Fishing Gentleman's Hours

Hey all,

I posted this on another forum but though some may find it helpful here too:

I have caught some of my better fish through gentleman's hours and whilst there is certainly an advantage in being out early, there are also many other factors:

1. Tides and wind - keep an eye on wind direction and tide times> I find wind with tide is always better and the first 2 hours of the tide to be the best time. Slack water can be a little slow but also a good time to change your technique and put out a live bait for a Jew or use a plastic.
2. Solunar Peaks - When I started paying attention to these I reckon I caught more fish, especially when combined with point 1. 2 weeks ago I landed 4 Snapper in 30 minutes at 10 ish in the morning based off an opposing lunar transit (one of the key bite indicators). Some say mumbo gumbo but I think there is something to it.
3. Fish light - keep line weight and lead to an absolute minimum. I don't fish anything above a couple of small split shots most of the time. A bait with heavy weight just gets eaten by pickers. A bait slowly wafting down the water column is much more attractive.
4. Bait presentation - This is as important as point 4. Make sure your baits are resented well. Use smaller hooks (max I typically use is a 3/0), use circle hooks or smaller gangs, hide your hooks well and pay attention to how you put them on. Typically I will use whole smallish pillies or strips of squid. With pillies thread the hook through and have the hook embedded well in the fish for squid strips just pin them nut make sure you have some good length so there is some action in the water.
5. Burley, burley, burley - I sat at a normal spot I fish last week and bagged out on Snapper and 4 Mackeral. On examing the stomach of the fish they all had my burley in there. It is a powerful attractant and can pull in small fish like gar that hang around the bag or as it floats down the trail bigger fish. The method I use is not complicated - a green mesh scaling bag tied to the side of the boat and filled with fish scraps or frames and to start with around a kilo of frozen pilchards. Give it a shake every couple of minutes (I do it every time I cast out a rod) and if it is not releasing enough I give it a bash with the priest to break it up. This will easily last me 4-6 hours and is a very simple and inexpensive way of doing it - but always gets results. I have had boast parked in the same vicinity who have no burley out and they are donuting whilst I am getting a feed.
6. Position - Actively find ledges, drop-offs, structure, holes, rubble - some sort of structure to fish. Also take into account the tides. As an example, predatory fish will cruise the ledges and drop-offs on an outgoing tide as bait fish move off the shallows and on an incoming tide will move onto the flats. I have seen longtails chasing whiting around the banks near rouse in 4m of water and caught Mackeral floating or trolling the drop-offs on an outgoing tide. I had a great midday session anchored in 4m of water floating baits over a drop-off to 12m so get creative with your thinking - just don't park at Harries and hope for the best :-)

So enjoy your sleep ins and late starts - not saying you will bag out all the time but this is certainly worked for me and may help you too.

I kind of think most of the things you mentioned are pretty well what most successsful people do, fish light, present bait properly, fish ledges and structures and so on are just what we do, everything except (for me) the Solunar charts/tables, don't hold a lot of faith in those, but, plenty do. I don't think getting out early helps if you still fish with a packet of frozen prawns and a kilo of lead on 50 pound line.

Just on dusk, turn of the tide and a full moon. along with a slimey live bait = Mulloway
What I've found, is different species, sometimes play to different rules.
This was 2 nights ago, was pretty late when we came in, so excuse the poor photo quality.
Was well over the meter mark.....
Col
Attachment 118937

Nowadays Gentlemens hours are after i get a good night sleep or whenever i get out of the cot lol..