Help me get started!
Printed From: The Fishing Website
Category: Saltwater Fishing
Forum Name: Newbies Corner
Forum Description: If you're new to fishing this is the place to ask any questions about getting started ...
URL: https://www.fishing.net.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=129552
Printed Date: 04 Feb 2026 at 10:14am
Topic: Help me get started!
Posted By: Gefilte
Subject: Help me get started!
Date Posted: 24 Nov 2018 at 8:28pm
| So I've had my (first) boat for 4 months. 6m Rayglass. Love getting out but never seem to catch decent fish. We use bait (mullet fillets), but would appreciate any advice on: how to berley, how to find where the fish are, how to know when's best to go. We go from Bayswater and Westhaven. Don't mind a mission far out every now and then but would love to get some fish closer to home for more frequent trips. Advice please! |
Replies:
Posted By: smudge
Date Posted: 24 Nov 2018 at 10:34pm
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Hi there Gefilte. Easily the best time to go fishing is when you have the time. If you are lucky enough to be able to chose then veryu early morning would be my pick, especially in shallow water if there is an incoming tide. In deep water the time of day generally isn't a big factor. On this site there is a Bite Time thingy that works really well. There are a lot of places to try not far from Westhaven, Tagit will know more about that than me because I seldom fish that area. Berley is a good thing but it needs to be used properly. In anything deeper than 5m it needs to be on the bottom. You need to make sure that you are fishing in the berley trail for it to be effective - otherwise you may be taking fish away from your baits. My advice for bait fishing: Use a dropper rig in deep water, 20m+, a running rig if there is a lot of current and a strayline if it is shallow - 10m or less. fishing shallow in the middle of the day is usuall;y not a good thing ------------- Best gurnard fisherman in my street |
Posted By: shaneg
Date Posted: 24 Nov 2018 at 11:27pm
| To catch good fish easy and develop skills I would suggest a rather large space of water generally defined as the worm beds is any where in the middle between mototap and gulf harbour and noises and tiri. Now it should be banging through to almost Xmas. Range of techniques with bait will work from ledger bait rigs to strayline. When I used to take charters was pretty much a no brainer. There are better spots closer in shore and inner islands on or near foul for those with skills. More sftbaiting and lures, but you will literally clean up early morning and late arvo ( if no wind) with bait wider in the middle ground. Just stay out of the no anchoring cable zones. |
Posted By: Tagit
Date Posted: 25 Nov 2018 at 1:36pm
| PM me when you are next heading out and I will give you some tips to try. Plenty of fish turning up close to home now. Get the right rig & bait plus the right spot for the tide and it will happen. |
Posted By: Grunta
Date Posted: 27 Nov 2018 at 7:34am
| ShaneG is on to it. At this time of the year the channels start to fish quite well and also the upper harbour. Watch the ' https://www.fishing.net.nz/forum/out-with-the-twelves_topic26073.html" rel="nofollow - Out with the 12's ' thread. Geoff and the guys that post there don't usually need to venture far and are very successful and they generously share the details. Tagit's also in touch with all the guys that charter ex Westhaven so has his finger on the fishing pulse! |
Posted By: John_Ra
Date Posted: 27 Nov 2018 at 10:54am
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I've Found Pilchards to be arguably the 2nd best bait to use. Either cut up, in half or whole. Mullet is ok as a slab... Squid ummmm prob better as little bits on a sabiki to catch yellowtail, which is the best bait... butterflied, chunks, fillets, alive see youtube for baiting methods. Hook size... 6/0 as your just starting out then 8/0 & bigger once you have a handle on how things are going... I prefer BM circles & gamakatsu circles... Be careful of the T.A.S sickness gets you in the end... :-) ------------- http://www.legasea.co.nz" rel="nofollow"> 
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Posted By: Sezza
Date Posted: 04 Dec 2018 at 4:02pm
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Congrats on the new boat! A tip with Berley is to cut V-slits into the bag it came in rather than take it completely out. It makes it last way longer. I am still a newbie to fishing too but the more experience you get out on the water, the better you get :)
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