Whiting rigs

[the nibbler]

need some help with rigs for whiting, have seen different rigs being suggested, from running sinker to paternoster, so i thought i would ask for your preferred rigs specificaaly for these fish. i am based on the NSW Central cost and fish from boats and shore.

[scrubba01]

Bait jigs size 6, the fish skin type and put a small piece of squid on each hook. you tend to catch a couple at a time using this method, especially for winter whiting.

[oldboot]

It real depends on what you prefeer and how finiky the fish are.

I understand that the patenosta is more popular in the south.

I personaly prefeer a small sinker, followed by a swivel followed by 250mm to 500mm of light ( 3kg ish) line and a long shank hook. although I have gone to worm circles of late.
I find this rig works well for a variety of fish and baits.

I tend to fish smaller hooks #4 ish ... my relatives up north fish very much bigger hooks #2 and bigger.

If the bottom us a bit rough or weedy the patenosta has its advantages.

cheers

[Noelm]

most Whiting rigs are a very simple afair, a lot will depend on how much current there is, but if you are Fishing (say) up on the flats with little or no current, then a long shank hook (maybe a bit of red tube as well) and a tiny ball sinker running to the hook, or a swivel about 30CM above the hook if you don't like a full running sinker (I do) on the Beach, some like a Paternoster, but I prefer a simple rig as mentioned, but use the swivel and a bean or spoon sinker to suit the conditions, you can use two hooks by tieing an extra one to the swivel as well if you like, Whiting Fishing is more to do with bait and presentation than the rig, only live or very fresh Beach worms for the Beach, and squirt Worms for Rivers and so on. Pink Nippers can be good for big Whiting also, you also need to know how a whiting feeds, way up on the shallow flats at high tide, be quiet and do not be put off by how shallow the water is, then as the tide drops, they will fall back to holes and channels, a good system is to pump Nippers at a high tide and fish right at your feet almost, they will come snooping around all the time, sniffing up what all the fuss and Nippers is all about, just keep your eyes open.

[Noelm]

I just though of something we used to do at Narooma on the NSW South Coast, there is a spot we fish at high tide, but it is about a 500 metres walk through knee/thigh deep water, one day while we were wading to the secret spot, I happen to notice Whiting of all sizes zipping about in the sand/mud we created and disturbed as we "shuffled" along, on the next rip, I got a fresh live Nipper and hooked it up and trolled behind as we walked, we had not gone 5 metres when I had my first fish, from the on "trolling" for Whiting was our preferred method to catch a feed, the more of us trolling, the more fish we got,pretty funny huh?

[Kleyny]

i use a simple running sinker as light as i can go.
around 750mm of 6 pound trace.
the size of the bait used depends on the size of the hook #4 should be a good starter size.

neil

[Noelm]

yep honky, that's the way, as simple as you can make it, bait presentation and Fishing Location for the Tide/area is the key to Whiting success

[Kleyny]

Oh and dont forget the red tubing or red beads. it seems to work for me.

neil

[tunaticer]

I have found my hookup rate has nearly doubled by switching to #4 Tru-turn hooks in light guage.

That being said though I am interested in trying circle hooks for whiting. What make and model are the smallest circle hooks you guys have come accross?

Jack.

[rockfisho]

I have never really fished for whiting from a boat, but off the beach i use a 50 cm trace or so, sometimes longer depending on conditions. the smallest possibly ball sinker you can get away with. I allow this to run on the line. and long shank hooks. It works well for me

Owen

[the nibbler]

when you guys use a running sinker do you run it up to the hook or do yo use a swivel and then some leader onto the hook

[Kleyny]

I have leader/trace so the bait can float freely to give it the natural look. As this is what you are tring to achieve. I only use the sinker on the hook rig when I'm fishing snaggy areas.

neil

[ern]

I do a fair bit of whiting fishing. What works best for me is 8lb braid with about 2m of 6lb Fluro leader attached with an improved Albright knot. I use a running 0 size sinker on the leader and a no 1 Mustad 34007 hook. This rig can be used with either beach worms, squirt worms, prawns or yabbys (nippers). I'm still looking for that 1kg whiting though.