Fishing tips

thermalben's picture
thermalben started the topic in Monday, 2 Apr 2012 at 9:32am

OK, so I want to try my hand at fishing. I have a couple of rods and reels, and an assortment of stuff in a shiny tackle box (Chrissy present from a few years back). I've got salt water and fresh water options close at hand (Narrabeen). But, I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing.

Can anyone offer me some pointers? I'd really like to impress the missus.

Peter Reynolds's picture
Peter Reynolds's picture
Peter Reynolds Wednesday, 17 Jul 2024 at 5:35pm

Cracking knobby FR especially land based in oz!

Peter Reynolds's picture
Peter Reynolds's picture
Peter Reynolds Wednesday, 17 Jul 2024 at 5:36pm

Cracking knobby FR especially land based in oz!

saltman's picture
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saltman Thursday, 18 Jul 2024 at 12:02pm

Well done Steve that is a crazy Snapper - and land based is next level
The consistent Westerlies meant the Beaches have turned on the tailor
I discovered the joy of converting op shop cutlery into metal slugs.
They cast further than Halcos and Knights , are stainless steel so will last and cost me about $1.50 each to make - including rings and hooks
And best of all catch heaps

Andrew P's picture
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Andrew P Tuesday, 3 Sep 2024 at 7:41pm

Just got back from a week on K’gari. The place was alive! Had some memorable sessions on tailor using surface lures and bait. Here’s a few pics from one night session when we got 20+ fish from 45-64cm in an hour and kept 10. Great fishing!



zenagain's picture
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zenagain Tuesday, 3 Sep 2024 at 7:48pm

That middle pic made me instantly hungry.

Winning all round AP.

basesix's picture
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basesix Tuesday, 3 Sep 2024 at 7:59pm

agree, @zen, I detect cornflake crumbs in them thar morsels. what's the deal with kids not being allowed on K'gari/Fraser because of dingoes into the future.. is that a thing??

Andrew P's picture
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Andrew P Tuesday, 3 Sep 2024 at 8:09pm

I saw something on the news about the mayor of Hervey Bay suggesting it. Haven’t been there since 2019 and the wongari (dingos) were far more visible and bold than I remember. Like any wild place it’s the parents’ responsibility to educate and supervise their children on the island. Most people do the right thing.

basesix's picture
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basesix Tuesday, 3 Sep 2024 at 8:18pm

That's pretty hectic, AP, we are a nation of sea-monsters and stingy-little-bitey-shits..
to have a sth hemisphere cougar-alert, or bear-scare equivalent, puts a new mammal spin on things.

seeds's picture
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seeds Tuesday, 3 Sep 2024 at 8:46pm

The wongari are very bold these days.
Suggestion is that families with kids should be made to camp in fenced camp zones.
A lot of time is spent away from camp when on Kgari.
Awesome haul Andy P.

tubeshooter's picture
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tubeshooter Tuesday, 3 Sep 2024 at 8:42pm

Those fish are in pretty good condition by the look of it.

Re the kids on K'gari thing..
I heard something about anyone camping with kids may be required to stay in a campground with dingo proof fencing soon. Don't know if it'll get through though.
Edit, what seeds said. ;)

freeride76's picture
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freeride76 Friday, 13 Sep 2024 at 1:27pm

Went and a had a throw in the river after I got my Wardell pie the other day.

Is this a bass or an estuary perch?

tiger's picture
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tiger Friday, 13 Sep 2024 at 2:10pm

I'd call EP Steve. Kinda longer body profile and slight dip in the front of the head. Could well be wrong though.

seeds's picture
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seeds Friday, 13 Sep 2024 at 2:10pm

Perch.

fitzroy-21's picture
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fitzroy-21 Friday, 13 Sep 2024 at 2:13pm
freeride76's picture
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freeride76 Friday, 13 Sep 2024 at 2:29pm

Cheers gents, I thought EP.

I showed it to local tackle shop proprietor and he reckoned bass.

It was a little chunk that pulled hard.

Bluefish's picture
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Bluefish Friday, 13 Sep 2024 at 7:45pm

I'm with the tackle shop dude. Despite the slightly concave forehead I reckon it's a bass. EP foreheads are really scooped out. Your fish has a stubby mouth too. EPs mouth noticeably longer. Also EPs actually don't fight real hard!!

seeds's picture
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seeds Friday, 13 Sep 2024 at 9:36pm

Maybe Steve’s hand is hiding the deciding evidence.

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seeds Friday, 13 Sep 2024 at 10:06pm

I think it’s visible. Opercular spine?
Just reading that’s a distinguishing feature of a bass over a EP.
ps. And no I had never heard of a fish’s opercular before now.
And yes I’m bored

freeride76's picture
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freeride76 Saturday, 14 Sep 2024 at 8:11am

OK, had a really sharp and distinct opercular spine, actually spiked me pretty good with it. Cut me open.

Are we done here?

Andrew P's picture
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Andrew P Saturday, 14 Sep 2024 at 9:57am

I’d say Bass FR. EPs aren’t typically found as far north as where you caught it, thus on likelihood it has far more chance of being a bass. Caveat - if it is a stocked fish it could be either, or both (hybrid)! (Fish hatcheries and stocking are certainly full of cowboys and cowgirls stuck in a Wild West landscape)

Bass have razor sharp opercular spines too so your blood spilling does not distinguish an EP from a bass. An EP would have a noticeably concave scope to the head too.

tiger's picture
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tiger Saturday, 14 Sep 2024 at 11:16am

Yes it's hard to be definitive Andrew P. That zone has always been an outlier for EP as far as northern populations go.

freeride76's picture
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freeride76 Monday, 23 Sep 2024 at 8:00am

Nice chunky fish off the rocks this morning.
3rd cast.

FrazP's picture
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FrazP Monday, 23 Sep 2024 at 8:25am
freeride76 wrote:

Nice chunky fish off the rocks this morning.
3rd cast.

Wow FR, beast of a jewie - live bait?

Supafreak's picture
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Supafreak Monday, 23 Sep 2024 at 8:26am

Awesome, if there was a FOTD you’d be a regular.

Andrew P's picture
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Andrew P Monday, 23 Sep 2024 at 8:52am

donkey FR!

freeride76's picture
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freeride76 Monday, 23 Sep 2024 at 9:02am

Soft plastic.

tiger's picture
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tiger Monday, 23 Sep 2024 at 10:37am

Nice work Steve.

FrazP's picture
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FrazP Monday, 23 Sep 2024 at 10:40am

They are an elusive species mate - I have struggled with them. Kingies down pat but Jew's are hard work, particularly in this neck of the woods.

freeride76's picture
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freeride76 Monday, 23 Sep 2024 at 10:56am

It seems after back to back to back La Ninas the jewfishing has really improved around here.

Must have been some really good recruitment years and they grow very quickly in the sub-tropics.

Pop Down's picture
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Pop Down Monday, 23 Sep 2024 at 12:13pm

Hello Freeride 76

I was surprised 2 read that Male Jew Fish mature in 2-3 years , but can live 4 42 years .

That's really quick growth imho !

Females are a bit slower 2 grow up , in this species , which is a nice change .

The Fish was a Chunky beast , caught on a tiny bit of plastic , floating in the Ocean .

Out smarted by a hungry , Free riding , 76'er !

Guessing the guys stop growing up , when they get interested in girls .

That's quite common , in a lot of species .

Supafreak's picture
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Supafreak Saturday, 14 Dec 2024 at 11:14am

Fishing tip 101 , pay attention to what’s around you . Lotsa tuna around yesterday, locals cleaning up . Thought I would have a go . Dingy was in chest deep water and as I pulled myself up into it , I jagged the lure hanging of my rod which was sitting in rod holder . Tried pulling it out but it was in pretty deep and brand new lure so lovely and sharp , barb was doing its job , I was well hooked . Off to the Dr to get it cut out . Really weird thing was , earlier when I was getting prepared, I was thinking of the time I hooked myself about 30 years ago while pulling the rip cord , again not looking what’s around me . Gotta pay more attention to those thoughts . c710c458-47a2-4916-bd39-52aa215d62c4

fitzroy-21's picture
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fitzroy-21 Saturday, 14 Dec 2024 at 11:21am

For future reference supa

Supafreak's picture
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Supafreak Saturday, 14 Dec 2024 at 11:33am

Thanks fitz but I reckon I would screw that up too , bonus was I got a tetanus shot which was due and they flushed it out well .

seeds's picture
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seeds Saturday, 14 Dec 2024 at 1:56pm

How did they do it Supa? Give you a local, cut the hook and push it through and out?

indo-dreaming's picture
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indo-dreaming Saturday, 14 Dec 2024 at 2:14pm

Ouch, probably a good thing it's a new lure/hook.

freeride76's picture
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freeride76 Saturday, 14 Dec 2024 at 2:54pm

I put this stickbait treble straight through my index finger in Oct.

Doc at ED made an incision and pulled it out- got the trebles back.

Red hot tailor bite on surface lures- this big tailor grabbed the lure as I was lifting the lure out of the water and I poled it straight in, tried to put a grab on it- it went psycho and the treble came out and lodged straight in.

fitzroy-21's picture
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fitzroy-21 Saturday, 14 Dec 2024 at 3:04pm

I've done the trick in the vid I posted dozens of times and it works (as long as you have someone to help). Done right, it's painless. No access to doc's when you are remote.

Supafreak's picture
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Supafreak Saturday, 14 Dec 2024 at 4:03pm
seeds wrote:

How did they do it Supa? Give you a local, cut the hook and push it through and out?

Yep , local , cut , remove . Every indo I came across had a good laugh at ikan besar !

seeds's picture
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seeds Saturday, 14 Dec 2024 at 8:04pm

?? Big fish?

Supafreak's picture
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Supafreak Saturday, 14 Dec 2024 at 9:32pm

Yes , not the best way to start the day , was looking forward to a fish as haven’t done much this year. Now I’m a bit dubious about surfing east Bali until arms healed up .

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AlfredWallace Sunday, 15 Dec 2024 at 8:24am
Supafreak wrote:

Yes , not the best way to start the day , was looking forward to a fish as haven’t done much this year. Now I’m a bit dubious about surfing east Bali until arms healed up .

Supafreak. Hi mate. I hope you are doing okay.

Well, you’ve been cut and stitched a few times over the last year , if it continues you look like one of those old ‘knitting Nancy’s’ girls and woman use to muck around with, some boys too I’d imagine.

You’re obviously on infection watch, I would be.

I had stitches he my scone at Rags Right in 2008, fin chop, third last day of trip.
Our boat pulls into Lances Right for the second time of the trip, 4-6ft, wax up, about to jump overboard and the surf guide grabs me by the arm and said where the fuck are you going.
He points to a narrow black rivulet of water streaming out from the camp at the point. He said there’s a high chance you’ll get it infected, ya head will swell up and blow ya scone off your shoulders. I was fuming , but heeded the advice.
As you are already aware, can’t take chances in those climes.

I do hope you get a tuna one day and a surf soon. Catcha mate. AW

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basesix Sunday, 15 Dec 2024 at 9:10am

good thread, we've all been there, stay clean @Supa.. that treble grab of yours is nasty @fr, bone involved I imagine, how've the jewies/mulloway been?

indo-dreaming's picture
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indo-dreaming Sunday, 15 Dec 2024 at 9:42am
fitzroy-21 wrote:

I've done the trick in the vid I posted dozens of times and it works (as long as you have someone to help). Done right, it's painless. No access to doc's when you are remote.

I watched it and then another similar video turned up in my youtube feed, i then ended up watching five different videos of how to pull a hook out, all similar in technique.

One showed how you can do it by yourself you just need to tie the line off on something solid.

That moment just before the pull must be scary, but most said it hurts more going in than coming out.

Youtube then started showing me videos like this

Always wear sunnies when casting lures. :D

Supafreak's picture
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Supafreak Sunday, 15 Dec 2024 at 10:09am

I felt his pain , he handled it well , loved the show must go on attitude .

tubeshooter's picture
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tubeshooter Sunday, 15 Dec 2024 at 5:45pm

ahh trebles, too many painful memories to list.
It doesn't matter how careful you are sometimes.

Mackerel season too, a good reminder to replace some of my old trebles.

Supafreak's picture
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Supafreak Thursday, 19 Dec 2024 at 7:26am
indo-dreaming's picture
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indo-dreaming Thursday, 19 Dec 2024 at 7:53am

The footage is sick but the commentary from him and the missus is gold, so Aussie.

This comment summed things up perfectly

"It’s like listening to an adult version of a Bluey episode where they go fishing"

basesix's picture
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basesix Thursday, 19 Dec 2024 at 8:09am
indo-dreaming wrote:

The footage is sick but the commentary from him and the missus is gold, so Aussie.

This comment summed things up perfectly

"It’s like listening to an adult version of a Bluey episode where they go fishing"

haha. perfect.

fitzroy-21's picture
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fitzroy-21 Thursday, 19 Dec 2024 at 8:10am

Pretty common on all jetty's across northern Australia.

That one is actually pretty small. Places like Cooktown (and many others) have them the size of VW beetles.