Unsuccessful session + scouting at Rushcutter's

[Bluebenbomb]

I headed down to Rushcutter's on Wednesday again. Caught loads of toad fish and baby pinkies (all thow-backs, of course), and there were no flatties in sight. On my last cast, I managed to hook onto a dead weight. So I bring it in and it's a numb ray. I'm quite disappointed at this point and reach in my bag to grab my pliers, but then the numb ray snaps me off on the oyster-encrusted rocks. Now, I've lost a blade. I was quite angry at the ray for snapping me off, but at least it was a knockoff from aliexpress which costed $1. Went back home disappointed with a lost lure and low spirits.

Today, I went back to Rushcutter's for a "scouting session" because it was low tide and I wasn't bothered to bring the rods out. I noted the weedy dropoffs, features and whatnot, but saw some nice sized whiting cruising along on the flats. Of course, I had seen them before and tried catching them with a 2 inch grub with a 1/12th jighead (my smallest presentation), but they swam away, scared. I'm curious to see if any raiders have had any luck chasing whiting in water depth of 0.5-1m when the whiting are ~5m away. Maybe an aijing grub-style presentation could work?

So I thoroughly took note of Rushcutter's features, and decided to cycle to Elizabeth bay, which was a few blocks away. 

After arriving, I noticed that there wasn't much space for luring, as there wasn't a large stretch of a foreshore walk. I also noticed a dead rat floating around, which wasn't appealing. I headed home after that. Even though today wasn't much of a session, I still managed to scout out Rushcutter's, which will help in further sessions.

I am left with 2 questions:

- Does anyone have any tips to chase whiting in 0.5-1m of water? Light line? Lures? Baits? Presentation style?

- Is Elizabeth bay worth fishing landbased (the marina is not opened for fishing)?

Thanks for reading (a bit boring), but I'll try to fit in more session (which hopefully means more reports!)

[blaxland]

Hi Blue plenty of fish out there just keep trying and mixing up the way you go about it. 

 

[Little_Flatty]

The ajiing lures will unfortunately catch you lots of undersized tailor and pinkies there.

Maybe try surface stick baits and bent minnows like @Obsessed Fisherman suggests. I’ve had no luck there on the whiting either.

[noelm]

Squirt Worms or live Nippers in very light line and no sinker will get them tricky Whiting up on the flats.

[Yowie]

If you can see the whiting in shallow water, they can see you, and are not likely to bite.

Low light periods with nippers or squirt worms will improve your chances, as Noel suggested.

[FishyMcFishFace]

I actually caught my first and biggest ever whiting there at night on worms. This about 3 years ago (still my pb). I've been many times since and never caught one since!

I usually donut most times I try there, but it's just a handy spot to wet a line!

Good luck! 

[Little_Flatty]

1 hour ago, noelm said:

Squirt Worms or live Nippers in very light line and no sinker will get them tricky Whiting up on the flats.

I have a really old sigma whisker titan reel spooled with 1kg mono for that kind of bait fishing. Great fun. Don’t forget a long handled net if you do that!

[noelm]

I still use one of those for my beach fishing, great old reel, simple to fix, mostly made out of plastic/graphite, (or whatever the material is) so never corrodes, can't remember how old it is.

[DerekD]

Bent minnow, slippery dog, sugapen, mmd splash prawn or similar for the topwater whiting.

Alternatively, pump some yabbies (ghost nippers) at Dollhouse point sandflats and then use them at your local sandflats. You are not allowed to pump yabbies inside Sydney harbour.

[Green Hornet]

As others have said, surface lures or unweighted baits on ultralight line and if the fish are in close, don’t be afraid to stay low and stand well back from the water’s edge when casting.

Mate, that numb ray did you a favor busting you off. If you get a jolt from one of them you’re sure going to know about it. I’ve been hit twice (slow learner) and it ain’t pretty.

[noelm]

1 minute ago, Green Hornet said:

As others have said, surface lures or unweighted baits on ultralight line and if the fish are in close, don’t be afraid to stay low and stand well back from the water’s edge when casting.

Mate, that numb ray did you a favor busting you off. If you get a jolt from one of them you’re sure going to know about it. I’ve been hit twice (slow learner) and it ain’t pretty.

They sure can, I got one off Long Beach in Jervis Bay, and while I was fooling around trying to get it back in the water, a tourist thought he would help me.........I bet he still remembers that day! Funny, they only seem to come in one size (like Pelicans) never seen a small one.

[Green Hornet]

1 minute ago, noelm said:

They sure can, I got one off Long Beach in Jervis Bay, and while I was fooling around trying to get it back in the water, a tourist thought he would help me.........I bet he still remembers that day! Funny, they only seem to come in one size (like Pelicans) never seen a small one.

My first experience was just around the corner at Honeymoon Bay where I caught one on a hand line as a kid. No one knew what it was, but didn’t take long to find out.

[DerekD]

13 minutes ago, Green Hornet said:

Mate, that numb ray did you a favor busting you off. If you get a jolt from one of them you’re sure going to know about it. I’ve been hit twice (slow learner) and it ain’t pretty.

Funny you mention that. I caught my personal best numb ray a few days ago on a large sluggo type lure for the wing. I've caught several over the years and hadn't been shocked yet and wasn't planning on it this time. Took a bit of juggling with the net and some INSULATED pliers to get the hook off but was successful in the end. I've heard the jolt is not fun but haven't been keen to find out how bad it is.

[DerekD]

Hi @Bluebenbomb,

If you are not overly familiar with use of the topwater lures then happy to arrange a session with you and your dad over the coming holidays. I'm off from the 23rd to the 8th and am having a fishing staycation in Sydney.

Location would be in the inner west as there are several bays I like to fish topwater. It is only early season so the topwater action will be getting better and better. I've had a few good results over the last weeks. Best being a bream of about 36cm.

Derek

[noelm]

I have had moderate success on a big sand flat near me with those worm looking plastics, fishing without a head, just a hook, they are a bugger to cast, but with a bit of wind at your back, you can get a bit of distance. Another method that I found by accident, is "trolling" the plastic while walking gently along, and the worm plastic well back, I think the sand stirred up gets the Whiting looking for a quick snack, and the plastic swims by. Neither of those methods are "tried and true" but, with some refinement might be another trick in the bag. I have used the trolling system with live Nippers at Narooma many times now and had some good catches, down near the "blue hole" behind the caravan park.

[Green Hornet]

1 hour ago, DerekD said:

Funny you mention that. I caught my personal best numb ray a few days ago on a large sluggo type lure for the wing. I've caught several over the years and hadn't been shocked yet and wasn't planning on it this time. Took a bit of juggling with the net and some INSULATED pliers to get the hook off but was successful in the end. I've heard the jolt is not fun but haven't been keen to find out how bad it is.

I think if you’re careful and handle the ray carefully you can avoid it giving you a shock. I’ve caught a couple while wading chasing flathead and managed to unhook the lure with my fingers, avoiding a shock.

The second time I was hit, l was fishing for jew and lip gaffed the ray with a short, hand gaff thinking the timber handle would act as an insulator. No dice, perhaps me standing on wet rocks and a wet gaff helped transmit the shock.

[noelm]

An old pro fisherman told me if you put your finger in their "bum" they can't shock you, no idea if he was just joking, or trying to get me to stick my finger in a fishes bum or not!

[Rebel]

There are better days ahead.

Whiting

I use a long shank red hook size 6, Beach worms only. 6 to 8lb mono & a small sinker.

Never fails.

Good luck next time.

[Yowie]

8 hours ago, Green Hornet said:

Mate, that numb ray did you a favor busting you off. If you get a jolt from one of them you’re sure going to know about it. I’ve been hit twice (slow learner) and it ain’t pretty.

Many years ago at Yowie Bay wharf, I saw 2 old Italians with a numb ray in a landing net.

One said, "good to eat," and I said, "no it's not." He said, "stingray good to eat," and I said, "it's not a stingray." With that, he grabbed the numb ray with both hands then let out an almighty scream that seemed to last forever. That was 30 or more years ago, and it has been permanently etched into my memory.

I had to run away as I could not stop laughing.  Some people just don't listen. 🤣

[Yowie]

8 hours ago, DerekD said:

 I've heard the jolt is not fun but haven't been keen to find out how bad it is.

You are out prawning at night, all is dark, all is quiet, then you stand on a numb ray.  F#^*, the whole world hears you. 🤣

I've done that more than once.

Other times have been pumping for nippers, you jab the pump into the sand, except there is a numb ray buried in the sand, and the shock is transferred through the metal pump up into your arms and body. 😂

Derek, you don't know what you are missing. 

[DerekD]

Just now, Yowie said:

Other times have been pumping for nippers, you jab the pump into the sand, except there is a numb ray buried in the sand, and the shock is transferred through the metal pump up into your arms and body. 😂

Derek, you don't know what you are missing. 

Yabby pumps and numb rays - that is a new one for me.

We used to do fireworks nights on farms in the Bathurst area back in the good old days and someone managed to convince one of the more gullible young-uns to piss on the electric fence. Still puts a smile on my face.

One of my farmer friends was teaching me how to get through electric fences properly. It involves getting a good grip on the wire with the meaty part of the hand as it is less sensitive to shocks. I did so and didn't feel a thing but my boots had very good insulation. However, another time I had to crawl under one by myself (put rifle down safely prior to doing so) and zap hit me just as spine was going under fence. That tingled.

[Green Hornet]

I remember taking my dad to get greenweed from the farm drains between Culburra and Nowra. Now I’m 6’3” or 190cm and dad far shorter about 5’6”. We’d climbed though the road fence and came up to a lower one running along the drain. I stepped over it easily, but dad didn’t quite make it and that’s when we discovered it was electrified. 🥜🙉

[Bluebenbomb]

On 12/9/2022 at 6:14 PM, blaxland said:

Hi Blue plenty of fish out there just keep trying and mixing up the way you go about it. 

 

Thanks mate, I'm just going to get out more, sooner or later I'll crack the code.

On 12/9/2022 at 6:31 PM, Obsessed Fisherman said:

Try using a sugapen or a bent minnow

Thanks, I'll try one next time I get out.

On 12/9/2022 at 6:48 PM, Little_Flatty said:

The ajiing lures will unfortunately catch you lots of undersized tailor and pinkies there.

Maybe try surface stick baits and bent minnows like @Obsessed Fisherman suggests. I’ve had no luck there on the whiting either.

I haven't tried aijing lures yet, but I know there's a school of undersized pinkies. Going to try out the surface lures as others have suggested. 

On 12/9/2022 at 7:11 PM, noelm said:

Squirt Worms or live Nippers in very light line and no sinker will get them tricky Whiting up on the flats.

I have heard that they are effective, but I don't where to find them, especially that I'm landbased. Maybe local tackle shops?

On 12/9/2022 at 7:46 PM, Yowie said:

If you can see the whiting in shallow water, they can see you, and are not likely to bite.

Low light periods with nippers or squirt worms will improve your chances, as Noel suggested.

Thanks for the tip, I'll go out maybe at sunset sometime soon and try the surface lures.

On 12/9/2022 at 8:40 PM, FishyMcFishFace said:

I actually caught my first and biggest ever whiting there at night on worms. This about 3 years ago (still my pb). I've been many times since and never caught one since!

I usually donut most times I try there, but it's just a handy spot to wet a line!

Good luck! 

Thanks, I have seem Shroom on YT catching some nice-sized whiting there, which is what made me realise the potential for whiting.

On 12/10/2022 at 6:06 AM, DerekD said:

Bent minnow, slippery dog, sugapen, mmd splash prawn or similar for the topwater whiting.

Alternatively, pump some yabbies (ghost nippers) at Dollhouse point sandflats and then use them at your local sandflats. You are not allowed to pump yabbies inside Sydney harbour.

Thanks @DerekD, surface lures seem like the way to go. I think someday I will go to Doll's point beach to source some nippers (Carrs Park may be closer). Used to go canoeing there and it seemed like a perfect place to chuck some surface lures for whiting at low tide.

On 12/10/2022 at 6:19 AM, Green Hornet said:

As others have said, surface lures or unweighted baits on ultralight line and if the fish are in close, don’t be afraid to stay low and stand well back from the water’s edge when casting.

Mate, that numb ray did you a favor busting you off. If you get a jolt from one of them you’re sure going to know about it. I’ve been hit twice (slow learner) and it ain’t pretty.

Thanks @Green Hornet. I was scared of the numb ray so I didn't try to handle it. Next time I'll stand away from the water's edge. I find that the bream/tarwhine there are also quite scared/easy to fright whenever I approach them.

On 12/10/2022 at 6:40 AM, DerekD said:

Hi @Bluebenbomb,

If you are not overly familiar with use of the topwater lures then happy to arrange a session with you and your dad over the coming holidays. I'm off from the 23rd to the 8th and am having a fishing staycation in Sydney.

Location would be in the inner west as there are several bays I like to fish topwater. It is only early season so the topwater action will be getting better and better. I've had a few good results over the last weeks. Best being a bream of about 36cm.

Derek

Thanks so much for the offer! I'll see if my dad and I can arrange a time for a session.

On 12/10/2022 at 6:50 AM, noelm said:

I have had moderate success on a big sand flat near me with those worm looking plastics, fishing without a head, just a hook, they are a bugger to cast, but with a bit of wind at your back, you can get a bit of distance. Another method that I found by accident, is "trolling" the plastic while walking gently along, and the worm plastic well back, I think the sand stirred up gets the Whiting looking for a quick snack, and the plastic swims by. Neither of those methods are "tried and true" but, with some refinement might be another trick in the bag. I have used the trolling system with live Nippers at Narooma many times now and had some good catches, down near the "blue hole" behind the caravan park.

Maybe the gulp sandworms? Do you think they'd work? Also, I'll try the trolling method, thanks for that tip.

On 12/10/2022 at 10:24 AM, Rebel said:

There are better days ahead.

Whiting

I use a long shank red hook size 6, Beach worms only. 6 to 8lb mono & a small sinker.

Never fails.

Good luck next time.

Thanks @Rebel, I'm looking for summer to come, hope it's a good year of fishing. Beach worms and nippers seem to be the go, next time I'll try to source some. Seems like the whiting are easy to be frightened, so light leaders and light rigs. 

 

 

 

 

[385 EXPLORER]

Hi Mate

I use a 2" zman grubz (blood worm colour) on a 1/16 tt jig head on 4lb trace with a touch of s-factor scent and whiting can't resist. I fish in less than 1m of water with little hops and pauses off the bottom and hold on. My best was 46.5cm which won me 1st prize in the pertik fishing challenge lastyear. Whiting over that 45cm mark on that kind of gear fight like a bone fish in the tropics. You'd be surprised on how many whiting are around over that 45cm mark.