Tips For L/B Gummy Sharks?

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TheLoneTurtle
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Tips For L/B Gummy Sharks?

Post by TheLoneTurtle » Tue Jan 16, 2018 5:59 pm

Been heading out around the beaches of western port using fresh salmon,trevally,squid and blue-bait. I have got 4 good runs and some decent bites but they just aren't getting hooked up. I am using a sliding sinker rig with a 60 pound leader (which is 1 to 1.5m in length) and 6/0 circle hooks.

If you guys could give me any tips, it would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers in advance.

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Brett
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Re: Tips For L/B Gummy Sharks?

Post by Brett » Tue Jan 16, 2018 6:19 pm

Everything you're doing is correct, maybe up the hook size to a 7/0 or 8/0. It can be very hit and miss on those beaches, time and patience is the key.
I had a good run for a few months, then went without a fish for 6 months up to 2 yrs( I didn't have as much time to go fishing, is the main reason I lost my catch rate)

try different moon phases, tides at 1 beach until you come up with the goods, it will come.

Redhunter
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Re: Tips For L/B Gummy Sharks?

Post by Redhunter » Tue Jan 16, 2018 6:20 pm

TheLoneTurtle wrote:Been heading out around the beaches of western port using fresh salmon,trevally,squid and blue-bait. I have got 4 good runs and some decent bites but they just aren't getting hooked up. I am using a sliding sinker rig with a 60 pound leader (which is 1 to 1.5m in length) and 6/0 circle hooks.

If you guys could give me any tips, it would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers in advance.
1st mistake...pissoff those promotional useless circles and run twin suicides. A standard snapper rig. Your hookup rates will double. Your chances of a 20-30kg gumbo are very slim, so be prepared for below 10kg, closer to half that in reality. If you are getting good bites, let them go and don't strike until the rod loads up, or they move off with the bait. Gummies will most often have a chew, before moving off with the bait. You don't want to strike prematurely and pull the bait out of its mouth and scare it off if you can help it.
At this time of year the rays in close basking in the warmer water may drive you nuts as they hoover bait after bait, but they can fill in time between bites as well :)
I won't give you the easy answer, but full/new moon, and cast towards/onto a dropoff, after dark, would be my suggestion.

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Re: Tips For L/B Gummy Sharks?

Post by Redhunter » Tue Jan 16, 2018 6:26 pm

Brett wrote:Everything you're doing is correct, maybe up the hook size to a 7/0 or 8/0. It can be very hit and miss on those beaches, time and patience is the key.
I had a good run for a few months, then went without a fish for 6 months up to 2 yrs( I didn't have as much time to go fishing, is the main reason I lost my catch rate)

try different moon phases, tides at 1 beach until you come up with the goods, it will come.
The only fella I know of that has landed a blue in PPB...can't dismiss his advice...
Brett, pls tell me you are talking suicide hooks and not those useless bloody circles please mate?

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Re: Tips For L/B Gummy Sharks?

Post by Brett » Tue Jan 16, 2018 6:38 pm

Redhunter wrote:
Brett wrote:Everything you're doing is correct, maybe up the hook size to a 7/0 or 8/0. It can be very hit and miss on those beaches, time and patience is the key.
I had a good run for a few months, then went without a fish for 6 months up to 2 yrs( I didn't have as much time to go fishing, is the main reason I lost my catch rate)

try different moon phases, tides at 1 beach until you come up with the goods, it will come.
The only fella I know of that has landed a blue in PPB...can't dismiss his advice...
Brett, pls tell me you are talking suicide hooks and not those useless bloody circles please mate?
Nope, much better rate with circles for me, but everyone has there own experience.

I'll add I only use small bite size baits though, not slabs or full fillets. My bait would be lucky to be the size of a golf ball, when fishing Western Port beaches.

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Re: Tips For L/B Gummy Sharks?

Post by Hosery » Tue Jan 16, 2018 7:26 pm

Redhunter wrote:
TheLoneTurtle wrote:Been heading out around the beaches of western port using fresh salmon,trevally,squid and blue-bait. I have got 4 good runs and some decent bites but they just aren't getting hooked up. I am using a sliding sinker rig with a 60 pound leader (which is 1 to 1.5m in length) and 6/0 circle hooks.

If you guys could give me any tips, it would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers in advance.
1st mistake...pissoff those promotional useless circles and run twin suicides. A standard snapper rig. Your hookup rates will double. Your chances of a 20-30kg gumbo are very slim, so be prepared for below 10kg, closer to half that in reality. If you are getting good bites, let them go and don't strike until the rod loads up, or they move off with the bait. Gummies will most often have a chew, before moving off with the bait. You don't want to strike prematurely and pull the bait out of its mouth and scare it off if you can help it.
At this time of year the rays in close basking in the warmer water may drive you nuts as they hoover bait after bait, but they can fill in time between bites as well :)
I won't give you the easy answer, but full/new moon, and cast towards/onto a dropoff, after dark, would be my suggestion.
I’ll say keep the circles. They do work and work a treat at that. They do how ever need to be used differently to J’s or suicides. When I first started using them I would load the hook up with bait and strike. I thought that they were useless. Gave them another go only pinning the baits so plenty of hook is showing and lifting the rod instead of striking. Strike rate on fish has gone up with them. I lately have been snelling a circle with a black magic ks which has been working well also.

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TheLoneTurtle
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Re: Tips For L/B Gummy Sharks?

Post by TheLoneTurtle » Wed Jan 17, 2018 1:11 pm

I don’t know which?? Circles or suicides?

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Re: Tips For L/B Gummy Sharks?

Post by bilby » Wed Jan 17, 2018 2:43 pm

Circles for my money - mainly based on experiences with LB snapper and mulloway, but have also hooked sharks and rays using them.

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Re: Tips For L/B Gummy Sharks?

Post by slinga » Wed Jan 17, 2018 3:51 pm

Circles... fish in gear. Don't strike... let the fish load up the rod.

Don't venture too far from your rod too. If your rod is in hand hold it parallel to the water so the rod doesn't bend before the reel engages.

Somers to Shoreham after the Feb full moon is your best option.

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Re: Tips For L/B Gummy Sharks?

Post by dazz999 » Wed Jan 17, 2018 6:10 pm

sorry to cut in are you guys snelling your circles

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