This month we are going to look at beach fishing. We have some fantastic fishing on our doorstep and the best time to fish our local beaches is right now. Late winter and early spring are the prime time for most of our beach target species and the generally stable weather patterns at this time of year make fishing the beach pleasant for beginners and old hands alike.
Bread and Butter Basics
Bread and butter species like whiting, bream, flathead and dart are readily available. Bream school up in the lower parts of rivers and creeks through winter to spawn. Many of these fish then move out of the river mouths and onto the beaches where they will feed up on pippies, worms and baitfish to regain condition. Big Bream fight hard in the surf and taste great from the clean water. Look for washy holes and drain-like gutters with reasonably deep water and plenty of stirred up sand.
The prime months to target whiting in the surf are August through to November and these months will see both large numbers and big fish caught. Whiting can be found in shallow drains, blind gutters and areas where the wave action stirs up the worms and shellfish they like to feed on. While these guys can be caught on most beaches, there are some areas that are particularly renowned for excellent whiting fishing. These are typically light surf beaches and include the southern end of Fraser Island at Hook Point, the southern and main beaches of Bribie Island, Reeders Point at Moreton Island, and Flinders Beach at Straddie.
Targeting Tailor
Each winter we see many customers gearing up to catch tailor on the beach and the focus is usually on Fraser Island. Fraser is famous for its tailor fishing, along with spectacular scenery and wildlife, and is well worth the trip if you’ve never been.
You don’t have to go to Fraser to catch tailor though and you don’t need a 4wd either. Tailor can be caught on just about all of our local beaches at this time of year. Brisbane fishermen have easy access to the Gold Coast and Northern NSW beaches and it’s possible to fit in a good afternoon’s fishing at your favourite spot and be home in time to get some sleep before work the next day. The beaches north of Surfers Paradise produce plenty of tailor from July to October every year. Look for a deep gutter with a well-defined back bank and deep clean water.
The typical tailor set up is 15-20lb main line, a running ball sinker and gang hook with pilchards for bait. Prime times are dawn and dusk and the best fish will come at night. You can also spin for tailor with metal lures, the 65g Spanyid Raider has been a standout for many years.
The Simple Life
One of the attractions of beach fishing is that the gear needed is fairly simple. Whiting, bream and dart are best targeted with a light rod in the 10’6 - 12’ range with an Alvey or light spinning reel. Keep your line down around 6-10lb for best results, especially in clear water when a westerly is blowing. We are seeing more customers using soft plastics to target bream, dart and flathead in the surf – Berkley Gulp minnows and Z-Man Grubz are particularly effective. A rod in the 3-5kg range about 7’ to 8’ coupled with a 3000 size reel and 8-10lb braid would be ideal.
You’ll need a heavier, longer outfit to fish for tailor - in the 12’ to 15’ range with most rods at 13’6. This will allow you to cast a reasonably heavy sinker along with pilchard or strip bait, and keep the line above the surf while you wait for a bite. Alvey reels in the 65 or 70 size and big spinning reels are popular. This setup will also work well for salmon in the southern states and the elusive mulloway.
Beach Fishing Must Haves!
Carrying a shoulder bag with your bait and tackle will allow you to keep mobile and move from gutter to gutter without lugging a huge amount of gear. A simple belt with a bait pouch and knife completes the kit.
If you’d like to know more about fishing the beach or need a few pointers on the gear you need to start off, drop in and see us at The Tackle Warehouse.
