advice needed

[matty1974]

ello all i'm coming over to oz from britain in october and was wondering what tackle, bait and line is recommended for beach fishing,and how to get the bait and where?
Please help
regards matt

[whiteman]

Where are you fishing Matt? Nth Qld, Sth Qld, Sydney, Melbourne?

[matty1974]

hello whiteman ,i'll be starting off in sydney /avalon,working for a bit and thenheading northmaking my way to byron bay for christmas/newyear,on the way i'll probably stop a few times probably at crescent head then a place called i think woolongong,mainly the east coast from bottom to top [smiley=anxious.gif]

[peterbo3]

Matty,
Woolongong is south of Sydney.

[PinHead]

12 months in prison would be better than one week in the 'Gong

[straddie]

Matty
The major species you are likely to encounter on the beach are whiting, bream, flathead, dart and tailor.

All of the above will take worms, yabbies and pippis
Bream flathead and tailor will take cut baits and small baitfish as well.
Tailor prefer WA pilchards

Fishing conditions you will encounter will vary from beach to beach and day to day. About 3/4 to 1metre of swell with light winds is ideal. Look for deep gutters with a drain/runout with a bit of white water about that you can just! cast to the bank.
Dart and tailor will hang under the white water wash of the bank, bream and whiting will be in close near the shore break, flathead position will vary the most.

When your fishing if a gutter doesn't produce after three or four casts, wander to the next likely looking spot and repeat till you find fish. All of the above species can be site fished with experience if you know what to look for.

Seeing as you will be travelling, a compromise outfit would be a two piece rod about 12ft long and 12lb small diameter mono. Overkill for whiting, ok for dart, bream, flatties, and chopper tailor maybe a little light if some big greenbacks show up.

Hook sizes no4 long shank for whiting, 1/0 will cover dart bream and flatties fairly, and 3x3/0 rig for tailor up to 3x5/0 if big guys are around.
Sinker sizes need to suit prevailing conditions. Use a swivel otherwise the wash and current will result in nasty twisting of the line.
Trace lengths of around 12 inches for a tailor rig up to 3ft for other species should be fine

Beach worms and pippis will be where you are fishing usually, pippis can be found around the low water mark as an oval mound app 2inches round on the sand, dig into the sand with your fingers 2 or 3 inches down and you should find a shell, break open, scoop the critter out and hook it on.
Yabbies will be where the beach starts to merge with rivers creeks or bays, you need a yabby pump and will find them by groups of holes in the sandy mud, and blood worms will be in muddy shale areas near river mouths and can be dug with a garden fork near the low tide line, look for areas that look like they have been turned over recently and dig beside them.