Advice for first beach fish at Caloundra

[TippyG]

Hey everyone. I am only minutes into my membership and first post! Yippee!

I have only been fishing for about 18 months around Brisbane and the Cleveland area from land. Mixed results...

A mate and I are going to his brothers in Caloundra this weekend for beach fishing. I have never been fishing from the beach but he has fished since he was a kid. But, when we last talked tactics he said I will probably be better at it then him through researching than his experience.

So, after a lot of reading I am left with a few questions and ideas which I would very much appreciate feedback to help make this weekend even more memorable by, oh I don't know... catching something?!

Gear
Alvey 12' glass rod with 6500BCVRR reel (only opened the box on the weekend!). 15kg mono low-stretch.
Glass rod with 6000 reel (BFC special). About 5kg or 8kg mono from memory.
2 rod and reel combos for plastics. A 1000 and a 2000 with 4lb and 8lb braid.
I have a range of hooks from 8-6/0. Sinkers are all bean and ball size 1 to 6. Leader sizes are 20/40/60lb with some 4/8/15lb monofilament for the plastics.

Targets
Jewfish - From what I have read Jewies should be at their peak in May. I am hoping they cant read calendars and might show up a week or two early. Bait will be whole squid on a sliding snell or single 5/0 or 6/0 hook with 40lb and 60lb leader (I've never used squid).

Bream - I've caught plenty of these in the river and around the bay in Brissy so usual single hook and running sinker. Bait will be prawns, cut/strip bait and maybe squid.

Flathead - during the fall of tide I would like to flick some platics around some gutters and rocks for flattys. I figured there's every chance of getting them on the peak of high tide when I will do other fishing but I am trying to get the hang of plastics.

Shark - There is a hight tide that night around 10pm. My mate has good experience sharking but thought I would throw it in here. I have 100lb wire trace and 6/0 hooks. Not sure the bait, either squid or perhaps something we might catch during the day.

I guess what I would like is to know what I am likely to catch and what I should be targeting and at what point of the tide. Also if my gear sounds right. I have seen how to rig squid using a single hook and a rubber band/sinker to hold the hood up. Looks pretty simple but is this too much from shore? I read forums using 2 hooks but not sure where the second hook would go if the first is pinned behind the head.

I have a cast net and have got reasonably cosistent and good throws so am able to collect livies. I have never bought frozen bait but will need to for the squid. I also read about salting pilchards which looks like a good way to go.

I'm sure this sounds pretty vague but it's the best I've got. We all start somewhere, right? ::)

Thanks guys. I'm really looking forward to being more involved in this site and getting out and learning new things. Thats what I enjoy most about fishing.

Cheers.

[Noelm]

never done any beach fishing as such at Caloundra, but (and without trying to play down what you are doing) I think you are going to try to catch too much in a short time, you are aiming at the top with the Jewfish and then Flathead and everything in between! I think i would set my sights just a bit lower and be just a tad more specific. Target what will be plentiful at that time, and reasonably easy to catch, then as time passes, you can work your way up the "ladder" to add other species to you bag, one step at a time.

[TippyG]

Thanks for your comments Noelm. A fair point and well said. Setting my sights low and realistic is not a common trait of mine. ;D

The specifics you mentioned are exactly what I was hoping to have the experienced anglers tell me. What will be plentiful that I should target, and what would be the recommended bait and times? I figured the trip would be split up into 3 separate fishing times - high tide, low tide with plastics and night. Hence my different species. I figured it would be wasteful to target only 1 species the whole weekend if that species isn't even around. If I am successful with 1 species then I can stick with it or try something else, not nessesarily try all at once.

[TippyG]

87 views and the only reply being to tell me to be more specific on something I am asking everyone else for specifics on. Did I miss something? Are people at my experience level not wolcome on this forum?

How about I try some more simple questions then...
1. Which surf beach would be best for me to try out my Alvey?
2. What species are around this time of year that could be easy and fun to catch that may not be as common as those found in Brisbane? If any.
3. Should I get any frozen bait, or just use livies? If so, which bait would be best?

Thank you for all your views. I was very excited about this weekend and am trying very hard to be as succesful as possible. I hope you can all help me to do so.

[Noelm]

I am not a local up there at all, but have faired pretty well at times, I think it was around this time of the year that I was spinning where the rocks meet the beach at Moffat Beach and got a couple of good Queenfish and a couple of tailor as well, I have no idea if they are normal for there or not, or it was just dumb luck on my part, I have also spun Spotty Mackeral at the rock wall at Mooloolaba, and done OK on Flathead in the Passage itself at Golden Beach near the boat hire guy, then further up the road under the bridge that goes (I think) to Pelican waters, I have got some good Trevally there and a Mangrove Jack once (a few years ago) I am sure there must be some locals that can help you with something a tad more up to date, as my experiences have been as a "tourist" fisherman, even though I have a mate that lives there.

[Noelm]

OH, and live bait will beat frozen anything every time (in my opinion)

[mowerman]

Hi Tippy.

I haven't fished the Sunny coast in years.
Most of my beach fishing is Moreton, Straddie and northern NSW.

Your 12' with the 15kg line should have a set of gangs and a decent sinker on it. Use a pilly or mullet fillet or a big whole squid. My 13'6 with the 650 doesn't see action until the sun is well down in the sky and there is a cool nip in the air. I run 20lb line on this rod with 3 gang and 30lb leader.
That's the big gear.

The smaller rod,12' with a 600, I have 12lb line and 15lb leader with a running ball sinker, as you said, with a largish whiting hook. Try to get some live worms, catch them or buy them. This is the day gear. Whiting, bream , dart or flatties.

Read the beach and think like a fish.

Many a time I've seen blokes standing in a gutter with water over their knees, putting everything into a cast to get their worm into the middle of a rip, and there's a feed of whiting literally biting their toes.
They usually get the message after the 3rd one in my bag.

Sharks=vermin.

Plastics catch more fishermen than fish.

Rod

.

[spelchek]

Head down to Golden beach and walk out on the sand flats on the outgoing tide for flathead with plastics. Look for gutters/chanells that would be funnelilng bait fish from the flats. Take some drinking water with you as you can find yourself halfway across the channel in some places - a long way from a tap :) You;ll find yabbies on the flats as well - worth getting some for fishing the bribie passage area and/or the 'beaches'.

[TippyG]

Awesome!!! This is exactly what I was hoping to get. The perfect amount of information to focus on and prepare for the weekend. I've already found a few articles now that I have clear targets. Thank you so much for taking the time to write detailed and informative responses. I was a little worried my post would get me booted but you guys have pulled through.

I'm excited again! :D

I'll be sure to reply to this thread with my results for those who find this thread in your searches.

[Funchy]

Awesome!!! This is exactly what I was hoping to get. The perfect amount of information to focus on and prepare for the weekend. I've already found a few articles now that I have clear targets. Thank you so much for taking the time to write detailed and informative responses. I was a little worried my post would get me booted but you guys have pulled through.

I'm excited again! :D

I'll be sure to reply to this thread with my results for those who find this thread in your searches.

Sooooooo...... Howdya go mate?