Our coasts are no longer.. in most places, populated with fish as was in the 50s and 60s. Where one simply thru out a hook on a bit of rope and caught a good fish for dinner.. and supply the neighborhood to boot.
So now, like golf, knitting, cooking, fishing requires experience and a honing of basic skills along with recording of history


History.. learnt this from the old man going back into the late 50s.
 Keep a log of what, where caught and tide, water temp, and time ( time day +dmy)
After a while you build up a data base of locations, and prospect a couple that maybe due to start firing on the way to intended position.. often not getting that far.
 
Also, we head out from the ramp,  and stop and drift over a bit of innocent looking foul or rock..throw a bait or SB over while setting up rod rods and gear...
Nothing worse than heading out, and a boil up comes up out of nowhere, and no rods or gear ready to go.
After a while one gets quite a few innocent little spots to stop and set up over.
Most think deep water, espec east coast, we did our best fishing in water 2 to 5m drifting thru bays... very rarely anchored at all.. unless diving.
 West Coast and harbours are very different kettle fish thu.

And if fish are there.. the little details matter.. like tidy baits so they dont spin up in currents or tangle going down. (also most common reason a anchor doesnt take) Quality hooks, right size hooks and weight sinkers for that current.
Making sure recurve hooks are mounted /tied on the right way round (which just looks wrong )  Using re curves and jerking the rod everytime a small fish has a nibble, instead of waiting for the bigger fish to pick it up, swim away then munch on it...or just take the whole thing.
Not having the barb well clear of the bait..and bait right size for the hook.. usually look to be hanging and to big for the hook.
And if there are fish down there, accept it doesnt mean they want to eat anything..

PS and study google maps satellite pics, and upto date detailed maps like the navionics.

 Hope these basics help..

Spam is good bait.

Great, spambots replying to spambots now! Maybe they could start their own forum 

smudge wrote: Maybe if I leave this here the rest of them will join in?

BotStomper wrote: Quietly enjoying how after a period it looks like the original post has been edited to be an ad for sewing machines?