Herring madness Mindarie + fishing Esperance tanker jetty

Please can someone help me with my lack of ability, I 've been numerous times to Mindarie to try and catch some herring. There have generally been some guys around everytime who are always reeling them in pretty much every cast so they are definitely around. I've asked them about their set up and tried to copy, but basically I'm clearly a crap fisherman, failing each time!

 I know berley is crucial, using a 10ft rod, casting etc pretty decent, rig is a wire berley cage, attached to a swivel, about 70-100cm 9lb leader and a fairly small hook. Bait tried small pieces of prawns and also green tubing with a few Berkley Gulp maggots. Cast, let it sink for a few seconds, then reel it in slowly with the occasion jerk... What am I doing wrong its driving me insane! Berley, using ready made stuff from fishing shops.

 Secondly heading down to Esperance for easter and staying near the tanker jetty, any tips on fishing there?

 

Thanks!


Posts: 73

Date Joined: 06/11/08

herring

Sun, 2010-03-21 21:35

i normally use a berly cage but i attach bait chasher hooks i use 3 off them and i put little pieces of mulie and if the herring are there u will catch them easy, herring love burley you can get baitchaser at most tackle shops they are great for most small fish

JoeH's picture

Posts: 85

Date Joined: 08/09/05

Tubing

Mon, 2010-03-22 07:03

Mate the best setup I've ever used for herring is a float (smallest you can use to cast far enough) sliding down onto a swivel, about 6 foot lightish leader (9lb OK). Slide a 6cm length of CLEAR tubing up the leader, then tie on 2 hooks ganged backwards (so they'll get hooked well from either side).
Can use fairly small hooks , I don't relly know the hook numbers, just grab a couple of Limericks about 3cm long.
Chuck out small handfuls of berley every 5 mins or so.
Used to kill a pig as a kid with this setup off the North Mole, best I did was 198 herring in 1.5 hrs, got myself in the Daily News, as a reporter/photographer was there.....spun him out watching!!!

Good Luck!

Cheers,

Joe

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The smaller the icebox you take, the bigger the fish will be.

Tandawg's picture

Posts: 106

Date Joined: 13/02/07

Mindarie Herring

Mon, 2010-03-22 07:42

SMP, sounds like you`re doing everything correct.

Baitchasers are good but the humble prawn on a size 6 suicide hook is a winner.

I personally use pollard (available from fishing shops now) and a generous serve of fish oil + water to create a slick.

Easterly wind is the best as it takes your slick out to sea.

After Easter there should be plenty around. I was fishing with my family at Quinns Reef on Sunday morning and the herring were boiling/popping everywhere.

Chris

JoRn's picture

Posts: 368

Date Joined: 20/11/07

maybe your burley cage is

Mon, 2010-03-22 09:27

maybe your burley cage is too heavy and is sinking...

try winding in faster...or using a plastic cage with weights inside pending on current!

Posts: 32

Date Joined: 09/12/09

Hi smp. I use this rig. Have

Mon, 2010-03-22 12:57

Hi smp. I use this rig. Have never changed it because I haven't needed to.

Pollard and fish oil. burley up the water. And burley up your blob.

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here for a good time not a long time

Posts: 10

Date Joined: 01/11/09

Thanks everyone, I think it

Wed, 2010-03-24 19:13

Thanks everyone, I think it might be that my burley cage was too big/heavy so not high enough in the water, shall heed the various excellent tips and try again this weekend! Bonza!

woody's picture

Posts: 617

Date Joined: 27/02/08

I'm from

Mon, 2010-03-22 20:23

I'm from Esperance.......good Easter holiday choice by the way........

All of the above advice on catching herring is top notch and will all work at the Tanker jetty.....take some squid jigs too cos there is plenty of squid around.....keep any eye out for the big bronze whalers ...especially around the cleaning tables

 

Good luck