Fish not biting? Am I doing something wrong?

[durka223]

I've been fishing off Wanda beach (Sydney) for the last two weekends using salted ganged pillies and have come up with almost zilch caught.

I've been changing gutters, trying different areas of the beach etc but I'm having almost no bites and have only caught a very undersized flathead.

As far as I know salmon & tailor should be pretty active at this time of year. Am I wrong?

I'm going to try fresh pillies next time, but does anyone have any other advice? I'll probably try another beach soon, Garie most likely.

Thanks in advance

[Loco Mofo]

Yeah I'd try some different baits too mate, see what works in the area. I haven't been beach fishing in a while, but on the northern beaches, I almost always had success using squid strips. Not only do they stay hooked pretty well, but the salmon and tailor up there used to love it. Usually had the most success at dusk or dawn.

[big Neil]

As Bob Marlin says vary the bait a bit,fish different tides and don't forget to use berley. Only a matter of putting the time in and I'm sure you'll start catching some soon. Good luck.

[durka223]

Yeah I'd try some different baits too mate, see what works in the area. I haven't been beach fishing in a while, but on the northern beaches, I almost always had success using squid strips. Not only do they stay hooked pretty well, but the salmon and tailor up there used to love it. Usually had the most success at dusk or dawn.

As Bob Marlin says vary the bait a bit,fish different tides and don't forget to use berley. Only a matter of putting the time in and I'm sure you'll start catching some soon. Good luck.

Cheers guys, yeah I'll give some squid and worms a try.

As for berley Neil, I've never done that before, but does using simple cut up pilchards mixed w/ pellets and throwing them in close to shore suffice? Or would I need a berley pot of some sort

[Crossfire63]

I've been fishing off Wanda beach (Sydney) for the last two weekends using salted ganged pillies and have come up with almost zilch caught.

I've been changing gutters, trying different areas of the beach etc but I'm having almost no bites and have only caught a very undersized flathead.

As far as I know salmon & tailor should be pretty active at this time of year. Am I wrong?

I'm going to try fresh pillies next time, but does anyone have any other advice? I'll probably try another beach soon, Garie most likely.

Thanks in advance

Yep

Be patient. Wanda's not the most productive beach at the best of times and it gets absolutely hammered when the salmon and tailor are on.

Salted pilchards usually work better than fresh as they stay on the hooks longer.

There has been a finger of cold water (16.5) stretching along the coast pretty much from Sussex Inlet to the harbour hanging around for about a week which has made fishing pretty hard

[Guest 4myson]

Definitely give Garie beach a go & as for bait just stick to Block pillys for bait ....

[Mike89]

I often have the same thoughts: fish not biting, I must be doing something wrong!

Solution: keep at it and listen to advice from senior and experienced fishos here at FR.

Good luck!

[big Neil]

Cheers guys, yeah I'll give some squid and worms a try.

As for berley Neil, I've never done that before, but does using simple cut up pilchards mixed w/ pellets and throwing them in close to shore suffice? Or would I need a berley pot of some sort

Usually... cut up pieces of whatever bait you're using and chuck some in the wash every few minutes. Pilchards are good because they can be quite oily. You don't have to use a lot and if there's no action for 20 mins, move to another gutter. Good luck.

[frankS]

It may sound strange but sometimes while beach fishing people tend to cast way too far out, while the fish are right in close, try verying the distance you cast out, I know you want to get out beyond the breakers but sometimes that's not where the fish are.

Frank