Nearly about to give up on lure fishing

[Denisfisho]

On 11/9/2021 at 6:34 AM, Mike Sydney said:

Good stuff Denis! I know how tough it is, I went through this July-Nov 2020 hunting that first lure catch and you start believing it’s all a big con job.

stoked you made progress, went lighter and got a hook up. 
 

My two cents from being in the same boat last year. Lighter line is huge. Fishing slow and letting it hit the bottom is huge. Staying moving is important too.

One point I will argue a bit here . A lot of comments on how straight plastics need to be rigged to get fish and I’m not sure I agree 100%.
 

Now, I am sure it helps a lot, but I’ve got a lot of fish on plastics now and I’d say I could count the number of straight rigged ones on one hand. Mine are always bent, twisted, not quite right and I’m doing just fine on plastics.

I think my point is don’t get hung up on one obstacle. The tide isn’t right, my plastic isn’t straight, the wind is wrong, I’m in the wrong place. Nothing is ever going to be perfect but just keep casting and you’ll find success as you have now. 
 

hopefully this is the floodgates opening. If you’re around Sydney I fish a lot at night, feel free to hit me up for a session as I have been where you were not too long ago.

cheers , Mike 

Thanks mate. Yeah it was honestly tough, to the point I wouldn't even tell friends I was fishing because they'd start making jokes about me never catching anything haha.

I mainly fish around Wollongong and I've been doing alot of scouting looking for my own out of the way dream spot but I also may try fishing at manly dam at some point as apparently there is redfin perch there. Cheers

[DerekD]

15 minutes ago, Denisfisho said:

I mainly fish around Wollongong and I've been doing alot of scouting looking for my own out of the way dream spot but I also may try fishing at manly dam at some point as apparently there is redfin perch there. Cheers

That is correct. Bass and carp too. Took my latest group of mentorees (don't like using the word students in this case) two weekends ago. Double hook up on the bass on Rublex Celta Spinners in size 3. Two carp on sweet corn and a third one dropped.

Edited November 10, 2021 by DerekD

[Denisfisho]

3 hours ago, DerekD said:

That is correct. Bass and carp too. Took my latest group of mentorees (don't like using the word students in this case) two weekends ago. Double hook up on the bass on Rublex Celta Spinners in size 3. Two carp on sweet corn and a third one dropped.

Wow in that case I may have to contact you later in the year to do a mentoring session with me and my partner sometime around December. I think she's keen to learn how to fish too, I'll be in contact if she ends up wanting to learn and we can do a training sessions together and work something out. Thx

[DerekD]

1 hour ago, Denisfisho said:

Wow in that case I may have to contact you later in the year to do a mentoring session with me and my partner sometime around December. I think she's keen to learn how to fish too, I'll be in contact if she ends up wanting to learn and we can do a training sessions together and work something out. Thx

I'd love to do that. I've got another couple I've been mentoring for a while and they are both really enjoying it. She has actually been doing better than him overall. I've threatened to cut off his fishing lessons till he gets his first fishing report in. 😄

Just avoid buying any new gear till you have met up with me and understand the "why"s of the gear. I have guest gear I use to teach people which is a good baseline moving forward.

Edited November 10, 2021 by DerekD

[Denisfisho]

At this point you might aswel call me the Tailor Slayer.

Tried a few different locations, honestly was asking myself if I'm being stupid to try and fish in these windy conditions but whether or not the answer is yes, I managed to again catch a tailor.

The fish are getting bigger and to be honest it felt good seeing others watch me catch a fish instead of a snag lol.

Dont know if it's my technique or coincidence or just what's in the area but funny to see the second catch was a Tailor again.

To be continued 

[dirvin21]

3 hours ago, Denisfisho said:

At this point you might aswel call me the Tailor Slayer.

Tried a few different locations, honestly was asking myself if I'm being stupid to try and fish in these windy conditions but whether or not the answer is yes, I managed to again catch a tailor.

The fish are getting bigger and to be honest it felt good seeing others watch me catch a fish instead of a snag lol.

Dont know if it's my technique or coincidence or just what's in the area but funny to see the second catch was a Tailor again.

To be continued 

Tailor are a great fish to build your mojo they were one the main species I caughr when I started lure casting, as you get better at it other species will start appearing

[Denisfisho]

6 hours ago, maccapacca said:

Good job mate, all the hard work is paying off!

Thanks mate. Very simple fish to catch too. I just do a slow to medium reel in (no jumps or anything) and they take it, zman grubs watermelon and midnight oil on each occasion. Haven't had much luck with flathead but conditions weren't in favour today.

[flycamp]

Great work mate. Was following the thread with interest as I’ve recent taken up fly fishing after many years of luring. 
 

I feel like I’m starting all over again so I know how the doubts creep in mentally!

[reluctant angler]

my first day fishing today with Abu Garcia Max Pro rod combo just bought today at Hawkesbury River, and tried with Zman lures: grub and chicken nugget, only tried about 3 hours, and I still don't know what I am doing, so failed miserably

my family all were laughing at me as I insisted on using soft plastics bait, they all suggested chicken liver, small fish bait etc...

let me try again in the next few days

I hope all come naturally to you now OP, I am watching this space

[Rebel]

@reluctant angler  Start your own Post.  Welcome aboard

Do some research, it will all come together.

[big Neil]

19 hours ago, reluctant angler said:

my first day fishing today with Abu Garcia Max Pro rod combo just bought today at Hawkesbury River, and tried with Zman lures: grub and chicken nugget, only tried about 3 hours, and I still don't know what I am doing, so failed miserably

my family all were laughing at me as I insisted on using soft plastics bait, they all suggested chicken liver, small fish bait etc...

let me try again in the next few days

I hope all come naturally to you now OP, I am watching this space

What motiondave suggested is a good idea IF you are struggling with a slow start to your plastics fishing. I think most would admit to suffering slow starts when trying something new. Persistence does pay off though. Keep at it and good luck. bn

[Denisfisho]

On 12/28/2021 at 6:40 PM, reluctant angler said:

my first day fishing today with Abu Garcia Max Pro rod combo just bought today at Hawkesbury River, and tried with Zman lures: grub and chicken nugget, only tried about 3 hours, and I still don't know what I am doing, so failed miserably

my family all were laughing at me as I insisted on using soft plastics bait, they all suggested chicken liver, small fish bait etc...

let me try again in the next few days

I hope all come naturally to you now OP, I am watching this space

Hey mate sorry for the late reply.

Fishing is a little harder to find time for due to the financial controller now coming with me to fishing then getting bored when I catch nothing haha.

 

When I first started lure fishing there was a whole world of basic information which I had no idea about then the more I learn the more I realised I dont know.

 

These days I'm having alot of fun trying to target bream as I find them intelligent and not easy to catch at all.

There are people on the forum that can get you sorted straight, highly recommend Derek. There's alot of basic stuff that even watching endless YouTube videos won't teach you as sometimes you need personal help.

 

Don't worry about people laughing at you etc because once you start catching fish they'll be the ones asking you to use your lures, for help etc 

Edited February 19, 2022 by Denisfisho

[Little_Flatty]

On 2/19/2022 at 4:15 PM, Denisfisho said:

Hey mate sorry for the late reply.

Fishing is a little harder to find time for due to the financial controller now coming with me to fishing then getting bored when I catch nothing haha.

 

When I first started lure fishing there was a whole world of basic information which I had no idea about then the more I learn the more I realised I dont know.

 

These days I'm having alot of fun trying to target bream as I find them intelligent and not easy to catch at all.

There are people on the forum that can get you sorted straight, highly recommend Derek. There's alot of basic stuff that even watching endless YouTube videos won't teach you as sometimes you need personal help.

 

Don't worry about people laughing at you etc because once you start catching fish they'll be the ones asking you to use your lures, for help etc 

From wanting to give up, to having quality fish to show for it! There's a good meal in that fish if it came out of clean water. Brilliant stuff Denis, and well done to @DerekD for rescuing you! You'll continue to get better as well, even if you are still going after decades of fishing!

Keep the CFO happy! Whatever floats their boat, make sure it's there! Coffee, nice trees to lounge under, picnic mat, good magazine/book, picnic basket with a nice lunch in it...etc. In time (I hope) they will pick up a rod and have go themselves! Then the rest will look after itself.

[Denisfisho]

5 hours ago, Little_Flatty said:

Keep the CFO happy! Whatever floats their boat, make sure it's there! Coffee, nice trees to lounge under, picnic mat, good magazine/book, picnic basket with a nice lunch in it...etc. In time (I hope) they will pick up a rod and have go themselves! Then the rest will look after itself.

Oh man, I did try with the picnic idea, she was entertained taking a few pics for her blog then the fish Gods decided to forsake me and the 3 times she's come out with me were all doughnuts resulting in her quickly asking to go home lol. 

I noticed when you only post your catches, people sometimes think you're some great fisher catching all the time, but the reality for my wife ended up being different

Funny enough, I am finding it much much harder to catch fish in Wollongong compared to Sydney. It did make me realise that alot of my knowledge was tailored to Sydney and now I'm starting fresh with scouting for new spots etc. I had my own half secret spot in Sydney I'm already starting to miss.

Edited February 21, 2022 by Denisfisho