MOST SUCESSFUL RIGS FOR CREEKS/ESTUARY FISHING

[Bosunsmate]

What is every ones most sucessful rigs for creek and estuary fishing?

I am a bit of a hapless fisher who goes out heaps but rarely catches anything even when others are bagging out around me.


I use a variety of live mullet, herring and fresh bought green endeavour prawns fishing from either my boat or the shore/jetty. Am always looking to learn better ways of doing things and better methods of baiting up.

All suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

[Richard]

Well I find the good old running sinker rig with a trace works well in most situations for the creeks.

I usually chase barra, jacks, trevally, queenies, etc so my rig usually consists of :
- 30lb braid main line (but you could probably drop this down a bit or use mono),
- a sinker big enough to hold the bait on the bottom,
- a suitable size swivel (smaller the better but make sure you match the line class)
- and then about a metre of 60lb mono leader
- ending in a 4/0 or 5/0 short shanked hook (i use a mustad 9175D pattern because I livebait quite a bit and find this hook pattern doesn't turn in on the bait much and i get good hookup rates with most species)

For bait, I believe in the fresher the better, live if possible. I very rarely buy bait and that's where a cast net comes in handy. I find just about everything can't resist a well presented herring and the jacks and barra love a live mullet. Fresh/live prawns are also a good option if they are about. I just find live bait fishing much more exciting becasue when you do get something taking a bait, it's usually a better fish to start with. You don't get the pickers which can make for a bit of a boring stint if there are no fish around.

I use this sort of rig in most situations, just modified to suit what you are chasing. If it were whiting, it would be a lighter main line - 6lb trace and a no. 2 long shank hook with a live yabbie on the end of it. the only place I usually use something different is if there is a lot of snags (rocks and reef) in the area or if you want to put out a floating bait under a balloon for some mackerel.

Anyway, that's just my experiences. And don't worry mate, there's plenty of times when i don't come back with anything either. those days you just think, it's better than sitting in the office at work or on the couch watching telly. I don't think there'd be many people here who would catch something every time they go out.


richard

[Gutsy]

I usually pump yabbies around the Pin area and use a running sinker rig with 12pd leader. I then usually flick a plastic around trying to get a flathead or bream.

Chers.
Marcel.

[Bosunsmate]

Just wondering where you are Richard...Townsville here....

[stunnedmullet]

Hi Bosunmate
Definitely agree with Richard on the fresh is best philosophy when it comes to bait. I can feel your pain when it comes to fishless trips, however I have over recent years kept a fishing diary. This has helped me put together a pattern of fish activity for future reference. If I could mention four things I have found successful when estuary fishing, they would be.
1. Fish tides on the make(leading up to either full or new moon)
2. Use fresh bait whenever possible(cast net, cast net, cast net)
3. Fish as light as the surrounds allow you. You can catch very decent fish on 4-6kg in estuarys
4. Look for structures(drop offs, snags, rocks, rock bars, drains flathead lies, yabbie beds etc)
When it comes to rigs I have found a number of rigs successful.
6-8kg main line, swivel, 30lb mono to 3/0 gamakatsu shiner(light gauge hooks will help keep your bait alive longer)
Dropper rig, with 2 oz sinker on the bottom out to a 3/0 to 4/0 shiner(effective around snags)
Straight running sinker to long shank hook.
I only ever use chemically sharpened hooks now.
Don't despair though if you are fishless as I have fished Townsville for a number of years and just when I think everything is perfect, I end up with baked beans on toast for dinner.
Persist, persist, persist Bosunmate. ;D

[devocean]

Depends what you are fishing for. Go as light as possible with lead and stronger line as the width of the creek fgets smaller. Always use burley and the freshest bait as possible. Normal sinker swivel tracwe hook works the best.

[Richard]

I'm in Mackay mate, but I did live in townsville for a couple of years. I caught most of my fish in townsville at Aplins weir just after the summer floods, usually on lures. Nothing huge but good fun nonetheless.

Richard

ps. we are all still learning - to quote someone else here, that is why it's called fishing - not just catching