Tips for 1st Time Boatie off Warnbro
Hey Guys (and Gals)
I've just bought my first boat (17ft Fibreglass, 90Hp outboard) and I'm looking for tips and ideas for what to fish for and how to fish for it from Warnbro (Safety Bay ramp).
I've been out a few times and got some nice school whiting, a hammerhead and some pesky wrasse. I've got a couple of Craypots around the 5 fathom Dropoff.
Being a kiwi (we catch snapper with bait off the rocks - in the right places ...) and hardly having being out on boats - I'm a bit lost about how to fish in the big water.
Not up to going 30km out yet but keen on getting some bigger fish or decent amounts of eat-worthy smaller stuff when I take my boys out. Would be more keen on pelagic than demersal - but not too fussy really.
Ideas and tips greatly appeciated
Cheers
Tim
The Black Baron
gibbs
Posts: 158
Date Joined: 20/04/11
Spend some time out on the
Spend some time out on the water, sound around and fish any lump that looks promising.
greatrex
Posts: 210
Date Joined: 29/08/11
My tip is say good bye to
My tip is say good bye to your money
crasny1
Posts: 7006
Date Joined: 16/10/08
Time on the water is the best teacher
But as said above look for lumps on the sounder and fish them. Also you can go to any of the bays just off GI and berley up and you will get herring and gardies. Also squid.
Whiting just drift the weed patches and cast into sand patches. Might even score KGs. Time out there will get you use to the drift so that you end up over the lump, otherwise anchor up and see what you get.
"I would like to die on Mars. Just not on impact!!" _ Elon Musk
TGMitchell
Posts: 221
Date Joined: 24/11/09
@ crasny - thx @ greatrex -
@ crasny - thx
@ greatrex - you're a funny guy - did you learn that all by yourself or did you go to a special school
The Black Baron
crasny1
Posts: 7006
Date Joined: 16/10/08
Anytime Tim.Just ask and
Anytime Tim.
Just ask and hopefully someone will help. Been a while since I have fished there, living up here in Kcity, but the same goes if you get up here. You have to run around and look for spots. The more time out there, the more spots you have. If a spot looks good on the sounder, mark it, even if the fish dont play try it again because not all spots fire all the time.
If you have kids then I would leave the herring as a backup plan, and try demersals first. If that doesnt work you can always revert to the sure thing and keep them entertained.
Neels
"I would like to die on Mars. Just not on impact!!" _ Elon Musk
grayzeee
Posts: 2283
Date Joined: 09/07/09
do you have charts or gps?
do you have charts or gps?
go and buy some xmas tree skirted lures , and now the water temp is up 21 + deg , tow them up and down the back of the reef.
you can look for ground this way and hopefully get into some pelagics
If I spent half as long fishing , as I do reading this bloody forum , I'd be twice the fisherman I am.
TGMitchell
Posts: 221
Date Joined: 24/11/09
@ crasny - I've only fished
@ crasny - I've only fished for herring from jetty's - how, when and where on the boat
@ grayzeee - got neither at the moment - have b&w furuno but that just gives me alsorts of bullshit readings (like the water is always 99.9F, 0 knots) and depths that are completely up the shit - thinking of buying a new Lowrance combo..... will try the lures - cheers
The Black Baron
Rick
Posts: 1118
Date Joined: 22/12/06
5 Fathom
The back of the 5 is a great place to start, look for lumps off the edge, if the weather is kind drop the pick and burley. Plenty of good fish caught on the 5
PGFC Member
Swan River Fisher
Posts: 877
Date Joined: 03/05/11
yep plenty of skippy around
yep plenty of skippy around the back of 5 fathom in 24ish metres. just chuck out burley with tuna oil and water in clumps and the fish should come to you. look for reef systems and lumps like others have said.
For herring/ gardies just use a burley cage with a tiny hook. Burley is a key to attracting the fish. Heaps around the front of GI. We usually anchor in 5-7m and get herring, gardies, snook and squid.
TGMitchell
Posts: 221
Date Joined: 24/11/09
thx rick - what kind of gear
thx rick - what kind of gear should I be using there?
The Black Baron
TGMitchell
Posts: 221
Date Joined: 24/11/09
cool SRF - GI - garden
cool SRF - GI - garden island? I'm assuming in front means btween the island and the shore?
The Black Baron
crasny1
Posts: 7006
Date Joined: 16/10/08
Hey mate
From a boat herring is easy. Just need to find an area where they hand around, which I have found is usually closer to shore, and yes meant near the bays on the inside of Garden Island. The other odvise given is cool. probably listen to them.
Like I said I am a northerner now (and loving it!!!)
"I would like to die on Mars. Just not on impact!!" _ Elon Musk
Swan River Fisher
Posts: 877
Date Joined: 03/05/11
yes mate GI is garden island
yes mate GI is garden island and infront is between the island and the shore as you said
hooty
Posts: 198
Date Joined: 25/05/10
Hi TimIf your heading out
Hi Tim
If your heading out from Bent St, get a good feel for where the channel out is because Ive seen many a boat stuck in the weed. GPS a run in so you can get back without running a ground at night. If you get out on the five from that area you should be able to see coventry reef breaking. A good spot for salmon, yellow tial kings and tailor when they are firing. About 500m noth west is skippy rocks (normally see cray pots early in season) good place for sambos,skippy and snapper when they are on. These places are not secrets, so you will probably see boats drifting or on anchor. As some of the other replies say, find some thick coral or a lump out past the five and your just as likely to hook baldies, dhu and any of the other demersals we catch in the area. For the sound plenty of whiting ect and if you do your homework you will catch large snapper at the right time of the year, sometimes only 300m from beach.Also crabs and plenty of squid on at the moment.
Cheers
TGMitchell
Posts: 221
Date Joined: 24/11/09
Cheers Hooty - that's a lot
Cheers Hooty - that's a lot of good info.
Yep did discover the joys of hitting the weed already :-) - fortunately it was pretty easy to push off.
I've seen the reef breakers - will check out skippy rocks - think I've spotted that already - shitloads of craypots right?
So - now showing my newbie colours.... what do you use? pilchards? sinker to the bottom? here I'm a bit clueless....
The Black Baron
Swan River Fisher
Posts: 877
Date Joined: 03/05/11
herring and stuff are top
herring and stuff are top fish so use burley cages/ floats
whiting are bottom species so sinkers are needed
for herring shelled coral prawns in burley powder (to help the prawn stick together) work well
whiting love fresh squid tentacles so try and get some squid first.
TGMitchell
Posts: 221
Date Joined: 24/11/09
thx SRF - yea that's what
thx SRF - yea that's what using for hitting the whiting and herrings - meant the bigger stuff - what do I need to use to get a pan-sized snapper, say
The Black Baron
crasny1
Posts: 7006
Date Joined: 16/10/08
Fresh squid, Mulies, occy and fresh fish fillets
All work. Bait presentation is a good thing to get used to. Dont try and just blob the bait on, try and make it look as natural as possible. Despite what most think over threading the hook leads to less bites. For example a strip off squid is best hooked twice so that it flops around in the briny. Size fish dont bite bits off bait, they attack the whole bait and you are more likely to get a decent fish this way. With mulies a gang (yuk) or better +++ a snelled rig with 2 7/0s, one for the body/tail area and one through the eye is the best. Also can be used with the other baits and is my prefered bait setup up here.
Hope this helps a little.
Neels
"I would like to die on Mars. Just not on impact!!" _ Elon Musk
Swan River Fisher
Posts: 877
Date Joined: 03/05/11
my bad hahapatternosta rig
my bad haha
patternosta rig with squid, fish fillets, (i usually put on a fillet from a wrasse i caught earlier) snelled hooks, i use 5/0 or 6/0
20-30lb line (can go heavier or lighter) and 50-60lb leeder (can go heavier or lighter, just what i use)
jigs like the Lucantas jig, 80-200 grams depending on current work well
really good jigs can catch dhuis, sambos, even caught a massive squid and 2kg cuttle fish on them!
meglodon
Posts: 5981
Date Joined: 17/06/10
seamanship safety on the water
Hi sorry I can't help with fishing spots but if I may offer a little bit of information,always be aware of the enviroment you are in,am I anchored on the back edge of the five fathom bank are the waves suddenly coming in a bit steaper than when I first anchored,do I need to let out more anchor rope. If it feels a bit uncomfortable then more as it is probablygetting a bit dangerous.Make nequiries with the local sea rescure group about a small boat operators course what are known (to locals) dangerous places that are not that all apparent to new boaties,under what wind conditions should I not go out in my boat again local knowledge I'm sure the good people at Mangles Bay fishing Club will willingly pass on good sound saftey tips and some fishing knowledge. We have all started in the same circumstances as you.
Good boating and good safe fishing
TGMitchell
Posts: 221
Date Joined: 24/11/09
Thx again crasny & SRF - I
Thx again crasny & SRF - I looked up snelled hooks and it looks like a go to me! I've tried gang hooks and not much liked them. And wrasse fillets - definite goer.
I must be doing something wrong with the squid coz I never get much action with it and it ends up in the bottom of the bait box.
The Black Baron
crasny1
Posts: 7006
Date Joined: 16/10/08
You might be bunching it up to much
Try to make the squid look as natural as possible. Check the bait out in the water. If it bunches the fish think WTF and leave it, if it floats natural and wobbles around they wont think twice. Probably the most versatile bait out.
Neels
"I would like to die on Mars. Just not on impact!!" _ Elon Musk
TGMitchell
Posts: 221
Date Joined: 24/11/09
ok - will have a go at that
ok - will have a go at that
The Black Baron