I'd like to win once in a while

[New_fisher]

Rightio, I have been spending a fair bit of time trying to fish not having much luck :( - I love the game, but I would love to win once in a while...
I am the first to admit that my knowledge of the sport is limited, very limited, something that I am trying to change... Is there a course or a video that I can invest in? :-/ Or does it just take a long time. Any ideas fellas, cheers Hurlz

[gunna]

Where are you fishing ?? What bait ?? What gear ?? Bit more info & some of the gurus might be able to help.

[New_fisher]

Fishing in the broadwater, the brisbane river and the brunswick river, I normally use prawns for bait, the guy at the tackle shop sold me some wire traces to use, but I don't know if they are any good. I don't care what type of fish I catch, I just want to catch lots, I don't eat fish, so I will throw them all back anyway, anybody got any good combos or spots to use or type of fish that I should be after? Cheers Hurlz

[ancienttinnie]

Hurlz, throw away the wire, there is very little in the Broadwater that needs it. Try using a basic running rig on 4kg mainline small no. 10 swivel and about a 4 longshank hook. Use only enough lead to hold down your bait. An 0 - 2 ball is good. Make your trace about 0.75 - 1 metre long and I prefer a longer soft Rod, I use a custom 5126 Snyber blank and it does most of my estuary fishing.
Prawns are good , white bait is good, live worms and yabbies are better. also try fishing the dropoffs on a falling tide. Currumbin creek is a good place to try for a fish, Talllebudgera Ck is also good particularly around the mouth of the canals. That rig and bait is used by the locals on those creeks with great success. LOL 8-)

[Fishinmishin]

Don't give another cent to the shop that sold you wire. They are taking you for a ride >:(.

[Jeremy]

Hurlz,

join a local club or go on an estuary charter in the area you want to fish. Brad Smith is great for the Broadwater and 'Pin, and Ross McCubbin is also very good for the 'Pin area.

If the club you join is any good, they should be able to take you along on a trip and show you what to do and where.

Best advice is to concentrate on fishing one particular area you know holds fish (other peoples reports etc) and keep working it until you build up some local knowledge of which species bite on which tides and some good spots to work on different tides. Fish light and use fresh bait.

Jeremy

[gunna]

Hurlz - are you land based or from a boat. You should at least try to rustle up yabbies rather than prawns. Both the Brunswick and Boadwater have plenty of areas for them.

[bungie]

Octobers, Fishing Queensland has a 1hr DVD on the front that gives you the basics. Try your newsagent

[masterdusky]

get rid of the prawns,throw away the wire traces... buy a yabbie pump,a cast net....set urself up with some light tackle and away u go......

PM me if u like.....;)

[Duyz72]

I grew up on the Gold Coast and been fishing all my life and I am still learning and I can tell you straight up. Chat to your local bait and tackle store, go to Southport/Labrador area, there are quite a few stores close together. Go to each and have a chat to the staff and customers, you will no doubt get most info about fishing from a boat though.

If you just want to catch fish, bream flatty whiting etc (with a chance of a jack, shark or other), then go find a vacant block of land or a park in an established canal estate. Around surfers, main beach or Monaco street. Another place is the bond Uni tidal lake rock wall for bream on the change of tide.

Another important thing is to not worry about casting out too far, most of the fish you worry about are within a few metres of the edge where the bottom meets land (see all those lure flickers hitting nice and close to the shore?).

Don't use too much lead, and lighten up on your line so you can let the bait move with the tide.

Go out early or late, forget about the middle of the day (yes you will catch fish then but why bother with the sunburn?) and don't go out for hours and hours, just focus your attention to the hour before the high tide and the hour on the run out (unless you are cathing heaps then keep at it ;) ) although some areas will fish better on the low.

Go for a drive on your way home from work each day, look at a different place each day, see what it has to offer in the way of access, structure and water flow. Put a little caster in the car and a few lures and spend 30mins there, you'll be surprised!

Don't sit in one spot if you want to catch fish, move your bait, move yourself for most success. You will catch fish with a heavy lead, and bait in one spot, but you will have to wait for the fish to come to you. More success is you going to the fish (which is why a boat is so productive)

Anyway that's a start, good luck, your gear and method will change with surf, rocks or seaway, lures or bait and more.

[New_fisher]

Guys, thanks very much for all your help, I will take it all on board, I will have to give all your tips a try. Many thanks, if anyone else has some good advise on how to catch the little slippery critters, please let me know, I appreciate all your tips, Cheers boys,
Hurlz