Help! Fresh Yabbies and Whiting

[whiteman]

Picture the scene this morning - light offshore breeze, cloudless sky, Hinchenbrook to the north and Palm Island to the east clearly visible, rising tide on a sand flat across the mouth of a creek, fish EVERYWHERE, gulls and eagles diving, me with an Ugly Stick with long shank size 2 hook and little sinker, and a small bucket of live, fresh yabbies pumped from the adjacent mud flat.

2 hours later 1 minor bite and NO FISH.

I know this area gets "elbow slappers" as I've seen other fishos with their catch but I'll be buggered if I can catch one. They were practically swimming between my legs but completely ignored my bait.

What am I doing wrong?

[nonibbles]

enjoying yourself while we have to work. I'll be doing it myself on thursday. Did that smelly algal bloom effect Halifax bay as much as cleveland? It seems to have shut down all the fishing close in. May have to head up your way (was going to do burdekin rock/middle reef/nelly harbour wall - depending on wind direction)

[Gazza]

Hi Whiteman,
Geez the scenery probably distracted ya!

couple of 'maybes' to much bait? i.e. use 1/2 a yabbie ,or remove claw and squash the head a little (for berley)
(full yabbie with claw ,is cool for bream,etc?)

last but not least ,use a scoop/landing net between ya feet!

Regards
Gazza
p.s. did you fish the mudflat as it was rising ,sounds like a 'probable area' ?

[whiteman]

(I was at work by 9.30am and I'm the boss! This is Townsville - city of lifestyle!).

Not much algae on the beach but some in the creek - Surveyor Creek if you know the area. Fished Acheron Island on Sunday which was clear for some nice Sweetlip and there was plenty of algae on the way back in so it may continue to hang around.

As for the yabbies, I don't know how to hook them. I've tried 1/2 yabbie plenty of time cause the heads fall off easily! How do you hook 'em and keep the suckers alive?

[Gorilla_in_Manila]

Whiteman, (hey, that's what they call me over here )
Did you have mossie repellant or sun block all over your hands when baiting up? The bestest, freshest bait in the world ain't gunna catch nuttin' if it smells of RID.
I always have a good laugh at guys slopping on the sunscreen and then trying to catch beach worms - same problem.
Lotta guys say run out is better for getting the whiting on the chew, sometimes they just aren't interested though. If you have a bunch of mates, try fishing all together close by using the same bait. We used to find during whiting sessions on Fraser that the more baits in the water, the more keen they got, and then after a few are caught, the action seems to stir the others into getting even keener. Make your own luck that way.
Long clear light leader of 50cm or more to keep the sinker well away from the hook. Slow trail across the bottom as I find they seem to like a moving bait.
Let us know how you go.
Cheers,
Jeff
PS now you are going to have to stay there for a week and change only one thing per day so we know what fixed it.

[jpningi]

Another little sercet when fishing for whitting from the beach or sand flat get out of the water ( Aprox 2 metres ) and fish the edge. Not to shallow, usually knee deep is a good place to start and move out to find the fish. Use a very light sinker when using live baits and let the current and waves do the rest.

It may look silly but you are not spooking the whitting who like to feed in close.