First fish on SP in GC canals

[Bennno]

Tried SP for the first time today, 3inch minnows (fluro yellow & pumkinseed) on a tiny outfit with 6lb line. Haven't had my own gear since I was a kid and man did I enjoy it.

Wasn't sure where to fish so tried a bridge at Monaco Street, tried a few actually but the main one (where the road to bundall goes over the top of) I couldn't get into (how do you? Or do you fish the Northern side?) Tried the next bridge down but kept snagging casts on trees and stuff (gave up quickly!). So I went to the next bridge down and just climbed over the side and walked up and down the beach until I found a likely spot on someone's little beach and cast upstream hoping for a flathead.

Caught a nice little whiting at least 25cm on the yellow SP and then changed to the pumpkinseed and got a little flathead about 37-40cm maybe a bit bigger. Let both go.

I used the fluro yellow SP (so I could see it well swimming along) to help get my action right in the water, just using flick, flick, flick wait and keeping the line up hoping for a flathead. Tried to go slow as I could and that worked best I think.

I'm using mono line and I think I'll stick with it then try some braid later on when I know what I'm doing better. Not using a leader, just straight to the punch.

Pretty happy with the small rig I have and not quite sure on the tides or which bridges to fish, looks like 5 bridges on Monaco to me. I live nearby Surfers/Broadbeach border, so I plan on trying behind the convention centre and pac fair area, also was thinking about going in near the Kokoda memorial and having a go there. If someone could help me work out which Monaco Bridge to fish that would be awesome!

Other spots I'm going to try are Gold Coast Spit near Seaworld carpark and Loders Creek looks like nice weed beds on Google Maps.

All in all was heaps of fun :D

[randell]

There's jacks under all those Monaco st bridges, so be prepared for some bust off as summer aproaches.
There 's also trevalley around, 1 to 2 kg... so take a landing net.......
I like the 2nd bridge as the current runs fast, the fish run faster ...............
Trevalley all round the Entertainment Centre...

randell

[Bennno]

Thanks for the tips Randell, I'll need to get myself a net and some lip grips asap. Might even need to get another rig as it heads into summer, would love to snag a jack (ha, who wouldn't).

[tunaticer]

Do yourself a big favor and buy a 125m spool of braid about 6 or 8 lb that is one of the easily seen colours. Then watch your line as you work the plastic, the braid will show you heaps more bites than you will ever detect using mono. Brands of braid is not really a big thing for a novice, I commonly still use cheapo braids on some of my go to setups. Make sure you have a length of mono or FC leader between the braid and the lure. Best length is the joiner knot sits just outside the reel and the jighead hangs from the tip the right length for a cast.

[Bennno]

Hey Jack, I just bought what the guy recommended to me (not his fault either as I have/had NFI) and I didn't even know what the difference was until the other day, but I see the error now. I was struggling to see the line in the wind and when I could it really helped a lot. Would be nice to be able to feel the jiggerhead hitting the bottom and bites better etc, so you know what it's doing. Will get some good leader too. I'll go get some soon after I get a bit more practice in over the next few days. Thanks for the tips, much appreciated!

How much line should be let out for casting? I have no idea and was using all different lengths…

[Damned67]

Congrats on the first SP fish... Always the first stepping stone.
I'd definitely agree on the braid. I've always had good luck (well, nearly always) on 6lb Berkley Fireline. And from my experience, Big W of all places seems to typically have the best price on it. If you've never fished with braid before, it's a real eye opener.
The other thing I'd recommend, if you're new to Sp fishing and don't have a lot of mates around to show you the ropes, is the Squidgy soft plastic DVD series. I think it comes as a hefty multi-DVD volume pack these days at a very respectable price. Just checked online, 6 DVDs for about $40.

And I think you've got it as far as locations are concerned.....

Oh, and how much line out for casting? Personal preference there, I'd say. Probably get lot's of differing opinions. Just get out and try different lengths, see what works for you.

Good luck!

[Bennno]

Thanks Damned67, will get some braid this weekend and that DVD, none of my mates fish and I've not lived down here long. Good tips thanks!!

Went out again today and hit the 2nd Monaco bridge just before the tide turned and was surprised how many smaller bream, mullet and other fish were feeding just below the oyster beds there, and on the pylons. Can see how bigger fish would enjoy the area once the tide starts running. Wasn't much fun throwing plastics around really as there isn't much room (aka, I got no idea) and once the current started going mad I couldn't get my head around it. The smaller and larger fish just laughed at the SP too no matter what I tried, they just ignored it, like the ugly duckling. The tiny ones didn't mind having a look for a nibble on the tail (not that I let em)! Caught nothing, not even a bite. Hit lots of snags tho and lost a heap of gear, but now at least I know where they are better.

So I think I'm going to change up tactic a bit and get some different SPs and some heavier jiggerheads and see how I go then.

[tunaticer]

Hi Bennno, Depends on the jig weight for the amount of line beyond the rod tip, but on average I have about 25 to 30cm between the jig and the tip for a cast.
As Damned says, get a copy of the Squidgy Secrets DVD's, 1st and 2nd DVD's have most of the big hints on them, but the whole set is good watching anyhow.

Two biggest clues are:
Stop trying to feel the bite.......learn to maintain a little droop in the line between the rod tip and the water, that bit of slack will do two things, first of all it will let the fish inhale the whole plastic and second that same droop in the line is like a loudspeaker with amplifier for the lightest of takes, it really shows everything that is happening on the far end very well by twitching or pausing etc.

Once you learn to not try and feel the bite and watch the line you will do amazingly well.

[MudRiverDan]

people use light fluorocarbon these days straight through for bream.
Or get some braid 6-8lb.

Cheers