Beach fishing - Northern Beaches

[dacosta74]

A mate an I are going to give beach fishing a go on Friday night. We've got 12ft beachcasters most tackle. Looking for some advice...

Heading to beach around 7.30pm-8pm, which is when the tide starts coming in - is this a good time?

We were going to just used a simple rig with weight, swivel, then hook length. Should we be using these star shaped leads?

Also considering free lining a pillie on gang hooks.

Bait - was going to take pillies.

Also have metal slices, is it worth chuckin these out in the dark?

Any pointers really appreciated. Thanks.

[PRED-ATOR]

yeh mate throw em out lures work in the night time.

shallow diving minnows works well too, especially if they have a rattle e.g rapala x wrap 15

[fisholb]

mate...we do alot of beach fishing during the colder months ...my advice is try to get to the spot before sunset...so u can look for gutters...best rig to use is either a paternoster or running sinker...use half pillys on d paternoster n whole pilly on d running sinker use star sinker to hold your line n rig...

[DvS-]

mate...we do alot of beach fishing during the colder months ...my advice is try to get to the spot before sunset...so u can look for gutters...best rig to use is either a paternoster or running sinker...use half pillys on d paternoster n whole pilly on d running sinker use star sinker to hold your line n rig...

I agree.

I mostly use a paternoster rig with a star sinker to hold the line in place and not get washed around.

[abecedarian]

Pelagic fish tend to be most active just before and after sunset. I'd say get there about an hour before sunset if possible and fish through to the change of tide.

Paternoster rig with either a half pillie on a single hook or full pillie on ganged hooks on the bottom and a surf proper rigged on the top is a good rig for salmon. Fish as light as possible, if the bait gets washed about a bit it covers more ground and looks more natural. All you want is enough weight to cast where it needs to go and to stop it washing back in straight away.

[Howdoweplaythis]

Can you let me know how you do on Friday? I'll be hitting up the beaches soon and i'm a bit of a beginner and want to hear as much experience as possible!

[SMn]

Surf popper have been great for me at the moment, green colour, have caught salmon, trevalley and bream on them, ganged pillie on the dropper near the star sinker. Most fish I've caught have been just beyond the shore break so a far cast isn't always required. Star sinkers on a paternoster will cast further and hold the bottom better, but generally a running bean or ball sinker to swivel, then a trace of 30-60cm to a set of 3 ganaged hooks 1/0 up to 4/0 and a pillie is enough. works well on flatties, sambos and tailor.

Edited May 16, 2013 by SMn

[dacosta74]

Thanks everyone for your advice, will put it to good use.

If anyone's got any golden tips on identifying the gutters, that would be awesome too.

[Guest mike2153]

Mate have a look at the thread how to spot a gutter I was asking the same question and I got some very helpful advice I'm fishing at Newport beach right now I think I'm in a gutter? :/ no fish as yet not web a bite. Makes you wonder if your doing it right or just completely wasting your time lol

[dacosta74]

Thanks Mike! Good luck at Newport... what method/bait are you trying!

Yeah, I think working out where the gutter is is going to be key to actually finding fish. That and working out which are bites, and which are the bait bouncing around!!!

[Guest mike2153]

Mate i used a pretty standard set-up 1-0 gang hooks up to about 30cm leader swivel ball sinker, swivel then mainline.just needed anoither swivel there to stop line twist. and using ganged pillies, also used pillie tails with a standard hook, think it was a 2/0