc. etc. are all great bait for off the beaches and will attract plenty of attention if you rig them right.

Good luck I might see you up there very soon, will be heading up that way next weekend for the day so maybe if you guys are on the sand it very likely will see you all there.