Mid-west Bait
Hello,
I was wondering what people use for fresh bait in Mid-west WA. I moved across from QLD and am used to pumping for yabbies, hand-netting for prawns, catching beach worms and using pippies. However it would appear that most if not all of these options are not possible (especially with hand-net restrictions). I have heard that yabbies and worms etc aren't present as the water is not as rich with nutrients. The absence of high quality esteries doesn't help the situation. Squid is an option but as I wrote on another post this seems to be quite unreliable going into summer
I live in Geraldton and I am land-based and am targeting Whiting ranging up to Mullaway. I guess my question is what fresh bait are people getting? I am tight and would prefer not to have to buy bait also because I've never had to before and ultra fresh is best! Thanks
Sam
Rig
Posts: 2925
Date Joined: 27/12/06
squid
you should be able to get squid around the dongara rockwalls and port gregory jetty and more than likely around geraldton marinas. small whiting are prolific all along your stretch also and make decent bait
whitesr
Posts: 21
Date Joined: 09/10/12
Thanks
Thanks for the reply. Yes I have been getting squid during winter, but they seem to be hard to catch now. I heard that they are really unreliable in summer. Is this your experience?
Wazza79
Posts: 315
Date Joined: 23/05/11
Gero Advice
Hey Sam, your best bet for local info would be to go and see Lloyd at Tackleworld (if you haven't already).
He'll point you in the right direction.
As for chasing whiting, something I have done before is catch a few Herring (small chrome twisty or SP work a treat) , dice a fillet up, mix in a bit of burley on use that on a whiting rig. Herring fillets are great bait for lots of other things too.
The Hezzas should be starting to fire up now too.
Good luck mate!
whitesr
Posts: 21
Date Joined: 09/10/12
Thanks
Hi Wazza. Thanks for the reply. Thanks for the tip. I haven't been into Tackleworld yet.
What type of lure is a twisty or SP (inexperience showing)? Are herring targeted in similar areas to whiting and on a similar rig? I think I may have caught one a while back at Pt Moore (Geraldton) adjoining reef. Thanks again.
Sam
Wazza79
Posts: 315
Date Joined: 23/05/11
No worries
Twistys are little chrome or gold metal lures. Great for casting with a quick retrieve. Range from 5grams to about 70 I think. SP's (soft plastics) also are a good option for flicking around. Def go see Lloyd. He'll steer you in the right direction. Squid will be few and far between now it's getting warmer. You will get herring on a whiting rig, though are surface feeders so a small bait under a float will work a treat. Point Moore, Separation Point and north up to Drummonds are all likely spots for whiting, herring, tailor, so def get amongst it. Tailor will really start to fire up now too, so go see Lloyd at Tackleworld, get yourself a few stickbaits, and you'll never look back!
All the best mate!
Nauti Buoy
Posts: 595
Date Joined: 20/04/09
squid
Rig, No squid at Gregory these days. I was there early this week- when the tide is low you could drive around the jetty(bloody shame)
whitesr
Posts: 21
Date Joined: 09/10/12
Hi
Hi, have you done much fishing around Geraldton itself?
whitesr
Posts: 21
Date Joined: 09/10/12
???
Has anyone had much luck finding many beach worms in the mid-west area? Do yabbies or similar exist in the west? I find this concept odd, coming from the east.
Sam
esmacd
Posts: 5
Date Joined: 15/03/12
Gday Whitesr, I came to WA
Gday Whitesr, I came to WA in 87 with the Army from Townsville & Brissy mostly and here I am all these years later, still here (Bloody women).
I experienced the same problems ie bait as we could even buy beach worms at the road house or Yabbies @ Jumpin pin tackleshop if caught short ...but yes we caught our own mostly too.
Its not what isnt here but what you need to do now you are here. I bought a book I think before I was posted over I from memory think it was Fishing WA by Roenfeld or one of those old Guru's but plenty of WA based fishing books or go and befriend the local Tackle shop and haunt it. Doug Clegg became a friend of mine after I got to annoying and he taught me heaps.
I used to sit down on the North Mole and watch what everyone was using for tackle and bait learnt the species as they are familar but different.
Seeing people catch Gar & Mullet on hooks blew me away, only ever saw them in plastic bags in bait fridges before that.
Mate if you cant catch Squid then go after the WA Herrings, they are fiesty on light gear and amazing baits, I use them for absoloutly everything and like little tailor fillets. prefect baits as are skippy fillets, oily and everything eats them, the herring butterflied or live are terrific livies for Mullaway.
Mate go watch the locals, they will show you the way and thats the best bit for me, all the places Ive been sent in the Army learning from the locals...love it and never stop learning.
Do some googling on fishing in WA just on Google too, heaps of info as well.
Good luck mate hope you get heaps and Go Maroons!!