Practice makes perfect
Hi All !
I just joined today and need some advice about fishing in WA from the experts.
I moved to Perth 5 years ago from UK and haven't sea fished before but I used to love freshwater fishing but hated not being able to eat what I caught, all the good trout waters were expensive and private clubs etc etc.
Anyway, I have not seen my old man for 5 years and suprise suprise he is suddenly turning up in March for 6 weeks and wants to fish, fish, fish. Great! only I haven't got a clue about sea fishing and neither has he.
So I go to Getaway outdoors, buy a 6' combo and hope to get some practice in before he arrives. I head to Hillarys at sunset and try for a Herring off the wall with all the other hopefulls, no luck, try the next evening, no luck. So I buy some plastics and watch a you tube video on how to use them, great I can't fail, I do, I tried Fremantle near a bridge for a few hours, no bites, drove to Guildford and tried the river, waste of time.
Next day I go to North Mole? at Fremantle harbour, I see and get mauled by a plague of blow fish that gang rape my poor plastic. The only thing I caught were two lost tourists that got off the Rottnest ferry at the wrong place, so I drove them back to their hotel in the city and they in turn listened to my sob story and in turn gave me some great advice ' watch the others for a while first'.
So, today I spend all morning watching, I go to Trigg early (well 7 am) yes some older guys are walking towards me and they have caught 'something' and there are people out in the danger zone, either cathing or being caught, either way they are not letting go of their rods. I casually ask one of the old guys what he caught "plenty" was the reply and he walked off.
So I head to Hillarys again, walk the entire length of the wall, did not see anybody catch anything, but I see lots of happy people in boats coming in and out.
I drive to Fremantle again, avoid any tourists, and do my Sherlock Holmes amongst the rocks and large amounts of disgraceful garbage that depresses the hell out of me. I am starting to panick, if Dad doesn't catch anything other than a broken beer bottle in the foot he will never come to visit me again!
Luckily, I have a plan B, I arrange a private boat charter in Exmouth for April.. cost $1200, ouch. oouch. don't tell the wife. But that is just one day, the rest will be shore based fishing with the other two rods I bought.
Yes, I bought two 8ft ugly sticks, but hesitated on the reel as the guy was insisting I need a size 8000 reel, but it looked enormous so I fained a sudden appointment and just took the rods.
I looked in a book and decided I want to catch a Queenfish and a Snapper or just a Herring will do at the moment to be honest. Do I still need an 8000 reel for this? When I get back to Perth will an 8000 reel ever get used again?
I saw a beautiful Shimano Stradic 4000 in pearl white that looked perfect to me, but 'no!' said the man.
So to clarify, I need to practice in Perth, when dad arrives in March we will fish in Perth for three weeks and then head to Kalbarri, Shark bay, Exmouth for three weeks. I can only afford the one charter unless I get a mortgage. My questions are:
1. Where and how do I fish in Perth, what time, what bait and what the hell?
2. What size Stradic reel will suit my 8' Ugly stick 6 - 8.5 kg, that will catch a Queenfish in Exmouth and also be useful in Perth waters.
3. Should I give up and take up Wild flower hunting in the desert?
Thanks for reading, any advice funny or serious would be appreciated.
If you ever meet my wife the charter only cost $200 ok!
Richard Birks
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lurcha
Posts: 455
Date Joined: 29/12/09
Peak sport fishing in exmouth
Peak sport fishing in exmouth is ya best bet. Very good charter and top bloke.
An 8000 is good for beach fishing and rock walls for your larger fish, probably a bit big for herring etc.
Busted Arse
Posts: 253
Date Joined: 02/07/10
A 4000 size stradic with
A 4000 size stradic with 20lb braid will stop a queenie easy. 8000 seems a bit overboard imo.You should get 2 spools i think with stradics so with the spare spool you can wind on some lighter stuff maybe 10lb or lower if you wanna chase smaller stuff.
If you are after herring in perth its pretty important to use burley and maybe a burley blob or cage depending on the conditions. The best bait is maggots which you can buy from bluewater tackle. I prefer to use whitebait as it gives you a chance with chopper tailor, flathead,skippy or stray salmon as well. Ocean reef and mindaries imho is better the hillary's.
Lamby
Posts: 3145
Date Joined: 04/08/09
Mate that is a cracker of a
Mate that is a cracker of a write up & welcome to FW (you filled out your profile - bonus points)
8000 is a great sized reel for the bigger beach set up & a 4000 will sort the rest (sweet little reels the new stradics)
When I was in Perth I lived down the road from Trigg Point & would fish the place with a flick rod, small ganged hooks casting out bluebait / whitebait into the beach gutters, reef holes etc. Great fun in the summer with chopper tailor, tarwhine, herring etc.
Hope you get some good weather in Exy, will send you a PM with some other ideas
fisherking
Posts: 730
Date Joined: 29/05/08
lol, good story mate & I feel
lol, good story mate & I feel your pain.
I have been here for 5 years, from the UK. my only difference is that I have fished for those 5 years & still havent caught anything special.
I have tried boat & landbased, fresh & salt, & while I have really enjoyed myself trying I have never totaly excelled.
My advice is keep trying. If you have a 4 wheel drive, take your dad for a drive down the beaches & in the dunes, show him some of the fantastic sights around here.
He will be speachless when he sees how blue the ocean is.
JUST HAVE FUN TRYING!!
"Some cause happiness wherever they go; others, whenever they go." - Oscar Wilde
Brock O
Posts: 3260
Date Joined: 11/01/08
Welcome RBIRKS
Nice write up there, i have lived in perth my whole life and i struggled shore fishing as well, in fact i now have a boat and still struggle!!.
First pointer, BEER must take a BEER and enjoy the occasion, but may be i drink too much so first pointer not totally true.
Second pointer, keep at it and read the forum when you can for updated catches, plenty of crew fish from shore with success.
Fridays west australian paper has a small spill with some reports of catches around the place, very broad though.
Third and final point, Check the sponsors for a tackle shop near YOU, mention your a memeber straight UP and they wont sell you something you dont need just yet, and can help with some local good advice.
Send me a PM in march and i would be happy to take you and the dad out for a fish on the boat, you bring the BEER.
Welcome Enjoy, its addictive.
Righteo
Posts: 404
Date Joined: 23/12/11
bwhahahaha sorry to laugh but
bwhahahaha sorry to laugh but that was a top read, as above 4000 stradics are nice i recently just purchased a ci4 and love it, as for an 8000 size reel would think maybe a slight overkill but perfect as your bigger setup if you were considering a 4000 also or u could always opt for the 6000 which would be a bit big for herring but fine for snapper and queenys and may also match your rods a bit better considering they are rated 6-8.5kg. when march rolls around send me a pm and i'll try and get yas onto some local small boat fish for the bargain basement price of a box of corona ;)
edit: beat me to it broc.
Here we go again.
RBIRKS
Posts: 2
Date Joined: 02/01/12
Wow, I can't believe people
Wow, I can't believe people actually read my post! Some great advice coming through and genuine people too. Makes me feel enthusiastic again.
I think the reason my plastic got gang raped at Fremantle was because she looked like an attractive slim blowfish with golden sparkles and eau de aniseed pour fish. Some big horny bastard bit her on the arse and now she has a enormous crevice!
I have read a few other posts and saw someone caught a Tiger shark off the beach! Holy crap, I would have dropped my rod and ran like blazes back to the car in tears.
Anyway, if and when I do catch something I will be sure to post it, please don't laugh if it's not manly enough. Like I said I only fished freshwater before and a lot of you think that's gay, but my wife still loves me.
scott99
Posts: 180
Date Joined: 11/10/11
for small stuff like herring
for small stuff like herring etc ,try challenger beach in front of the shacks, or ASI Groyne ..just before dark is best
Troy Summers
Posts: 408
Date Joined: 14/08/11
Great write up mate....
Great write up mate.... welcome to the site... Im new to soft plastics too and have since realised the importance of keeping a soft plastic moving in the blowie lagoon we know as the swan river!!! they do work but those blowies will smash em hard....
When ya dad gets here just PM me and we'll tee up a fishing trip.... gotta boat and a 4wd so we can get him onto something to remember
Troy
Tomcat
Posts: 614
Date Joined: 24/02/11
Mate
You remind me what it was like when I first came from pommy land 40 years ago and am still learning hope your dad enjoys if you can't get a feed on the exmouth charter there's something wrong best of luck
randall df223
Posts: 6454
Date Joined: 08/08/11
what are your plans for shark
what are your plans for shark bay? Have fished a lot from a boat out of monkey mia and can pm you some tips and spots if you will have access to even a smallish tinnie (up until recently i was fishing from a 4.2 m tinnie and catching up to 12 kg tuna!). if you will be in a 4wd and don't mind roughing it, try to get a booking at steep point. may be full up by now. some charters from denham do go out there. it is one of the best land based and boat sports fishing locations in the world (along with point quobba, between carnarvon and exmouth, i think...never been there). steep point is isolated, take everything in, take everything out. all that is there are some really smelly enviromental toilets and there ain't many of those! go to www.steeppoint.com.au for more info and pics. great read by the way! hope your dad enjoys his stay.
Fish! HARD!
Dan
Posts: 168
Date Joined: 23/02/06
consider a shimano rarium
instead of the stradic - similar price, but the stradic no longer comes with a spare spool
a 4000 reel with one spool of 8lb and the other 20-30lb should cover most of your options for metro, as well as some fun up north
A day on Eddys charter (Peak) in Exmouth will be an awesome experience ! (great boat too !! ;) )
I'd keep your current rods; but look to get a 7-8' rod in the 2-6Kg range for a bit of fun on herring/skippy in mketro, and also good for queenies/small trevally etc up north
Have fun !