Best Time To Berley

[Bleeding Green]

Hi all,

This may sound like a stupid question to most but I am new to fishing and really have n.f.i.

I was wondering, amoung many other things, when is the best time to burley? Is all the time or only when your targeting a particular species or fishing in a certain area? Do you burley once your anochor up / drifting and only when set up to drop a line, or when on your way to your destination. I fish out of a boat mostly on lake Illawarra and will start venturing just off Port Kembla soon. My boat doesn't have a burley pot but I was thinking of just throwing it by hand. I know I sound like an ameteur, that's because I am. Any help much appreciated. Thanks

[wannabefisho]

Berley is best deployed when you are stationary (ie. anchored up)

The point of drifting is you cover as much area as possible therefore there is no need to berley, but knowing the structure in the area and having the ability to use your fish finder is key to when drifting.

Im landbased fisho and I always berley, no matter where I am or what Im targeting- bread is the best berley you can get- use it plain and mix it up with some water, you can also add canned cat food or chook pellets or even offcuts from your bait and chicken and steak can also work.

Best if you dont berley in an area where currents are strong as the berley just drifts away with the current, taking it and the fish with it.

Hope this helps

Anthony

Edited August 30, 2010 by wannabefisho

[Bleeding Green]

Berley is best deployed when you are stationary (ie. anchored up)

The point of drifting is you cover as much area as possible therefore there is no need to berley, but knowing the structure in the area and having the ability to use your fish finder is key to when drifting.

Im landbased fisho and I always berley, no matter where I am or what Im targeting- bread is the best berley you can get- use it plain and mix it up with some water, you can also add canned cat food or chook pellets or even offcuts from your bait and chicken and steak can also work.

Best if you dont berley in an area where currents are strong as the berley just drifts away with the current, taking it and the fish with it.

Hope this helps

Anthony

Cheers Anthony. So if I was fishing in a channel with the tide either going in or out there is no point throwing out burley? Do you just relay on your bait and tide to attract the fish?

[wannabefisho]

By all means berley in a big channel can be rewarding, esp if you are anchored up, but if its roaring through (the current that is...) you might need to rethink your berley strategy and employ berley thats going to sink like cubed pillies, chicken strips, fish frames etc. etc... wet sand will help it got to the bottom quicker...

Like I said if the current is really ripping along you might be better off locating other structure in surrounding areas (like oyster leases, rocky outcrops, weedbeds, sand flats) and then try there.

Really a matter of trial and error- I guess my reply was a bit ambiguous- as you sort of need some current to spread the berley around... no run... no fun... same goes if its too fast... then the berley will be dispersed too quickly and away from you, which is quite pointless as the fish will be drifting with the berley in the direction of the berley itself

Sorry if I have confused you from my prior post though

[kingpig]

In a fast current situation a berley bomb can be a usefull tool.

I use a very easy one it consisted of a plastic washing up bottle. Round approx 75mm diameter. 1 Large Snapper lead and strong cord.

Cut the bottom from the bottle. put the cord through the top and tie the sinker to it. Put the cap on and secure it.

Put your berley in the bottle and drop it in the water with the open end up. Some of the contents will trickel out but thats ok. When it hits the bottom pull the cord a few times and the berley comes out on the bottom.

Cheers

Kingpig

[spaners]

Hi all,

This may sound like a stupid question to most but I am new to fishing and really have n.f.i.

I was wondering, amoung many other things, when is the best time to burley? Is all the time or only when your targeting a particular species or fishing in a certain area? Do you burley once your anochor up / drifting and only when set up to drop a line, or when on your way to your destination. I fish out of a boat mostly on lake Illawarra and will start venturing just off Port Kembla soon. My boat doesn't have a burley pot but I was thinking of just throwing it by hand. I know I sound like an ameteur, that's because I am. Any help much appreciated. Thanks

[spaners]

Hi all,

This may sound like a stupid question to most but I am new to fishing and really have n.f.i.

I was wondering, amoung many other things, when is the best time to burley? Is all the time or only when your targeting a particular species or fishing in a certain area? Do you burley once your anochor up / drifting and only when set up to drop a line, or when on your way to your destination. I fish out of a boat mostly on lake Illawarra and will start venturing just off Port Kembla soon. My boat doesn't have a burley pot but I was thinking of just throwing it by hand. I know I sound like an ameteur, that's because I am. Any help much appreciated. Thanks

Hi BG.

Two methods I use are.

1 Freeze a 3lt milk bottle with your best burley mix.Attach a rope,stab it a few times then lower to the bottom for a constant stream of burley,when you want to move to another spot just pull it up ,place in a bucket and off you go.

2 Place burley [frozen or fresh] in a brown paper bag,attach a rope so it closes the open end,lower over the side and wait for the bag it become soft then a couple of hard yanks and the bag rips open leaving your mix on the bottom.

I prefer option on as you do not loose your mix if you want to move to another spot.

Good luck.