Bolstering bait tactics CENTRAL COAST
Jamie Robley
Pick up any fishing magazine or take a quick look around the internet or apps these days and it seems that lure or fly fishing are perhaps more popular than using old fashioned bait. If you’re not using lure or fly you must be so last century it’s not
at the top of the evolutionary intelligence list, but they’re a creature that’s not always easy to fool. As we move away from the warmer months and head into winter, most of our popular angling targets like to feed up before the water gets too cold. Some will continue to feed right through winter, while others migrate elsewhere and some slow right down to an
comes to success with baits. Regardless of where or how you fish, simply going to good spots at the right time is a good start. Researching your local area or a potential holiday destination is probably the first logical step to take. Being mindful of the weather, moon and tides is also greatly beneficial. More specifically, for the sake of this particular article, let’s focus more on two nitty
This big bream took a rather small bait of white bread while the author was chasing luderick at one of his favourite rock fishing spots. White bread works a treat for a variety of different species in the fresh or salt. late model 4WD vehicles, loaded up and heading to popular fishing destinations, with cheapy, low budget rods and reels secured to the roof racks or rod holders. If you can afford a new Hilux, Ranger or Navara then surely spending another few hundred on a couple
rather than names you can’t pronounce! Clean, functional, maintained tackle is another aspect of successful fishing to consider. A well-maintained reel that spins freely is better than a more expensive reel with a sticky drag or noisy bearings. The same applies
comes into it as well. So here are some of my all-time best performers. PILCHARDS It’s very hard to go past good old pillies for general beach fishing. They are extremely appealing to tailor, salmon and bream, while other species like trevally,
Bait and bait. These freshwater mullet were caught on small bread baits suspended under a little Styrofoam float. The author then used the mullet to catch bream at a nearby beach. even funny! Well, most of us know that’s not entirely the case, but let’s face it, chasing fish with artificial offerings definitely gets a lot of attention. Lure or fly fishing does have a lot going for it and yes, tricking fish with ‘fake baits’ certainly works. However, there’s still a lot to be said for fishing with a real bait down at the business end of your line. Fish may not be
almost shut down state. So, although casting or trolling an artificial bait may still work well in some cases, the next few months are a prime period for using natural baits. This is particularly so for coastal fishing the inshore reefs, rocks and beaches, but baits will also do very well in the estuary or freshwater at this time of year. There are a few main factors to consider when it
gritty aspects of fishing with natural baits. Suitable tackle and good bait. GOOD GEAR No matter where or how you fish, it’s pretty obvious that good quality tackle is beneficial. By this, I don’t necessarily mean top of the line, expensive gear, but I do mean decent quality rods, reels, lines and terminals like hooks or swivels. It often amazes me to see big,
This big carp took a bait of white bread in the middle of winter. Although carp will respond to flies or small lures, in most situations bait will work better for them.
A well organised tackle box, with nice sharp hooks will go a long way towards successful bait fishing. So replace any rusty old hooks with new ones. Mustad, Owner, Gamakatsu and Eagle Claw are some reputable brand names to look for. 8 APRIL 2023
of decent fishing outfits won’t hurt! Good quality lines and nice sharp hooks will go a long way towards success and this sort of stuff is relatively cheap. I buy the majority of my tackle online these days, so it’s pretty quick and easy to compare prices and buy some new line or hooks. Whenever possible though, I still try to buy from real local tackle stores, rather than going for the cheapy overseas option. Brand names like Daiwa, Shimano, Penn, Mustad, Gamakatsu and Wilson are what you need to look for,
to hooks and other terminals. So throw out older, rusty hooks and periodically check through your tackle to see what may need to be replaced or cleaned up. BEST BAITS Most keen anglers have their favourite baits and I’m the same. When considering what a good bait is, I firstly consider how much the fish like it or how effective it is. That’s probably the main thing overall. Then, how easy or convenient it is to use, how long does it last and how hard is it to find, gather, catch or buy and if you are buying it, the cost obviously
bonito, snapper, dart, bream, flathead and mulloway also go for pilchard baits. I’ve even caught the odd whiting on pillies over the years. Unfortunately, it’s not always easy to buy good quality pilchards. So take a close look at them in the bait freezer before buying. At the moment, blocks or IQF bags of pilchards are the same price at my local bait shop, so I’ll look at both and try to pick a bag or block that looks decent. The size may also be important, especially when you’re using them on ganged hooks. So I try to find average or medium
