Justin Felix loves nothing more than chasing shallow water bread and butter species after dark. He explains that baiting from the shoreline can still be an effective and entertaining technique to catch a feed.
The inshore fringes of Port Phillip Bay become alive with activity in the warmer months – you just need to know where to look. When speaking of shallow water I’m referring to really shallow, generally two metres or less. Now you may not encounter huge fish but you can expect decent numbers and if you’re after a feed, the shallows provide some of the tastiest fish on offer. King George whiting, the humble flathead, garfish, pinkie snapper and calamari are all within casting distance of the shore.
Fishing after dark from the sand presents many benefits but none more so than having the beach to yourself. Unlike pier fishing which can get crowded and hectic, fishing a stretch of beach away from other anglers can be both relaxing and extremely rewarding. It also provides a great opportunity to get the young ones into our great sport.
I’ve spoken about Google Maps and Earth before and I can’t stress enough the importance of these valuable tools. Think of this technology as the sounders and GPS units available to the landbased angler. Look for broken ground or weedy patches close to shore and then work out the best possible way to reach it. If there are no obvious paths down to the location, thank your lucky stars as it probably indicates that not many have ventured there before you. In saying that, if you arrive at your destination and other anglers are already there, chances are you’ve stumbled upon a pretty special place. Do yourself and those who are in-the-know already a favour and keep it quiet – you don’t want too many people catching on.
Fishing under the cover of darkness puts you in with the best possible chance of getting amongst the action. Fish move onto the shallows as light begins to dissipate as they feel protected and comfortable whilst foraging around for baitfish and any other morsels they can find. A changing tide, preferably a run-in, is preferable as is a slight breeze.
Techniques
Once you’ve established that you’re in casting distance of broken weed beds and sand patches it’s time to get your baits into the mix. You need to target the sand patches as opposed to the weed – ‘easier said than done at night’ I hear you say. A few casts into the area will quickly determine whether or not you’re in the right area; turn the handle a few times and if you snag up, you’ve either cast too far or too short. You’ll quickly work out where to and where not to cast. If possible, head to the area during daylight, preferably with polarised sunglasses. Make a visual note of best areas to cast and even send a few un-baited rods out to get a better understanding of the area. In certain areas you will need to retrieve your lines in quickly to avoid baits and sinkers getting caught up in reef whilst other areas will feature a clear sandy bottom closer to shore.
There are two main ways to fish baits while landbased, either actively or anchored. Let’s take a closer look at both:
Anchored Baiting
Anchoring baits and waiting for a bite is the simplest form of bait fishing an angler can undertake. It involves rigging the baits in the best possible fashion before sending them out in the hope that a fish will firstly acknowledge it and secondly be tempted enough to have a crack. While many consider this type of fishing to be rather boring, one cannot deny that it works. If baits are fresh, presented correctly and cast in the right areas, fish will find them and in most cases, won’t hesitate to nail them.
Active Baiting
I find that anchored baits take their fair share of fish but species such as whiting and flathead really are partial to something that moves. A similar approach to working plastics can be undertaken when using bait. Whiting are suckers for pipi and squid cocktail baits and even more so when they are slowly dragged across sand patches between weed beds. When the fish are in numbers it won’t take long to receive enquiries but converting them to solid hook ups can occasionally be a problem. Over the last two seasons we have found that by imparting a slight jiggle or slow rolling the bait back towards yourself will provoke the fish to hit with gusto. Try thinking of active baiting as boat fishing on the drift and anchoring your baits like, well… fishing at anchor.
Squid can be caught from shore as the sun is setting or even after darkness blankets the area. If you’re fishing in a weedy area don’t hesitate to cast a jig out before retrieving it with short, sharp jerks along the way. Don’t allow the jig to sink too far as you’ll only be fishing in around a metre of water and often over unforgiving weed. If you manage a couple, don’t keep them for the table as you’ll be able to convert even a small one into a good bag of fish.
Tackle and Rigs
Appropriate tackle will be dictated by the type of terrain you’re fishing, as well as baiting methods. If you’re actively baiting the shallows you can get away with a 7 ft rod matched to a 2500 to 3000 sized reel. Spool up with 10 lb braid and an 8 to 10 lb leader and you’re good to go. If long casts are a necessity and you’re planning on anchoring your baits, something in the 9 to 10 ft range will be more appropriate. Try to steer clear of traditional heavy surf rods and look for something in the 5 to 8 kg range. Match the rod to a 3000 to 4000 size reel with 10 or 12 lb braid and upsize your leader to 15 or 20 lb if fishing heavy structure.
Several rigs can be used to great effect but the simple paternoster or running sinker rigs are all you’ll need. I prefer to attach a casting leader (approx. 1.5 rod lengths) to my braid via a slim beauty knot which I then tie a swivel to the other end of. If fishing solely for whiting I prefer a running sinker rig. It’s important to only use minimal weight as King George shy away rather easily. Reduce the amount of resistance they feel when picking up the bait and you’ll significantly increase your chances of a good bag. Ball sinkers are preferred over star or pyramid sinkers as they reduce the chances of snagging and run freely up and down the leader between two swivels. Bomb sinkers are also good to use and by employing a break off sinker leader you’ll reduce the risk of losing fish once hooked. A break off sinker leader is basically a separate leader attached to your sinker that is of lesser breaking strain than your main line or leader. If using a running sinker slider, I take the clip off and tie on some 6 lb mono (about 15 cm and attach it to the sinker. If you hook up and get snagged, the break off leader will snap first and you’ll still be connected to the fish.
Hook patterns and sizes are dictated by the fish being targeted and of course, the size and style of bait. When chasing flathead or pinkies I like using salted pilchards or bluebait and as such like a 1/0 in either an octopus or circle pattern. For whiting I like Mustad’s classic long shank bloodworm in either a size 6 or 8 and laced with fresh squid strips or Aussie pipi (or even better – both). Up until last season I would always use a two-hook paternoster rig but have recently favoured a one-hook rig for a couple of reasons. Despite being able to hook and land two fish at a time with a two dropper paternoster I found snags were more prevalent as there was an extra (often trailing) hook attached. I also found that once I received a bite I’d wait too long to determine whether or not the other bait would get eaten. More often than not I’d bring the rig in and both baits were taken. I now work on the theory of one bait; one fish. If I receive a bite or two and don’t secure a hook up, I quickly reel in before re-baiting and sending out to the same area.
Despite lures being all-the-rage at the moment, I and many other anglers still find merit in baiting hooks in the best possible manner and tempting fish that way. This style of fishing won’t be for everyone but it’s productive, inexpensive and anyone can do it. Chasing shallow water goodies from the shore should be on your agenda if you’re landbased this summer as the piers will be full but not necessarily with fish.
