Any spots for bait gathering and catching luderick?

[Peter KH]

Those mustard size 8 long bait holder your using have a longer shank than needed. Try getting the Mustad blackfish/luderick Sneck hooks, I use the size 10. Been doing so for a number of years, I've never had any issue, I had 1 single hook last me just over 10 months (used for 2-3 sessions a fortnight) before signs of rust came about, it never bent, however, the green paint coating with peel off after 2 or 3 sessions. 

With the weed i have the most success by fixing the weed onto the hook in a particular way. As I'm sure you have figured out, the weed is quite fragile and weak. To combat this, when collecting the weed, ensure you pick it from the root/anchor point, this will result in a small black dot when the weed attaches itself to the rocks/structure. Then holding that black spot, pull apart the weed till you have about a 5 or 10 cent coins worth amount. Then position the weed into a rectangular strip pinching the black anchor spot, then fold the rectangle up starting at the anchor point. Fold it up really tight, it should result in a small dark green little pillow weed package, this should be approx 5mm x 5mm in size. Then feed this little weed package onto the hook, once or twice is good. The weed will remain fixed onto the hook much longer, only expose the hook a little bit. This should be perfect, as the waves and current  plus being casted and sinking, the bait will slowly began to fall of the hook, this will end up with a shredded look underwater. Blackfish seem to always take it, much better then put a big cabbage leaf on but only for you to get baited instantly. Much better chances of hooking up, especially when not using an ideal float for identifying those clear bites/runs. 

I hope that makes sense, sorry for rambling on.

Cheers, Pete

[TheFishyFisherman]

Ohh. That makes a lot of sense (what Burger said) 😯. Gotta remember that catchphrase 🤣

Edited August 4 by TheFishyFisherman

[TheFishyFisherman]

8 hours ago, Peter KH said:

Those mustard size 8 long bait holder your using have a longer shank than needed. Try getting the Mustad blackfish/luderick Sneck hooks, I use the size 10. Been doing so for a number of years, I've never had any issue, I had 1 single hook last me just over 10 months (used for 2-3 sessions a fortnight) before signs of rust came about, it never bent, however, the green paint coating with peel off after 2 or 3 sessions. 

With the weed i have the most success by fixing the weed onto the hook in a particular way. As I'm sure you have figured out, the weed is quite fragile and weak. To combat this, when collecting the weed, ensure you pick it from the root/anchor point, this will result in a small black dot when the weed attaches itself to the rocks/structure. Then holding that black spot, pull apart the weed till you have about a 5 or 10 cent coins worth amount. Then position the weed into a rectangular strip pinching the black anchor spot, then fold the rectangle up starting at the anchor point. Fold it up really tight, it should result in a small dark green little pillow weed package, this should be approx 5mm x 5mm in size. Then feed this little weed package onto the hook, once or twice is good. The weed will remain fixed onto the hook much longer, only expose the hook a little bit. This should be perfect, as the waves and current  plus being casted and sinking, the bait will slowly began to fall of the hook, this will end up with a shredded look underwater. Blackfish seem to always take it, much better then put a big cabbage leaf on but only for you to get baited instantly. Much better chances of hooking up, especially when not using an ideal float for identifying those clear bites/runs. 

I hope that makes sense, sorry for rambling on.

Cheers, Pete

No worries for rambling on. In fact, more information is better. I threaded the weed in a similar way so my bait stayed on forever.

[TheFishyFisherman]

I just remembered about something from the spit to manly walk, I saw two guys fishing off the rocks at fair light beach and during the walk, I’d often see weed growing around the rocks in the mini beaches. Is fishing fair light on manly allowed? The rocks look pretty safe but I’m not sure if you can fish there. Also, would the rocks at forty baskets be good as well? I’m also thinking of giving spit bridge, Clontarf and long reef a go

Edited August 5 by TheFishyFisherman

[XD351]

From what I can see in the guide linked below you can line fish but I don’t think you can get bait there - bit of a grey area really as it states that no plant life can be removed but weed or cabbage is algae not plants ?? I don’t know .
https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/fishing/marine-protected-areas/aquatic-reserves/north-harbour-aquatic-reserve

[TheFishyFisherman]

Hmm. That IS confusing. But I can still collect bait elsewhere and fish there

[XD351]

1 minute ago, TheFishyFisherman said:

Hmm. That IS confusing. But I can still collect bait elsewhere and fish there

As far as I can tell you can , you could probably get bait off the rocks at the other end of 40 baskets beach and use that . 

[TheFishyFisherman]

3 minutes ago, XD351 said:

As far as I can tell you can , you could probably get bait off the rocks at the other end of 40 baskets beach and use that . 

That’s a good idea!

[Steve0]

Some resources that tell you what you need to know wherever you wish to fish in NSW
NSW_Marine_Protected_Areas_Overview-Map.PDF

https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/fishing/marine-protected-areas/aquatic-reserves

Intertidal Protected Areas (nsw.gov.au) (bait gathering)

 

I like the link below. Zoom in and click on a shaded area is shows you a graphic explaining what you can and cannot do:
Outside the shaded areas you should be OK. My reservation is that it is not a nsw.gov.au website BUT the links above will confirm and data.

DPIAquaticReserveMaps (alantgeo.com.au) (bait gathering is a hand picking up a shell, which also applies to weed)

NOTE the map seems fussy about having everything run. I had to use Edge Browser, InPrivate window. NOTE ALSO I am not a protected area expert. When you go in anywhere, actively look for signs.

 

Insert example image

Edited August 6 by Steve0

[TheFishyFisherman]

?… so it looks like line fishing isn’t allowed there? It also said that it was a “no take” area on the dpi website. Would there be any luderick around spit bridge/Clontarf then?

Edited August 6 by TheFishyFisherman

[TheFishyFisherman]

This website says ur allowed to fish fairlight tho but I’m not sure if it’s true… can any raiders clarify this?

Edited August 6 by TheFishyFisherman

[Little_Flatty]

1 hour ago, TheFishyFisherman said:

This website says ur allowed to fish fairlight tho but I’m not sure if it’s true… can any raiders clarify this?

Please do not take non-government websites as gospel. If you end up doing the wrong thing on incorrect advice and you are caught, you will come up second best.

Contact the DPI directly if you’re unclear, my experience is that many of them are keen fishos themselves and are really helpful with enquiries.

If you still are unsure, err on the side of caution and fish somewhere else.

[TheFishyFisherman]

4 minutes ago, Little_Flatty said:

Please do not take non-government websites as gospel. If you end up doing the wrong thing on incorrect advice and you are caught, you will come up second best.

Contact the DPI directly if you’re unclear, my experience is that many of them are keen fishos themselves and are really helpful with enquiries.

If you still are unsure, err on the side of caution and fish somewhere else.

Ok. I guess I’ll just forget about it and go back to fishing off my regular spots. Thanks for the advice Little Flattie! 😁

Edited August 6 by TheFishyFisherman

[ireallylovefishies22]

1 hour ago, TheFishyFisherman said:

?… so it looks like line fishing isn’t allowed there? It also said that it was a “no take” area on the dpi website. Would there be any luderick around spit bridge/Clontarf then?

The rocks on the northern side of The Spit might be worth a try, its a spot where the depth drops off extremely quickly and has a kelpy and weedy bottom. I've never targetted them around that area, but it looks good to me. Also seen a few luderick on the clontarf sand flats when catching poddies.

[TheFishyFisherman]

21 hours ago, ireallylovefishies22 said:

The rocks on the northern side of The Spit might be worth a try, its a spot where the depth drops off extremely quickly and has a kelpy and weedy bottom. I've never targetted them around that area, but it looks good to me. Also seen a few luderick on the clontarf sand flats when catching poddies.

Thanks. Might give the spit a go soon. Would a weed fly or just week on a hook that’s jigged around or worked back work on the flats at clontarf?

Edited August 7 by TheFishyFisherman

[ireallylovefishies22]

it could def work, but personally id walk along the weed edges until i see one, back up a bit and drop a piece of weed under a float onto its head. not entirely sure if its worth targetting these flats luderick, they could be a lot fussier than if they were in deep water. theres some good ones in the mix, i saw some over the 40cm mark.

[TheFishyFisherman]

12 hours ago, ireallylovefishies22 said:

it could def work, but personally id walk along the weed edges until i see one, back up a bit and drop a piece of weed under a float onto its head. not entirely sure if its worth targetting these flats luderick, they could be a lot fussier than if they were in deep water. theres some good ones in the mix, i saw some over the 40cm mark.

This is probably a stupid question but what if I added weed/cabbage scent on my weed/cabbage bait too make it smellier or is that not allowed?

[ireallylovefishies22]

I don't think it makes much of a difference, if it did more people would be using it.

[Green Hornet]

36 minutes ago, TheFishyFisherman said:

This is probably a stupid question but what if I added weed/cabbage scent on my weed/cabbage bait too make it smellier or is that not allowed?

Of course you can add some scent if you wish, but I don’t think it would help as both weed and cabbage already have a fairly strong smell.

The scent is more for weed flies than the real thing.

[TheFishyFisherman]

👍 

[TheFishyFisherman]

I bought some pencil floats today and some more hooks because I was running out of hooks. I unfortunately couldn’t find any small short shanks ones that were strong enough for luds at my local snake shop but I’m still going to give it a go on the weekend at balmoral. Hopefully I succeed 🥹

Edited August 8 by TheFishyFisherman

[Steve0]

3 hours ago, TheFishyFisherman said:

I bought some pencil floats today and some more hooks because I was running out of hooks. I unfortunately couldn’t find any small short shanks ones that were strong enough for luds at my local snake shop but I’m still going to give it a go on the weekend at balmoral. Hopefully I succeed 🥹

We all started with a tally of zero and a wish to catch them. Sooner or later it will happen. Hopefully, sooner.

 

[TheFishyFisherman]

Another donut session today. 🤣. I had a handful of weed and some burly but I only saw one blackfish and it didn’t even want my bait. Meanwhile, a guy caught a massive 37cm bream on chicken. I brought chicken as a backup bait and switched up my bait on my other rod and managed to get my first banjo shark. It didn’t fight hard but it was still heaps of fun on the light gear (2 kg line and a split shot and a hook). Soon I was using chicken and some anchovies that a guy gave me as bait on my floating luderick rig and got some good trevs. (Undersized but I’ve never caught them on a float so it was still exciting to try something new). I will continue on the blackfish but I just thought that I would write what I did (although this is technically a report)

The image has what bait I was using and the banjo 

 

[faker]

24 minutes ago, TheFishyFisherman said:

Another donut session today. 🤣. I had a handful of weed and some burly but I only saw one blackfish and it didn’t even want my bait. Meanwhile, a guy caught a massive 37cm bream on chicken. I brought chicken as a backup bait and switched up my bait on my other rod and managed to get my first banjo shark. It didn’t fight hard but it was still heaps of fun on the light gear (2 kg line and a split shot and a hook). Soon I was using chicken and some anchovies that a guy gave me as bait on my floating luderick rig and got some good trevs. (Undersized but I’ve never caught them on a float so it was still exciting to try something new). I will continue on the blackfish but I just thought that I would write what I did (although this is technically a report)

The image has what bait I was using and the banjo 

 

well should have tagged along with me i was having a blast on luderick in middle head

[TheFishyFisherman]

I had a blast too but without the luds. I’m so jealous now 🤣