Frustrated and need advice on decent spots!

[Kirst1583]

Hi everyone,

I'm in desperate need of help please!

My last few outings have been less than productive and left me so frustrated.

I've tried near the Roseville Bridge and Figtree Bridge on the lane cove river and caught nothing but baby Tailor.

At Greenwich and Clarke's Point only baby Snapper and then today at Carss Park there were fish jumping all over the place but couldn't manage to hook anything

For bait I've been using chicken with garlic/Parmesan, prawns and squid.

Does anyone have other places I can try? I can only walk a short distance (not for kms to access the spots) and am also unable to balance on rocks as I've got dodgey legs.

Any help would be very much appreciated

Kirst

[rjc123]

Forget about the roseville bridge for now. Really dies down over the cooler months. Pick a quiet weekday and head to Balmoral in Middle Harbour (Mosman). You can fish a prawn off the wharf for trevally, bream and flathead while you catch yakkas to send out under a float for Bigger Tailor, Salmon and John Dory. This is one spot i actually find to be more productive during the cooler months. Always get a bag of trevally, flathead and Bream aswell as a bucketload of yakkas for bait!

Keep at it, Summers only 6 months away

[Kirst1583]

Thanks so much for the speedy reply! I've read good things about Balmoral wharf on here so it was next on my list of places to try. You've reassured me it was a good choice

[rjc123]

Thanks so much for the speedy reply! I've read good things about Balmoral wharf on here so it was next on my list of places to try. You've reassured me it was a good choice

Definitely worth a shot. If you go in the next week or two you may even snare a late season kingie on a live yakka! Make sure youavoid weekends, VERY BUSY!

Edited May 11, 2012 by mack attack 79

[Kirst1583]

Yeah, I'll definitely go through the week as I hate crowds.

I can't yet bring myself to use live bait.. I may work up to it one day though.

At the moment I'd be stoked with catching anything other than tiny tailor so hopefully I can manage that with chicken and prawns.

Oh, is parking paid there? And if so, do u know how much it is?

[rjc123]

Yeah, I'll definitely go through the week as I hate crowds.

I can't yet bring myself to use live bait.. I may work up to it one day though.

At the moment I'd be stoked with catching anything other than tiny tailor so hopefully I can manage that with chicken and prawns.

Oh, is parking paid there? And if so, do u know how much it is?

Some paid parking but you can find free spots during the week relatively easily. Prawns and pilchards should still get you some nice fish!

[Kirst1583]

Nice.. That's even better as I begrudge paid parking. It's one of the reasons I haven't yet tried Clifton Gardens!

Thanks so much for all your help

[clemsy]

You were at Carss Park today? So was I, I didn't have much luck either except a baby tailor on a lure. Today was especially hard because there was no run, it was just too quiet. I had a few tailor have a go at my surface lure, usually Carss Park produces good fish given the right time and tide. Oh and the fish jumping out of the water were mullet, if you want to catch them, try bread and a float.

Edited May 11, 2012 by clemzii

[Kirst1583]

Ok, so they were mullet. I had a feeling they might've been but wasn't sure. They seemed to be nibbling, just couldn't hook them!

And yep, I was there in the avo. Was with my partner, but he wasn't fishing.

I did see some people flicking lures.. Were you on your own down to the left and then on the old boat ramp?

[clemsy]

Yeah I was by myself flicking lures, I was wearing a cap and a light brown shirt. Do you normally fish at Carss Park?

[Kirst1583]

Ok, so yep.. It was you

I don't fish there often, have only tried about 3 times.

I was over that way looking at cars though so thought I'd give it another shot.

It's as far to drive there as anywhere else from my place. I live out near blacktown so don't exactly have anywhere local lol

[rockfisherman]

People often overlook using burley.

Fishingphase

[Kirst1583]

True about the burley. I'm guilty when it comes to that..

What are the options though?

I bought a mix from tackleworld once that had live bugs moving in it. Scared the crap out of me (I'm very bug phobic) so haven't actually bothered again.

What's the cheapest and easiest option?

[Howdoweplaythis]

You need to persist. And when you've done that. Persist more. And then a little more.

When i first started fishing (which was about a year and a half ago) it was soooo frustrating. Everything i know is self taught and i used to fish by myself. It took me ages before i got into my first legal fish. But when you do, you'll completely forget about those empty trips and frustrating moments and your confidence will go up 10 fold.

A year and a half on i'm [getting] better. I normally get at least one legal on each trip, but i still have heaps to learn. And remember fishing is not an exact science by any means.

Balmoral is a good spot to have a crack!

Good luck

[Kirst1583]

You need to persist. And when you've done that. Persist more. And then a little more.

When i first started fishing (which was about a year and a half ago) it was soooo frustrating. Everything i know is self taught and i used to fish by myself. It took me ages before i got into my first legal fish. But when you do, you'll completely forget about those empty trips and frustrating moments and your confidence will go up 10 fold.

A year and a half on i'm [getting] better. I normally get at least one legal on each trip, but i still have heaps to learn. And remember fishing is not an exact science by any means.

Balmoral is a good spot to have a crack!

Good luck

Thanks for that.. And glad to hear you've become much more successful I've been fishing about a year and a bit.. I asked my partner to take me one day (thinking I'd just give it a go and not really like it much) and haven't looked back!

He taught me the basics that he learnt as a kid, but the rest of it Ive researched myself.

There's so much to learn, but I know once I land my next legal fish I'll forget all the frustrations

[Howdoweplaythis]

Haha, don't worry you'll get into some decent fish soon. And even if you get nothing at Balmoral, the view at dusk is lovely.

[rockfisherman]

$10 - Plastic burley bucket

$8 - bag of burley, the larger pellets

And a bit of rope.

Fill burley bucket to half way because the pellets swell up, after 20 minutes of soaking give it a jerk every 5 minutes, or pour a bag into a bucket of water, when it becomes mush, using a scoop made of half a soft drink bottle disperse it.

Fishingphase

[Kirst1583]

Thanks. I've got the burley bucket already, but was just put off after the bug incident. I'll definitely buy some pellets though

Here's hoping it makes a difference!

Thanks again for your help

[Kirst1583]

$10 - Plastic burley bucket

$8 - bag of burley, the larger pellets

And a bit of rope.

Fill burley bucket to half way because the pellets swell up, after 20 minutes of soaking give it a jerk every 5 minutes, or pour a bag into a bucket of water, when it becomes mush, using a scoop made of half a soft drink bottle disperse it.

Fishingphase

Is there a particular brand of the burley pellets that's best? Or are they pretty much all as effective as eachother?

[Piss'n'Broke]

Our berley consists of 1 loaf of no frills bread, and 2 cans of pilchards in aspic catfood. Costs you less than $5. Mulch it all together till it forms a dough then stick it in your berley bucket attached to a rope, and away you go. My missus makes our berley, its a condition of fishing with myself and Greg on the boat . She doesnt mind so much especially when she enjoys catching kings nearly as much as me and Greg.

Dan

[Kirst1583]

Lol Dan. Thanks so much.. Sounds great and easily accessible from the supermarket which is even better

[Kirst1583]

Can anyone tell me if dogs are allowed at balmoral? I often take my puppy with me.. Just wouldn't want to drive all the way there and then find out she isn't allowed

[Howdoweplaythis]

I see people bring dogs onto the wharf all the time. But im not 100% if theyre actually allowed. im pretty certain they are, but dont quote me

[Kirst1583]

Ok thanks .. Otherwise I'll leave her home the 1st time I go just to be sure.

[LungFai]

Hi Kirst,

Do you bait and rig your own set up? If so can you tell me what the main factor was that made you decide to do it yourself?

I can't seem to get the wife to do her own baiting and rigging. She loves fishing but hates touching anything fishy heh. Took her on a charter and the entire time we were out there i spent baiting and de-hooking....was sooo much fun for me

As for Burley i get the home brand bread and homebrand canned Tuna. Rip up the bread, pour over the canned Tuna juice over the bread, let soak, put into your bucket and voila.

If you have left over bread you can make yourself a tuna sandwhich snack while you sit there waiting for the fish to bite.