help for a beginner?

[teiiiiim]

hi guys I'm pretty much new to fishing. I've to mordialloc pier and some other piers maybe about 10 or so times. i never catch anything. am i just impatient or do i not know what I'm doing?
what i do: i use a regular size rod and i have pilchards about 5cm long. i usually fish at the end of the pier towards the right side and usually as the sun goes down. does anyone have tips/ advice?
thanks

[4liters]

What rigs and hooks are you using?
1/0 circles on either a paternoster or running sinker rig baited with fresh banana prawn from the supermarket and cast straight down next to the pylons should see you catch some fish.

If you use circle hooks don't strike when you get a nibble, just lift the rod tip slowly but firmly.

[GONE FISHING]

Mornington has good squid about. Personally, I would be using squid strips as bait for two reasons:

A) they don't come off the hook easy therefore less likely to have pickers steal your bait, and ;

B) there are squid in the area therefore are a "local" bait

You could try rigging both ways as mentioned, paternoster and a running sinker rig. Use light sinkers, large enough to get a bit of a cast out but not bricks. Use line of around 10-12lb mono if you're starting out, easier to manage. And lastly, a rod of around 2-5kg will be ideal, around 7ft in length.

As 4L mentioned, circles hooks are a good investment. You don't have to strike, the fish will hook themselves. If you are using circles and you are feeling nibbles but no hook up, then try slowly lifting your rod a little to encourage a stronger bite from the fish in order for the circle hook to curl around into the corner of their jaw.

Last bit of advice I could offer is, I still remember when I started out fishing, it took me around 6 or 7 trips out before I caught my first fish. If it wasn't for the fact that I'm a stubborn bastard and refused to give in, I would have packed it in after the first couple of trips. Fishing is about patience and constant learning. Ask questions, search on the net (your best resource is professor google) and experiment. That's why they call it fishing, and not catching.

Goodluck mate

[teiiiiim]

hi guys i usually use a paternoster rig, ill give what you guys said to do a go and keep trying

[poodoo]

My tips for the beginner is:
1. Use fresh bait and have 2 different baits, some days the fish want one over the other
2. Fish 2 hours before and 2 hours after a tide change
3. If on the pier burley to bring the fish to you
4. Use small hooks to see what fish are around
5. Try and target a single species till you get a feel for the place
6. Use the lightest line and rod you can for the job

[4liters]

Maybe we need a sticky thread somewhere with really basic stuff like that, and maybe one with a couple of shopping lists for beginners wanting to get set up for different types of fishing.

[Lightningx]

Maybe we need a sticky thread somewhere with really basic stuff like that, and maybe one with a couple of shopping lists for beginners wanting to get set up for different types of fishing.

Sounds like a good idea :a_goodjob:

[4liters]

I'd do it but I'm bad at fishing so I'll stick to giving questionable advice in threads like this :thumbsup:

[Buckle&scream]

My tip would be to any newbie to fishing is to start from catching mullets and gars and small salmon by float fishing, you will work your way up ur self from there. I started from scratch just like the majority of older fishos in there 30s and 40s would know what I mean. I started fishing my siting next to old guys on a jetty at the warmies fishing with squid poles(aka w** poles) catching mullet and gars then eventually moved to bream and pinkies from there. I never really caught much back then but that was almost 20years ago now. Now days you just get put strait on to the big stuff with out learning all the basics first. I'd suggest fishing with a float small size 12-14 short shank hook you will find mullet float rigs on the net just google it, use a bread and tuna oil burley and for bait use dough or chicken tiny pieces just covering the tip of the hook have the tip of the hook slightly exposed throw 1 hand of burley near you float every 10-15min have your hook about 800mm under your float. Don't take your eyes if your float. Good luck.

[SteveoTheTiger]

My best advice is to do what you are doing now and try to learn by whatever means necessary. There are some great websites out there for beginners, YouTube can also be an excellent source of information and also check out the great books put out by the Australian Fishing Network, particularly those that focus on Port Phillip Bay.

But most of all, if what you are doing is not working then try something else.

Albert Einstein said that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.