Newbie Fishing South West Rocks

[Billthekrill]

Hi everyone, 

My family and I are completely new to fishing but managed to pick up a couple rods and a bit of gear at a garage sale and Big W before heading off on a holiday in Arakoon (near South West Rocks). 

We've been out at the Rocks for three days now and have been having great fun trying our inexperienced hands at fishing. We headed out to the Macleay River at the Jerseyville bridge the first day with beach worm bait, fished the mouth of the river on Monday only to catch an undersized bream on prawn bait, and finally fished a tributary of the Macleay this morning, all no to no real avail. 

We're really enjoying being out at the water (we don't have a boat and are completely land-based) but would really like to catch a fish! As far as gear goes we've been using frozen bait (prawns, worms, mullet) and a couple of soft-bodied lures bought at the local tackle shop and we've been trying to head out as the tide turns and starts to go out. 

I'm not really sure what we're doing wrong, but does anybody have any advice as far as spots to go to or techniques to try out? I Also wondered about the use of berley; is it worth investing in some and how should we use it?

Thanks everyone! 

[Peter Nelson]

Hi mate

I normally go out in the boat up there but have caught some good fish in the river up a bit from the tavern towards the entrance, some spots you can park right next to the water.

Also  as you go over the Jerseyville bridge turn right up a dirt road, a few kms up there's some easy to fish spots. I have just used small sinker running straight down to the hook, fish as light as you can around tide changes. I've had most luck on live nippers if you can get them.

Got  a few Flathead using soft plastics walking low tide just up from the boat ramp at the river.

Hope this helps

 

[Billthekrill]

3 hours ago, Peter Nelson said:

Hi mate

I normally go out in the boat up there but have caught some good fish in the river up a bit from the tavern towards the entrance, some spots you can park right next to the water.

Also  as you go over the Jerseyville bridge turn right up a dirt road, a few kms up there's some easy to fish spots. I have just used small sinker running straight down to the hook, fish as light as you can around tide changes. I've had most luck on live nippers if you can get them.

Got  a few Flathead using soft plastics walking low tide just up from the boat ramp at the river.

Hope this helps

 

Thanks mate! 

We'll be trying some of those spots tomorrow, and I'll get back to you on how we go!

[Billthekrill]

Just a quick update, 

We went out tonight around low tide and managed to pull 3 bream--2 keeping size and 1 big enough for dinner (~40cm long). Also managed to hook and drag a very decent sized eel to shore which subsequently snapped the line (only using around 2 kilogram test line).  Though all these were on mullet bait, the soft plastics that we were throwing turned no results (possible lack of technique?)

Thanks so much for the advice, attached is a photo of our catch of the day