Fishing Advice Please

[dom.leroy]

Hi Guys,

New to the website and very much a beginner at fishing still. Used to fish a lot when I was a kid and the last memory I have is being on a boat somewhere down in Wollongong trolling in Bonitos every so often! - Every time I think of that experience, makes me want to take up a fishing again - this year I thought would be the year to get back into it!

Picked up a rod last night from the BLAH BLAH BLAH sale - just got a "Jarvis Walker": Line Class; 3-7kg , Length; 2m , Cast Weight; 10 - 40G , Action; Medium with a ball bearing 700 reel - along with some basic equipment such as hooks (assorted sizes), float, sinkers, swivels, soft and hard lures. Also got a knife which all in all only costed me about $100 ( I think I could've done better on the rod and reel though).

I am looking forward to testing this 'bad boy' out on the weekend and wondering if you anyone can suggest any good spots to practice and reel in some decent fish, types of rig setups and best times to go?

I live in Sydney, Waterloo and looking for somewhere local...

Appreciate your help and any advise on this.

Happy Friday to all!

[tevoro]

Hi and to Fishraider.

Im a newbie as well so not the best person to help you out but heres a few links that I think you might find interesting:

Fishing articles and How tos:

http://www.fishraider.com.au/fishing-articles.php

Theres also another thread running in this section about newbies fishing in the Eastern suburbs. Have a read as there are some spots and suggestions in there.

http://fishraider.com.au/Invision/index.php?showtopic=45898

Theres some news that Fishraider will soon be having a "adopt a newbie" program type of thing which I think would be good to keep a look out for as well.

[dom.leroy]

Thanks Tevoro.

Some good links there, been doing a bit of research myself on google maps and marked out some spots that I am eager to check out.

Any body got any links or suggestions on knots and rigs for wharf/rock fishing?

Hour and a half till bear o'clock!

[alasdair]

Hi there,

Click the link at the very top of the page for knots, and practice them at home before you head out.

If I were you I would stick to the wharfs and some more sheltered sandy areas targeting whiting, bream and flathead at the moment. You don't really want to be going rock fishing at this stage as by the time you have gotten snagged for about the hundredth you will be wishing you had stayed at home.

When you get to your chosen spot have a look to see what the other fishos there are doing, what bait etc

What spots have you picked out? I am sure some one on here will have some tips for particular areas and what you can expect to catch

Good luck and welcome to Fishraider

alasdair

[Wantingaboat]

My opinion would be to learn the uni knot first. Its pretty easy but can be used a fair bit.

[dom.leroy]

Thanks Guys for the advise and the welcoming!

After doing some more research. I thought I'd try a basic sliding sinker rig putting the sinker above the swivel and also a casting Rig. Knots that I thought I'd practice for my first run and these rigs is a clinch knot and an albright knot.

I am tossing up between Clarke's Point or somewhere in Drummoyne (perhaps near the iron cove bridge) tomorrow morning.

[Gremlin]

Mate your in the exact same boat I am, used to fish heaps as a kid then picked up a cheapo Jarvis Walker combo (6'6" Redbone spinning combo 3-6kg with 350 reel) and getting back into it, although I'm already at the point that I'm looking on adding another rod and reel to my arsenal (something longer with heavier line to target bigger fish and get better casting distance, just vary the leader depending on the fishing and still catch the smaller fish)

This site is brilliant for learning things, I have spent 3-4 hours a day for the past week or 2 reading posts on here and my knowledge has grown a whole lot so my advice is to read and listen to what the guys here have to say, they really know their shit!!

Your location luckily opens you up to a HEAP of land based options all around you, just a short drive or even bus ride away! Places like Botany Bay (head straight down Anzac Parade to La Perouse, Yarra Bay is a good spot) or head north and you have your pick of wharves to wet a line and catch a fish or even squid

Just remember if you plan on eating your fish try and stick to fishing east of the harbour bridge, anything west of it should be thrown back due to the potential toxins in them

[paulthetaffy]

Thanks Guys for the advise and the welcoming!

After doing some more research. I thought I'd try a basic sliding sinker rig putting the sinker above the swivel and also a casting Rig. Knots that I thought I'd practice for my first run and these rigs is a clinch knot and an albright knot.

I am tossing up between Clarke's Point or somewhere in Drummoyne (perhaps near the iron cove bridge) tomorrow morning.

You can't go wrong with the basic sliding sinker rig. Just remember to keep in touch with your bait, i.e. don't have a big arc of line above or below the water, otherwise you can easily miss bites. I see so many beginners who leave lots of line out after casting, expecting that the "bite" will be the fish running off with the bait. What they miss is the small taps and jerks where fish pick up the bait, realise there is a hook in it or feel the weight and then spit it out. If you keep in contact with your bait with a taut line you will tune into these taps, know when to stike when others wouldn't, and drastically increase your hookup rate.

Clarke's point is a nice "easy" spot with a few places along the wall where you can wedge your rod. I've not caught a great deal there but found that burleying hard makes a big difference to get the bream in - mashed bread little and often will work as a basic recipe. I've found garfish often turn up too, in which case you can catch them using little or no weight, and a small piece of breaded moulded around a longshank hook. Slowly retrieve it too as the gar often like to follow a bait. This is also not a bad method for catching the smaller bream that should turn up if you are burleying.

What are you planning to use as bait?

Don't eat anything you catch from west of the harbour bridge either as the dioxin levels are too high.

Good luck!!

Paul

[dom.leroy]

Thanks for the last 2 posts.

Very informative! I might change and try out Yarra Bay - Read good things about that place today.

Thanks Taffy for the advice - will certainly keep an eye out for my technique and practice keeping in touch with the bait.

I've been reading that squid is pretty good bait for the harbour? What do they bite on out at Yarra Bay?

[rabit]

Thanks Guys for the advise and the welcoming!

After doing some more research. I thought I'd try a basic sliding sinker rig putting the sinker above the swivel and also a casting Rig. Knots that I thought I'd practice for my first run and these rigs is a clinch knot and an albright knot.

I am tossing up between Clarke's Point or somewhere in Drummoyne (perhaps near the iron cove bridge) tomorrow morning.

bit of work happening at iron cove. try gladesville bridge.

[Day's Fishin]

Yara bay is a good spot for flathead & tailor. Use fish strips or lures.

Regards Jeff