queensland No luck at Shorncliffe

[KenDigg]

Hi guys

Still pretty fresh into fishing so learning it as I go; the son and I are going pretty much every weekend around the Northside of Brisbane.

So today we headed off and started at the hole next to the Sandgate Pool with the tide coming in, heaps of bites but got nothing in. After a while headed to the Shorncliffe Pier, which was as busy as your local Coles when a snap lockdown is announced. Bites but nothing. The little fella was getting upset so we headed around to Baxter’s because he caught two little bream there on Tuesday night.

Baxter’s was full so we set up on the beach there, just as the tide was starting to go out. Once again, bites but nothing. We kept going until dark but nothing.

Was using mullet, pilchards, hardy heads, I tried my luck at some squid jigs, some prawn softs and even S Factor. But over 8 hours all we succeeded in was losing 3 lures and gaining one unhappy son.

So I feel pretty stupid asking this but what are some basics you think we’re missing? Running 2-4kg line, small sinkers, just lightweight stuff. In about one month of heading around there haven’t caught anything legal size. Of course we’ll keep heading out whenever we can but would love to bring something home to eat and keep the young fella happy.

Cheers

[Daryl McPhee]

This time of the year until about October - yabbies and Cribb Island worms work well there for bream and whiting. 

 

 

[KenDigg]

45 minutes ago, Daryl McPhee said:

This time of the year until about October - yabbies and Cribb Island worms work well there for bream and whiting. 

Hey mate cheers for the info; showed my son the videos and he’s a bit more optimistic now too

Thats’s pretty bang on where we were today. Any specific tide condition for there?

[Daryl McPhee]

Generally I prefer the early part of the run in or the early part of the run out. The fish will be around most days there for the next six weeks or so. 

[Jono4500]

Hi 

 Don't give up, keep plugging along. I've got a 2 , 4 , 7 yr old and this afternoon we went to deep water bend. We caught maybe a dozen bream, whiting, toadies and mullet, All undersized. When I'm kiddy fishing I always start out with tiny hooks and tiny baits, catching tiny fish but keeps the kids interested.  They love helping me with cast net as well. Id be lucky to bring home a feed 1 outta 10 times with them but we always have fun and enjoy being out there. 

[samsteele115]

19 hours ago, KenDigg said:

So I feel pretty stupid asking this but what are some basics you think we’re missing? Running 2-4kg line, small sinkers, just lightweight stuff. In about one month of heading around there haven’t caught anything legal size. 

Honestly man, probably time is all that's lacking. In time you will learn so much and hone your skills. Im sure it won't be too long before a little bit of success, and then you can build on that by repeating what YOU know to work and are confident with. Don't be afraid to try less "popular" spots too

[KenDigg]

Cheers guys, really appreciate the help. We went to Deep Water this morning and the son got a nice bream on his first cast. Was probably legal too but didn’t measure…caught another 2 but undersize. 

[Kat]

Hey @KenDigg

I would suggest getting a yabby pump and find some spots where you can pump yabbies at low tide or just before.   Then fish the same spot or very close by for the last of the run out and beginning of the run in tide 

Not only do you get free live bait but in my experience the kids like pumping yabbies and/ or picking them up as much as, or more than, fishing.

The other suggestion would be to grab some chicken pellets/breadcrumbs/bran use this as Berley.   Put a tiny bit of yabby or prawn on the end of no. 10 "Garfish" hook - I use cheap red longshanks.  Put this out unweighted under a pencil float - with the hook about 4 to 5cm from the float.   

Before putting out your lines berley for at least 10 min consistently at any jetty or other spots with some structure or where to have seen baitfish.  Good chance you will get onto some Garfish which are alot of fun to catch! 

My bycatch using this method have been some fairly decent sized Bream also.

Wait until the float goes under the water and then gently strike.

You might have to try a few spots before you get to know where the Garfish are - probably the last couple of hours of the run in and first couple of the run out tides are best.

Good luck for next time.

Cheers Kat

[KenDigg]

3 hours ago, Kat said:

Good luck for next time.

Cheers Kat

Thanks for the great advice Kat!

[Kat]

Hi again @KenDigg

Just found the link to an article on whiting fishing - after further reading the Facebook page on which it was posted revealed a number of what seem to be really good articles - just the sort of advice you are after - you may want to check it out.  I will post the link next.

[Kat]

https://m.facebook.com/Ontourfishingaustralia/

 

 

[AUS-BNE-FISHO]

On 14/08/2021 at 8:53 PM, KenDigg said:

Hi guys

Still pretty fresh into fishing so learning it as I go; the son and I are going pretty much every weekend around the Northside of Brisbane.

So today we headed off and started at the hole next to the Sandgate Pool with the tide coming in, heaps of bites but got nothing in. After a while headed to the Shorncliffe Pier, which was as busy as your local Coles when a snap lockdown is announced. Bites but nothing. The little fella was getting upset so we headed around to Baxter’s because he caught two little bream there on Tuesday night.

Baxter’s was full so we set up on the beach there, just as the tide was starting to go out. Once again, bites but nothing. We kept going until dark but nothing.

Was using mullet, pilchards, hardy heads, I tried my luck at some squid jigs, some prawn softs and even S Factor. But over 8 hours all we succeeded in was losing 3 lures and gaining one unhappy son.

So I feel pretty stupid asking this but what are some basics you think we’re missing? Running 2-4kg line, small sinkers, just lightweight stuff. In about one month of heading around there haven’t caught anything legal size. Of course we’ll keep heading out whenever we can but would love to bring something home to eat and keep the young fella happy.

Cheers

Hey Ken

It's good your got onto some bream at DWB. To maximise your catch rate, you'll want to fish with the freshest bait possible, light line, and have a lot of persistence. It seems you are doing this well so it's only a matter of time before you have a good session.

Shorncliffe Pier is definitely a good spot. I've seen longies, threadies, jew, snapper, and even a metre plus Cobia on a surface lure caught off there (I've never fished there though ).

Cheers Hamish

[Daryl McPhee]

@KenDigg There were a few fish on Shorncliffe Pier yesterday. We got a feed of sand whiting, plus half a dozen bream, a blue swimmer crab and a trevally. All in the shallows on live worms and live yabbies. 

[AUS-BNE-FISHO]

Nice work Daryl. In school holidays I'll have to get the train there and fish one day.

Cheers Hamish

[KenDigg]

Hi all, thanks heaps for your tips and encouragement. Hit Deepwater Saturday and today. The son pulls out a 35cm bream on his first cast yesterday. A few smaller ones too.

Today I got 2 legal size bream, and between us 3 undersized and one small either rock cod or greasy cod. So the persistence and hours IS paying off…cheers

[ellicat]

Not certain, but it is likely the cod was a Gold spot estuary cod.

[KenDigg]

5 minutes ago, ellicat said:

Not certain, but it is likely the cod was a Gold spot estuary cod.

Yeah think it was. Only small though.

[GregN70]

A lot of places are fished out these days. But keep trying, luck might strike soon.

I have 2 boats, fish all the time, live 600km north of Brisbane and I haven't caught a legal fish in a couple years now. So i understand the frustration.

[AUS-BNE-FISHO]

7 hours ago, GregN70 said:

A lot of places are fished out these days. But keep trying, luck might strike soon.

I have 2 boats, fish all the time, live 600km north of Brisbane and I haven't caught a legal fish in a couple years now. So i understand the frustration.

Hey Greg

It may be tougher to fish around here but it is not overfished. Overfishing is when there are none of the species left. Plenty of people get bream, jew, flatties, and more in the Pine, and in the heart of Brizzy people get snapper, threadies, jew, cod, flatties, and heaps more in the river. 

I know a few people who do really good (inshore) at 1770 on the trout, blue salmon, flatties, and more. Maybe give that a try? I hope you do get a few legal fish eventually. 

Cheers Hamish

[kmcrosby78]

8 hours ago, GregN70 said:

 

I have 2 boats, fish all the time, live 600km north of Brisbane and I haven't caught a legal fish in a couple years now. So i understand the frustration.

Surely that can’t be true. Apart from mackerel, what else do you target?

[GregN70]

1 hour ago, kmcrosby78 said:

Surely that can’t be true. Apart from mackerel, what else do you target?

I often target, Whiting off the beach’s.

I target various reef fish, trout, Sweetlip, cod etc offshore. 

tuna, GTs, Queenfish, cobia on poppers, stick baits and jigs around the islands

Barra n Threadfin in the creeks and river on live baits and lures of various types.  

[Kat]

9 hours ago, GregN70 said:

I often target, Whiting off the beach’s.

I target various reef fish, trout, Sweetlip, cod etc offshore. 

tuna, GTs, Queenfish, cobia on poppers, stick baits and jigs around the islands

Barra n Threadfin in the creeks and river on live baits and lures of various types.  

And you haven't had a legal sized fish in 2 years?  I really can't understand that.  Do you meet other people where you are that do not catch legal sized fish?

Cheers Kat

[GregN70]

1 hour ago, Kat said:

And you haven't had a legal sized fish in 2 years?  I really can't understand that.  Do you meet other people where you are that do not catch legal sized fish?

Cheers Kat

Yeah all the time. Most of the people I associate with in fishing conversations rarely catch anything ever around here. It’s only those that have really big boats that go out 130km+ that do ok. Once you get out there you are starting to get reef fish and a few mackerel. 

[Drop Bear]

On 16/08/2021 at 5:43 AM, Kat said:

Hey @KenDigg

I would suggest getting a yabby pump and find some spots where you can pump yabbies at low tide or just before.   Then fish the same spot or very close by for the last of the run out and beginning of the run in tide 

Not only do you get free live bait but in my experience the kids like pumping yabbies and/ or picking them up as much as, or more than, fishing.

The other suggestion would be to grab some chicken pellets/breadcrumbs/bran use this as Berley.   Put a tiny bit of yabby or prawn on the end of no. 10 "Garfish" hook - I use cheap red longshanks.  Put this out unweighted under a pencil float - with the hook about 4 to 5cm from the float.   

Before putting out your lines berley for at least 10 min consistently at any jetty or other spots with some structure or where to have seen baitfish.  Good chance you will get onto some Garfish which are alot of fun to catch! 

My bycatch using this method have been some fairly decent sized Bream also.

Wait until the float goes under the water and then gently strike.

You might have to try a few spots before you get to know where the Garfish are - probably the last couple of hours of the run in and first couple of the run out tides are best.

Good luck for next time.

Cheers Kat

Look at you! That's great advice. Its so good to see you fishing so well Kat. 

[kmcrosby78]

12 hours ago, GregN70 said:

Yeah all the time. Most of the people I associate with in fishing conversations rarely catch anything ever around here. It’s only those that have really big boats that go out 130km+ that do ok. Once you get out there you are starting to get reef fish and a few mackerel. 

Might be time to seek out more successful fishermen then to have conversations with them ...... . Actually, come to think of it ....

[GregN70]

12 hours ago, kmcrosby78 said:

Might be time to seek out more successful fishermen then to have conversations with them ...... . Actually, come to think of it ....

If they exist. Honestly I just plan on moving somewhere better like back to Brisbane, or NSW

[Daryl McPhee]

Plenty of fish around there at the moment if you want to give it a go.