Do You Actually Fish... Or Do You Just Watch Rods?

[BaitThrower]

To me, fishing is grabbing a rod, adding tackle, baiting a hook, dropping or casting it, then HOLDING onto the rod and feeling for any nibbles, and then trying to strike at the right time... rarely does the rod go into a holder (except when its lunch time)

I see heaps of blokes on boats who cast a rod and then whack it in a holder and sit back and wait for the fish to bite... Needless to say, when I am anchored up near them, I pull in 10x as many fish as they do, and some have not even caught a thing for hours while I pull in the fish (even though most are undersize I usually get a feed and certainly more than the "rod watchers" do).

So the question is... are you a "REAL" fisherperson, or just a rod watcher? ::)

[Steeler]

Unfortunately for me and mean this literally i am a rod watcher, not through a lack of bloody try'n though.

Steeler

[Peter4]

If you fish plastics rather than bait then you don't have much of a choice.

You will catch fish on a 'dead stick', but much more often you will attract hits if you are actively working the plastic with lifts, jiggles, slow retrieves, burn & kills etc...

I hate being a rod watcher. Generally I use two rods at a time - one worked actively and one a dead stick, though I swap rods every 5 minutes or so...

Keeps you busy....;D

Regs

Pete

[Marlin_Mike]

Thats a good question Bait Thrower. I think there's something in that for all of us.


Mike

[rids01]

Hrm this completely depends what type of fishing you are doing.
Fishing for pelagics I've never needed to 'feel' for a bite..... mackerel tend to let you know they're there...

[jtpython]

Bottom fishing holding and floating pillies or gar let and wait for the peligics to strike and hook them selves
JT

[MyEscape]

Not a bad qwuestion indeed.

I have to put my name down as a fisherman, as I like to work a lure or plastic, but if I'm not trolling around with the electric, then i'll put a dead bait out on another rod and let it sit there while I'm fishing with a plastic.

But, there's a lot of fish caught on dead baits on rods in holders.

Steve

[PinHead]

and if you are fishing for bream and using chook gut for bait..hanging onto the rod is useless..just makes you feels good having your rod in your hand.
So anyone holding onto the rod in that instance is not really fishing.

Also..I guess by your description that those using outriggers and trolling are not really fishing either.

[Marlin_Mike]

I do neither. More often than not, i am just feeding the fish....LOL......

[Sea-Dog]

If the holder of rods is a real fisherman,
then what is a handliner... an uberfischer?

[finding_time]

What about floating out baits on the bait runner for snapper!! You'll have 4 rods in action all slowly tricking out in the burley trail, those rods are better of in the rod holders i your not going to grab them as quick( a good thing) and 2 if your doing it right your to busy to hold the rods as your keeping the burley up to the fish , your winding in a least on of the rods at any time to start the process again or putting a fish in the box. I reckon that's real fishing!!

Ian

Ps. Trolling aswell( not fishing i guess)

[HeadBanger]

I do both. If the fish are REALLY slow then I'll chuck it in the holder, and maybe put some bells on it or something. However, I'll often chuck it out and put it in the holder when I have to concentrate on other stuff, like collecting firewood or eating lunch.

95% of the time I'll be holding it though. Do I qualify as a fisherman?

Thanks,
Kaidon

[fishn-ads]

Sometimes its hard to hold a beer (just 1 or 2), smoke, rod and drive a boat so I guess it's horses for courses

[charleville]

Not only do I hold the rod but I actively fish with it. I have proven undoubtedly that I miss heaps of opportunities in shallow bay fishing if I just let it sit in a rod holder.

Most of the excitement in fishing for me is in the exercise of the senses in negotiating a relationship with a cautious fish nibbling at a bait. I don't get that unless I am actively fishing with the rod.

However, I also usually have an unweighted pillie floating as far out the back as I can throw the line on an unattended bait-runner. That will regularly pick up tailor or mid depth snapper.



.

[004dam]

I tend to have one just in the rod holder and the other one in my hand. But then sometimes if its a bit dead both will be in the rod holder with a close eye on them looking for obvious bites and then i will play it from there.

i have caught a few good fish on the second rod doing crud all

Been using soft plastics lately so its been swap and starting on both rods!

[finga]

I 'use' the rod.
I have to do something with my hands otherwise I'd be bored stupid and nod off.
Only time I put it in the holder is to have cuppa tea and an Anzac biscuit.

[Flex]

As said previously. All depends what fish your targeting.

EG:After a couple of days fishing cape york for the first time, I worked out you catch more jacks leaving the rod in the holder. You watch it like a hawk on heat but dont touch it till it bends in half:)

If using bait, the little/archer grunter nipple the crap out of the bait for up to minute, then all of a sudden mr jack works up the courage to swim out and smash your bait.
Previously when holding onto the rod we'd prematurely strike on alot of occasions and simply catch small stuff or pull hooks.

[Sea-Dog]

When I take my kids fishing - who's got a chance to manage their own rod.

Dad, can you tie my hook on?

Dad, can you give me some more bait?

Dad, my line's tangled.

Dad, can you take this fish off?

Dad, can I have a drink?

Dad, I'm hungry?

Dad, can I throw some bait to the dolphins?

Dad, I wanna try a lure.

Dad, your rod is getting a bite.

Dad, will I get the gaff?

Dad, I feel sick - can we go home?

Sometimes I'm lucky to get a line in the water at all.

[STUIE63]

When I take my kids fishing - who's got a chance to manage their own rod.

Dad, can you tie my hook on?

Dad, can you give me some more bait?

Dad, my line's tangled.

Dad, can you take this fish off?

Dad, can I have a drink?

Dad, I'm hungry?

Dad, can I throw some bait to the dolphins?

Dad, I wanna try a lure.

Dad, your rod is getting a bite.

Dad, will I get the gaff?

Dad, I feel sick - can we go home?

Sometimes I'm lucky to get a line in the water at all.

I always thought my father wasn't a good fisherman because my brothers and I always caught more fish than him . I soon learned why when I started taking my kids fishing . this summs it up beautifully but I must say it was worthwhile when the kids caught a fish .
Stuie

[TheGurn]

I use one rod and hold it all the time, unless I want a bite.
Then I put it down to have a pee, or grab a beer, or roll a smoke, and the bloody thing gets smashed.

Apart from that, the goose I often go fishing with has that many lines in the water all at once, I have to manouvre my line the whole time to avoid tangling up with his.

He's got that much mono in the water, I reckon he's netting, not fishing.

[Grimnir]

When I take my kids fishing - who's got a chance to manage their own rod.

Dad, can you tie my hook on?

Dad, can you give me some more bait?

Dad, my line's tangled.

Dad, can you take this fish off?

Dad, can I have a drink?

Dad, I'm hungry?

Dad, can I throw some bait to the dolphins?

Dad, I wanna try a lure.

Dad, your rod is getting a bite.

Dad, will I get the gaff?

Dad, I feel sick - can we go home?

Sometimes I'm lucky to get a line in the water at all.


Certainly sums fishing with the kiddies well.. Though I've finally got my girls trained to cast and bait their own hooks, so I get to enjoy the days out as much as them.

[BaitThrower]

Some interesting and good replies :)
Of course there are different ways to catch different fish.. but I think charleville summed it up best with this:

"Most of the excitement in fishing for me is in the exercise of the senses in negotiating a relationship with a cautious fish nibbling at a bait. I don't get that unless I am actively fishing with the rod."

It's the "negotiating the relationship" that to me is REAL fishing, and you cant do that if you have a rod in a holder IMO :)

[4x4frog]

When I take my kids fishing - who's got a chance to manage their own rod.

Dad, can you tie my hook on?

Dad, can you give me some more bait?

Dad, my line's tangled.

Dad, can you take this fish off?

Dad, can I have a drink?

Dad, I'm hungry?

Dad, can I throw some bait to the dolphins?

Dad, I wanna try a lure.

Dad, your rod is getting a bite.

Dad, will I get the gaff?

Dad, I feel sick - can we go home?

Sometimes I'm lucky to get a line in the water at all.
Certainly is the norm for dad's and their kids when out fishing.
I can't complain because I enjoyed taking them and passing on the knowledge, even if at times, you'd lose it because they'd just wind it in because they thought they felt a tug.
Yep, makes dad a rod watcher, rather listener{thank goodness for the Alvey ratchet}. Even now, when I take my daughter{sons too involved with comps and girls ATM}, which is rare I've got to bait and if she catches a fish, take it off for her.
For me, soft plastics are the best ever invention, no more need to constantly re-bait the hook.
I am guilty of using a rod holder on occasions but it's mainly when I used a mixture of baits. I'd hold the rod with soft baits and let the one with tougher flesh or squid maybe soak, especially in Lake Cootharaba when catching catties for crab pot bait.

[Fishbait]

I always catch a heap of bream just watching my big rods. They catch the fish for me - i just wind them in then! If I'm off-shore, then the rod is always in my hand. I hope my bream fishing technique qualifies me as a fisherman.

[PinHead]

Some interesting and good replies :)
Of course there are different ways to catch different fish.. but I think charleville summed it up best with this:

"Most of the excitement in fishing for me is in the exercise of the senses in negotiating a relationship with a cautious fish nibbling at a bait. I don't get that unless I am actively fishing with the rod."

It's the "negotiating the relationship" that to me is REAL fishing, and you cant do that if you have a rod in a holder IMO :)

I just want to catch kill and the eat the things..not interested in any relationship..sounds a bit too kinky for me.

[Jurkyjj]

Depends on the type of fishing that I am doing.
If I am fishing the reefs.....I will float line a baitrunner.....so this will naturally go in the holder as I fish with the overhead in my hands.

If plastic fishing.....always in my hand.

Jason.

[Damned67]

I do both. It really depends on what I'm 'targeting', whether I'm using plastics or bait (often I'm using both), and more importantly, what mood I'm in.
If the bite is on, I'm all hands, but sometimes when it's quiet, I just like to sit and chill and enjoy the surroundings.
So, I guess by your definition, I'm a fisherman when I'm actively fishing and a rod watcher when I'm 'boating' with rods in the water.

Cheers!

[NAGG]

:thumbsup:Here is to the anglers - those that cast lures , flys & plastics and attempt to trick a fish into taking their artificial offering 8-) now that is fishing;)

chris

[mouse71]

you pretty much have to be hanging onto the rods up here, because if you don't you are going to get smoked into the mangroves, snags or coral

I suppose that's why it's called FISHING ;D ;)

[charleville]

not interested in any relationship..sounds a bit too kinky for me.



Hmmm! Perhaps you are misunderstanding what we are talking about when we use words like "squire" and "snapper" and "sweetlips".


Heheheh!


;D ;D ;D



.

[Damned67]

Hmmm! Perhaps you misunderstanding what we are talking about when we use words like "squire" and "snapper" and "sweetlips".


When I was living in the US, there was a restaurant called 'The Red Snapper'.... I smiled every time I drove past it....
;D

[mitch92]

I seem to watch them whether in holders or my hands, not much seems to like my line!

Seriously though, Usually throw a livie out the back and stick big rod in the holder, then hold my rod that does most bottom work and actually fish of this one. As soon as i see the livie rod start getting a bit of movement, juggle the two to see which i need to hang on to!

[ejackulate]

Not much choice up here guys if you are not holding rod while using liveys you get smoked 9 times out of 10 and just end up rerigging all day .Most times i am using a lure anyway and enjoy working the lures in different retreives/speeds to try and fool that magic metre salty into belting my lure.

[wayno60]

did you hear about the girl that went fishing with six guys? she came home with a red snapper!:)

[Iceman R]

When I'm out fishing I always have my rod in my hands... fishing one that is ..lol and am always trying different baits and rigs and plastics esp when things are a bit slow... but my bro in law who comes fishing with me throws her out chucks it in the holder kicks back,reads the paper and has a smoke and next min his rod starts going... un freakenbelievable!! geez that pi**es me off ...lol

[charleville]

my bro in law who comes fishing with me throws her out chucks it in the holder kicks back,reads the paper and has a smoke and next min his rod starts going... un freakenbelievable!! geez that pi**es me off ...lol



That would not be hard to do at the moment with all of the tailor around.


I don't regard that as being as much fun as building a hand-held relationship with a coy fish though. :)



.

[Pridey]

Im a big fan of floating out live baits. For that reason Im usually not playing with the rod, I also dont like striking to hard straight away when Im floating lives, so the rod is close, but Im not touching it.

When Trolling, I really try to work the lure.

when using ANYTHING artificial, Im working it.

when using dead baits, I tend to jig it occasionally to attract fish.

[BigE]

it all depends if im fishing alone or not. if i'm fishin with the missus it's rod in the holder, if I'm solo then I guess It's both hands wrapped around my favorite rod!!!

BigE

[Nicko_Cairns]

Just a point but Lee Brake has some good videos on Youtube (see Reefari channel) where he seems to be doing both, actively fishing one rod and the other in the holder, so I guess a little of both might be the best answer...


To me, fishing is grabbing a rod, adding tackle, baiting a hook, dropping or casting it, then HOLDING onto the rod and feeling for any nibbles, and then trying to strike at the right time... rarely does the rod go into a holder (except when its lunch time)

I see heaps of blokes on boats who cast a rod and then whack it in a holder and sit back and wait for the fish to bite... Needless to say, when I am anchored up near them, I pull in 10x as many fish as they do, and some have not even caught a thing for hours while I pull in the fish (even though most are undersize I usually get a feed and certainly more than the "rod watchers" do).

So the question is... are you a "REAL" fisherperson, or just a rod watcher? ::)

[aus2045]

I mainly fish at night as I work 10 hrs a day 6 days a week. So I normally fish 2 weeknights, and 1 day on the weekend. (Weather permitting).
Lately when I get on the water I use 3 rods.
One is a dead bait like prawn or mullet strip.
The other is a live bait like a prawn, herring, whatever I can get in the cast net.
While they are sitting out the back in whatever burly trail I can conger, I usually cast soft plastics, gulps, squidgy etc. in all directions. I’ve never caught a fish on a SP at night, but I keep on trying.

[netmaker]

I think I am becoming a better fisherman. of late the rod in my hand has been out-performing the deadstick. definitely more exciting having the fish smash the plastic when the rod is in hand and easier than trying to get the rod out of the holder when it's doubled over.

[Scalem]

Doing a drift past anchored boats using plastics usually attracts my share of rod watchers...who wonder why my rods have a bend in them and theirs don't!:P;D

[Mossy247]

I think I am becoming a better fisherman. of late the rod in my hand has been out-performing the deadstick. definitely more exciting having the fish smash the plastic when the rod is in hand and easier than trying to get the rod out of the holder when it's doubled over.

Oh Davo I think I am regressing myself... Had more to the deadsticks of late. Couple months and I'll come good again. I have always been that kid that winds it in any chance he gets so I naturally was attracted to plastics and lure fishing. I think what ever floats your boat I say, fishing for me is more of an escape from the hussle of reality. I run 2 sticks and have a flick stick and a dead stick, not everyone is always happy standing on a boat for hours on end throwing plastics it amazes me the amount of people I have taken out fishing who seem to think I sit on my backside catching snapper all day. I wish it was that easy but I get bored quickly and love the thrill of chasing those fish around. You could say I have a short attention span when it is not fishing related... Ohhh something shiny!

[Tovo64]

I would have definitely said hold the rod as I agree very much that I feel more connected when I am feeling for a bite. Having said that, the best video I have seen on this site what from John on the Gold Coast fishing for snapper (my preferred target) with soft plastics on the drift. I always thought soft plastics absolutely had to be worked, but he was drifting with 2 rods and they were taking the plastics and running (from memory he was using baitrunners) Doing it beautifully. I guess when they are on the bite they will take the SPs on the drift. In Port Phillip Bay guys have 8 or more rods out with baits and circle hooks and just sit back and wait for hook-ups. Whatever floats your boat I say but I do tend to prefer using suicide hooks, holding the rod and striking. Feels more like fishing for me.

[Knotpretty]

Circle hooks sit back and have a cup of tea and watch the fish catch themselves. Now I need someway for the fish to wind themselves up the the surface and jump into my icebox and my day out fishing would be perfect. KP

[Still_Dreamin]

I fish with two rods. One actively and one deadstick. Usually come time with a feed.

[flatzie]

All I can say is that the writer of this post obviously doesnt have much experience. As heaps have mentioned here, the vast range of fish in QLD waters require alot of different techniques, and to simply box everything into one style??
I fish for snapper in the bay , Yes I said I FISH...and always place my rods in the holder. Little bream and pickers play with the bait, and if you are holding the rod, you are forever striking etc. But when a snap arrives, you dont have any doubt...the rod bends over, the reel screams and your'e into it!
With summer whiting, I never hold the rod, just watch that rod tip......and when it slowly bends over, wham!
Live bait fishing, different again, you want that big fish to run, take line, swallow it etc.
A lot of blokes I take out with me cant leave the rod alone, casting, striking, at everything! Just put the rod in the holder and wait, be a good fisherman, understand your tackle will do the job you paid the bucks for.
Fishing is getting on the water, collecting bait, enjoying the sunrise or sunset, working your boat and electronics, how you actually hook the fish is a small part. Do it your way, but however you do it, you are a fisherman! Enjoy it! )))))))
Cheers
Flatzie

[Shawn 66]

All I can say is that the writer of this post obviously doesnt have much experience. As heaps have mentioned here, the vast range of fish in QLD waters require alot of different techniques, and to simply box everything into one style??
I fish for snapper in the bay , Yes I said I FISH...and always place my rods in the holder. Little bream and pickers play with the bait, and if you are holding the rod, you are forever striking etc. But when a snap arrives, you dont have any doubt...the rod bends over, the reel screams and your'e into it!
With summer whiting, I never hold the rod, just watch that rod tip......and when it slowly bends over, wham!
Live bait fishing, different again, you want that big fish to run, take line, swallow it etc.
A lot of blokes I take out with me cant leave the rod alone, casting, striking, at everything! Just put the rod in the holder and wait, be a good fisherman, understand your tackle will do the job you paid the bucks for.
Fishing is getting on the water, collecting bait, enjoying the sunrise or sunset, working your boat and electronics, how you actually hook the fish is a small part. Do it your way, but however you do it, you are a fisherman! Enjoy it! )))))))
Cheers
Flatzie
Nothing more to be said .
Shawn

[Justin Rossiter]

I use circle hooks and leave 1 rod in the holder for the fish to set itself, at the same time might have a squid jig out just off the bottom using the swell for the action and another rod with a soft plastic that I will "prospect" with. Watching the sounder all the time while drifting for reef or drop offs or any bit of structure that might hold fish.