Drummer help

[SickWolf]

Hi guys,

my recent trips to avoca rocks have been pretty successful but i would like to get into some drummer. I heard they like wash, cloud cover and they pull like freight trains. I think (more like hope) i have adequate gear for chasing them but im stuck on techniques, rigs and baits. Im not looking for any secret spot just a few pointers in the right direction.

thanks guys

Edited July 18, 2018 by SickWolf

[wazatherfisherman]

G'day mate basically there are two 'main' methods of fishing for Black Drummer (Rock Blackfish) 1st method is mainline tied to swivel, 60 cm leader, running ball sinker(size 0,01 or 1)straight onto hook- 2/0 double strength suicide('octopus')- best (and probably cheapest) hook is Mustad 92554. You can use same rig without lead also. Prawns, crabs, cunje, white bread commonly used baits. Method is either 'float' bait down deep edges or in turbulent wash zones, they generally pick up before the bottom and run off with bait pretty similar to large Bream. Don't give them too much line  when taking bait, usually 1-1.5 metres is enough, much more and they're 'in motion' towards obstacles or the bottom. Method 2 is small running bobby cork above the same rig, variation you can use is sinker sitting above swivel instead of right on hook. This method is good for really snaggy bottom, areas with a lot of big rocks in the water and places like Burning Palms (The "Tablet"- gutter on south side) where there are seemingly 'millions' of rock cod (kelpies) that compete for the bait. If using crabs, particularly red crabs(their and Groper's favourite) cut all legs off crab-don't pull as you pull meat off with leg- lift top of crab off with knife from back towards front, then cut crab body either in half or quarters if large crab. Take one of cut legs and insert hook, pull hook through and off hook onto line. Next insert hook through body section leg hole and through meat, then pull leg back onto hook shank. Gives you either 2 or 4 baits per crab instead of one and releases "scent" from crab meat. Red crabs, also known as "Red Bait Crab" by fisheries are Best bait for Bream off the rocks, especially during daylight hours. Pigs(Drummer) Leatherjacket and Groper(use whole, just remove either one or two legs for hook insertion) all love them. Whole crab a little less vulnerable to pickers, but as bag limit is only 10, halving or quartering gives far more baits. Use white bread for burley (it's also good bait for them) and better still use Chicken "Layer Pellets" to really get them interested. Soak pellets in a bucket until they dissolve and keep a small constant trail going- the fish often end up swimming around in sight. If using prawns, peel them (cooked or fresh) if using cunje, cut cunje straight down from top to bottom going all around with knife and try to keep entire 'pod' intact, the real big ones love a whole intact pod. First hook entry point is through the 'tits' at the top. Any more info just let me know. Cheers Waza

Edited July 29, 2018 by wazatherfisherman
just wanted to add rabbit pellets

[wazatherfisherman]

Rabbit pellets are also ok for attracting Pigs, Tarwhine and Bream

[SickWolf]

Thanks wazatherfisherman, in the turbulent wash zones, i find my bait gets washed around alot and eventually smashed on the rocks, leading to losing my bait and or rig. Plus the designated rock combo is rigged with floating line so unweighted baiting probably isnt an option, my favourite spot at avoca rocks holds drummer  but my baits keep getting swept under ledges and snagged, how do i prevent this or should i cast further away from the shore.

[wazatherfisherman]

4 minutes ago, SickWolf said:

Thanks wazatherfisherman, in the turbulent wash zones, i find my bait gets washed around alot and eventually smashed on the rocks, leading to losing my bait and or rig. Plus the designated rock combo is rigged with floating line so unweighted baiting probably isnt an option, my favourite spot at avoca rocks holds drummer  but my baits keep getting swept under ledges and snagged, how do i prevent this or should i cast further away from the shore.

Use method 2 bobby cork and keep a bit further away from the edge- only trial and error will tell you how deep but I'd start about 3-4 metres if you can't see the bottom. Also use lighter leader than main line then you only lose hook

[connico]

The alternative is to use a circle hook. less snags as long as your don't strike when you hit a ledge. Also you should be using light sinkers like 00 and 0 to enable bait to move less in the wash but still move around..

[Kracka]

In my experience I've found the simplest way is to have 14-20lb mono all the way to a size 4 up to a 1/0 hook (match the hook to your bait type). Fish unweighted if possible or add the smallest ball sinker to keep your bait where you want it - in close and under the wash where that milky water is.  I'd probably up to a heavier line of about 30lb if using red crab in case a big blue jumps on it. You will know if it's a big groper. 

Burley up with white bread soaked in water until it's all a mushy paste and throw it up against the rocks now and then. Let the wave action slowly do the dispersion part. Another good tip is if using prawns... Just deshell as you bait up and throw in the shells. That's all the burley you need sometimes. You just have to make sure when you burley... That it isn't drifting away in the current. 

Baits include cabbage weed, cungie, prawn (cooked or raw), crab and bread.

Red crab are dynamite on the big pigs but cungie and prawn works well too. They're usually not too fussy.

Fishing is ideal in low light conditions I.e sunrise sunset and overcast days. You will catch them In clear skies too but fishing in an area with good wash is more crucial here.

Tide and swell depends on the location. Safety first as always. Some spots fire on a low tide.  Others at high. Majority of spots are best on the rising tide. Pretty much any headland will have them.

All advice other raiders have given are spot on too. Some really snaggy areas are best fished with a bobby cork. Or unweighted - just keep in contact with your bait to avoid most snags. 

Hope that helps

[Kracka]

Just realised you're using floating line. Like waza suggested... Float fishing is best in your circumstance.

Best to cast out at the back of the white wash and allow it to drift back in. If the float gets too close to the rocks quickly reel in and start again. 

I've found floats to be a little hindering in larger swells and spots with variable depths so I always take two reels. On with float line and another with plain ol mono. 

[big Neil]

Crikey Waza you're an encyclopedia of knowledge. Top stuff mate. bn

[Berleyguts]

I like to keep things simple on the rocks... means less snags and less rerigging, especially for pigs! Alvey on a suitable rod - my light rig is a 5 1/2 inch on a 4120 rod; my heavy rig is a 6 1/2 inch on a 8144. Mono straight to a 2/0 extra strong suicide. Unweighted or the smallest ball sinker you can get away with running on top of the hook. Bread burley and peeled prawns for bait. Let it move around in the wash naturally. Stay in contact with the line. Hang on! Simple stuff. ?

You can do the same with a threadline but an Alvey is far more efficient.

Edited July 29, 2018 by Berleyguts

[Guest Guest123456789]

I fish some really turbulent, washy areas for drummer, some only 1 metre deep. Best rig Ive found is as wazza said, a foam ball float fixed. I use a relatively heavy (size 1) ball sinker to 50cm of trace. My preferred bait is really light green cabbage on a triple strength size 2 circle hook. You do lose a few rigs to snags and bust offs so be prepared for that. Fishing the run out tide should help stop your bait getting trapped under the ledge, so can and offshore breeze. It might only be fishable on the run out in a westerly.

[wazatherfisherman]

12 hours ago, big Neil said:

Crikey Waza you're an encyclopedia of knowledge. Top stuff mate. bn

Thanks Neil I'm glad to be able to share the knowledge with others. After last near-death experience, one of my best mates said to me "imagine if you hadn't survived, all the knowledge would be lost- you should write a book"- Being able to help fishers in a more precise way ie answer questions in a virtually "live" sense on Fishraider is a better way than writing a book and I'm both happy to and grateful to Fishraider for the opportunity. I know my posts are often long-winded, I just try to give as much info(that I feel is useful) as I can!  BTW  Did you happen to check out the 2 old short movies Cossie posted in reply to Reminiscing Mulloway Kingfish and the murk post? That was my regular spot! Cheers mate

[big Neil]

12 hours ago, wazatherfisherman said:

Thanks Neil I'm glad to be able to share the knowledge with others. After last near-death experience, one of my best mates said to me "imagine if you hadn't survived, all the knowledge would be lost- you should write a book"- Being able to help fishers in a more precise way ie answer questions in a virtually "live" sense on Fishraider is a better way than writing a book and I'm both happy to and grateful to Fishraider for the opportunity. I know my posts are often long-winded, I just try to give as much info(that I feel is useful) as I can!  BTW  Did you happen to check out the 2 old short movies Cossie posted in reply to Reminiscing Mulloway Kingfish and the murk post? That was my regular spot! Cheers mate

Hey, Waza it's great to be able to pass on valuable info to those seeking it. Fantastic that you're still here and able to do just that. As you know my memory isn't quite as sharp as it used to be so I'll have to backtrack to see the short movies that Cossie posted. Will let you know how I go. In the meantime had any luck with the JDs. I'll be back in Sydney in September or October so may be able to catch up then. Haven't had a serious fish for ages. Cheers, bn.

[big Neil]

Hey Cossie, many thanks for posting those 2 short films. That guy doing the "voice over" must have been on every news clip of that era. Terribly British and posh! Thanks to Waza for pointing them out as I had missed that part of the post. My late father in law and his wife used to climb down rock faces at North Head and took my wife in a rucksack, when she was a baby, No wonder she's not keen on fishing, eh? Cheers, bn