So you want to be a fisherman?
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=129918
Printed Date: 04 Feb 2026 at 2:05pm
Topic: So you want to be a fisherman?
Posted By: smudge
Subject: So you want to be a fisherman?
Date Posted: 03 Jan 2019 at 6:49pm
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OK, let's say you've decided that fishing is your thing. Assuming you have the basics, what are your 10 top picks for what will help you get the best out of your 'chosen thing'? Here are mine:
------------- Best gurnard fisherman in my street |
Replies:
Posted By: kitno
Date Posted: 03 Jan 2019 at 7:09pm
| Your wisdom astonishes me at times Obi1. Good advice. |
Posted By: Muppet
Date Posted: 03 Jan 2019 at 8:39pm
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You know I don't buy the whole need for fish filleting station, especially outside or in some garage or shed. For a couple of reasons. One being you spend all that time and money on icing down a fresh fish in perfect nick that really is now going to be filleted on some dirty bench. It should be done in a nice clean kitchen as a chef would do as you are dealing with high value produce. Seen some shocking filleting "benches" in my time I wouldn't put my dog meat on. Do us a photo Smudge lets see how bad ass your one is. No cleaning it down before hand just go do it!
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Posted By: kitno
Date Posted: 03 Jan 2019 at 8:54pm
| For filleting, I have a timber bench and sink outside. I don't fillet directly on the bench. I keep offcuts of ply and seratone sheets, about 600 x 600 that go under the fish. Once they've got a few cuts n scrape's on them, on the burn pile they go. |
Posted By: Spudnik
Date Posted: 03 Jan 2019 at 9:08pm
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Do plenty of recon at your chosen fishing grounds. If you didn't catch anything the first time, doesn't mean you won't catch fish on a different tide/conditions/lure/bait/time of day etc. ------------- Buckler of Swashes |
Posted By: smudge
Date Posted: 03 Jan 2019 at 9:17pm
Likewise Kitno. You are a true fisherman indeed. ------------- Best gurnard fisherman in my street |
kitno wrote:Posted By: smudge
Date Posted: 03 Jan 2019 at 9:19pm
Great call Muppet. I will go take a pic now ------------- Best gurnard fisherman in my street |
Posted By: smudge
Date Posted: 03 Jan 2019 at 9:24pm
Here we go Muppet
------------- Best gurnard fisherman in my street |
Posted By: smudge
Date Posted: 03 Jan 2019 at 9:29pm
Spudnik, I agree! If you have faith in a spot for whatever reason don't give up on it. I like to give out advice to true your tried and true then try somewhere totally random so you build a picture over years ------------- Best gurnard fisherman in my street |
Posted By: smudge
Date Posted: 03 Jan 2019 at 9:32pm
I also do some home kill and deer shooting. The ss top lifts off and there is a heavy duty board spanning the whole top for processing those animals. An addition I'm planning is a side tray for the fillets and wheels so it's easier to move top the chiller ------------- Best gurnard fisherman in my street |
Posted By: smudge
Date Posted: 03 Jan 2019 at 9:40pm
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I better add that bench was inspired by Tzer, one of the fussier (in a very good way)guys I've had the pleasure to fillet with. ------------- Best gurnard fisherman in my street |
Posted By: cirrus
Date Posted: 03 Jan 2019 at 10:02pm
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You say buy circle hooks and learn how to use them. This has got me going round in circles. Would you use them on live baits.? I used Mustard Demon circles on live baits last week as that was all i had. Managed a 4lb J.D. But second fish ,much larger, the hook pulled after 40 minutes. This thing kept circling the boat ,but when the line angle changed and was pretty well straight down and trying to get to the bottom toward the end of the battle as it tired ,the hook pulled out. Wrong hook or just the way it happens sometimes.? Assumed it was a kingi,but not sighted. |
Posted By: smudge
Date Posted: 03 Jan 2019 at 10:09pm
There's no magic answer Cirrus it just happens sometimes. you can't predict exactly where or how a fish is hooked. Arron has had a bad run on kings at the moment. A return to circle hooks will see him right. Nothing wrong with the hooks he's using it is just not working for him. ------------- Best gurnard fisherman in my street |
Posted By: cirrus
Date Posted: 03 Jan 2019 at 10:23pm
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Thanks Smudge. So circles should be as good as any hook for livies. Cant see why not. Pretty sure it was a good kingi. Could feel the tail thrusts,a bit of head shaking,circling the boat , stayed at constant depth and some fast blinding runs at first. Nothing worse than having a good fish and losing it just before it comes into sight,and therefore not really knowing what it was.
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Posted By: smudge
Date Posted: 03 Jan 2019 at 10:32pm
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?////try bridle rigging the livie cirrus. Having a big bait close to the gape of a circle hook doesn't usually end well
------------- Best gurnard fisherman in my street |
Posted By: Snappa Geoff
Date Posted: 04 Jan 2019 at 7:13am
| I could add another ten but that would be giving away all my secrets! Spend less on bait and learn how to catch it fresh when your out. |
Posted By: Spudnik
Date Posted: 04 Jan 2019 at 7:44am
Or even a fishing method. I bought some softbait gear a couple of years ago to have a go with, and it took me 6 - 9 months (of sporadic fishing admittedly) to work out how to use it properly and start regularly catching fish with it. It paid off too because 90% of the time I catch more fish than the bait fishos on the boat
------------- Buckler of Swashes |
Posted By: Steps
Date Posted: 04 Jan 2019 at 7:55am
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A tick in every box, thu will have to upgrade my main fish bin...and have a separate little chilly bin for bait / burley. Knives.. yep GOOD knives a MUST, espec when have a bin full. And sharpen.. to be able to do so so that after a filleting 25/30 good fish, the full length of the blade still slices and sharp enough that still digs in on the thumb nail like a good fish hook. Convex edge is secret to that. As to filleting bench.. cant go past being inside on a cold winters evening....Stainless with good solid chopping boards. They are easy to keep clean and the fish up out of crap.. guts etc.. and the height makes side cuts easy. A discarded neighbours kitchen carcass with bentch on top. Cupboards and draws store all your trace making, sinkers/ gear etc No need to hook up the water taps, far better is a hose from a nearby tap.. as they doing commercial set ups  Also showing collected KY , trev, mullet frames partly thawing to put thru the burley maker (multcher)  |
Posted By: smudge
Date Posted: 05 Jan 2019 at 2:28pm
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I don't keep bait with my catch, I use a smaller bin for the bait
------------- Best gurnard fisherman in my street |
Posted By: Steps
Date Posted: 05 Jan 2019 at 5:00pm
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Yep so do we.. except my small 25L chilly bin is on its last legs now.. and seems the red shed doesnt stock them any more. Was ideal.. 3 or 4 burleys in the bottom and packs of bait in zip bags on top
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Posted By: Smelt4Bait
Date Posted: 26 Jan 2019 at 9:45am
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For fish cleaning, find an old ironing board in the trash, remove the cloth cover and use it out back away from the house. When done, rinse, fold it up and lean it up against the fence or garage. Circle hooks work great but you need to fish them right. When you get hit do NOT set the hook. Let it run for 3 to 5 seconds, then click the bail, tighten up and your on! Fight as normal and the hook should be set firmly in the corner of the mouth. Erik
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Posted By: Muppet
Date Posted: 28 Jan 2019 at 1:14pm
| After watching a number of boats "fishing" yesterday I think they need a good read of the site. Lifeless rods but surrounded in fish and not catching. |
Posted By: braveintranets
Date Posted: 30 Jan 2019 at 9:49pm
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Very nice input. Just want to contribute my 2cents If you know where youre going to fish, go there in advance and ask people what theyre using. Most folks, and especially older folks, love to give tips and usually know all the good spots. |
Posted By: The cook
Date Posted: 31 Jan 2019 at 5:37pm
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Your list pretty much covers my arrangement, with an improved filleting station my next to do. With regards to the fish ("beer") fridge, temperature is a critical factor. You want it set as close to 0c as possible without freezing the fish. This can literally double the shelf life of fish. If left whole I can fillet fish after 10 days & it is almost impossible to tell that it is old.
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Posted By: smudge
Date Posted: 31 Jan 2019 at 11:01pm
That's impressive. I've heard before to keep fish at 1 degree for max life, your post endorses that. ------------- Best gurnard fisherman in my street |
Posted By: RaggedJoe
Date Posted: 01 Feb 2019 at 8:30am
| Folding filleting table from "Container Door .com" has been great for me. Good height and easy to store. Separate varnished ply board on the table for cutting on, easy rinse. The tap is useless, but hose does the job fine. Fillet in the shade outside, Labrador gets first snapper head to keep her quiet for 10 minutes, then a few trimmings as I go. :-) |