Where the bloody hell are the fish?!

[gmtl34]

Hi guys,

Been fishing twice a week for about four months now since i broke my leg and couldn't go floundering until it healed.
I almost like fishing more than floundering now! Except that i have only caught one bloody fish. (well undersized)

Can anyone give me any tips on location, gear and methods? I've been aiming for flathead, whiting and squid.
SP and bait's on a paternoster rig for flathead
paternoster with pippies/squid for whiting
squid jigs for squid.

I've tried about 10 different piers on different tides in WP and about 5 spots in PPB but don't even seem to get a bite! (with the exception of toad fish stealing my bait and even eating the tails off my soft plastics!)

I love fishing and have kitted myself out with basic gear but want to start bloody catching something!

I would call myself a complete rookie so i'll sponge up any tips and info anyone can give me

(More than happy to help out anyone looking to get into floundering in return

Jim

[bowl]

Got 3 squid n kgw last saturday down at st leonards...
What time of day ya been fushing

[dazz999]

brighton pier with soft plastics with 1/8 to 1/4 weight jighead let the plastic hit the bottom then double whip lift flathead sit on the bottom you do lose a few jigheads and plastics but there cheap as for squid down there dead not much around

[gmtl34]

My fishing's been split between dusk and dawn, i normally fish the last few hours of an incoming tide.
Im based on the Mornington Peninsula so St Leonards would be too far away from me.

When squidding at night, am i wasting my time without a floodlight?

Thanks Dazz, i'll have to check brighton pier out sometime, most of my fishing has been Mornington, Mt Martha etc for PPB or Stoney Point, Hastings etc for WPB but ive had enough of losing rigs due to the amount of weed on that side!

[dazz999]

all good buddy if you get down my way let me know

[Seemu]

(More than happy to help out anyone looking to get into floundering in return

Jim

If you ever need some company floundering I'm down to catch some flounder!!!

Simon

[eddyt]

Mornington pier is good for squid at night. No light needed, just stand close to the start of the pier where the big light is. Actually don't shine your torch into the water as it scares them away. Can never really tell where the squiddies go though because ive had just as much success further down the pier in complete darkness.

For fish landbased lately around st kilda has been going alright on pinkies after a strong westerly. Paternoster rig with pilchards or squid on 1/0-2/0 circle hook working well for me. Best time strangely has been on the start of the rising tide but dawn/dusk are usually productive. Some flatties around too.

Always wanted to give floundering a go too but no idea where to start. Any hints around Mornington to Brighton and what gear you need?

[gmtl34]

Gday Simon,

Always happy to flounder with new people! I broke my leg a few months ago now therefore why i transitioned to fishing but should be able to wade again in a month or two cant wait

Land based fishing is good but i've gone from filling a bag almost every time i flounder to catching one fish in four months!!

I love eating fresh fish so the last few months have not been great haha

[gmtl34]

Mornington pier is good for squid at night. No light needed, just stand close to the start of the pier where the big light is. Actually don't shine your torch into the water as it scares them away. Can never really tell where the squiddies go though because ive had just as much success further down the pier in complete darkness.

For fish landbased lately around st kilda has been going alright on pinkies after a strong westerly. Paternoster rig with pilchards or squid on 1/0-2/0 circle hook working well for me. Best time strangely has been on the start of the rising tide but dawn/dusk are usually productive. Some flatties around too.

Always wanted to give floundering a go too but no idea where to start. Any hints around Mornington to Brighton and what gear you need?

I've tried Mornington pier a few times but its always so crowded it can be hard to get any space, i think ill head back during the colder winter months and hopefully less people will be around.

I've never tried to catch pinky's, based on my poor success for flathead and KGW i might have to give it a go

Floundering is cheap and easy to get into, all you really need is:
- Underwater LED light (can buy from Anaconda for <$30 and is battery operated to save you carrying a car battery around!)
- graphite or steel spears (for the casual flounderer i would recommend sticking to steel spears, you can pick them up for $20ish as opposed to $600+ for a graphite spear and they do the same job, graphite is only better when spear fishing in the water itself IMO due to being lighter

Apart from that a set of waders is a must during winter months but during summer i walk out in shorts and beach shoes

I've never tried any further north than Frankston beach, ideally you want to get out during low tide on a flat beach. Any water over knee height and it becomes too hard to make out patters on the bottom if theres any wind about. Canadian Bay in Mornington is one of my regular spots but you would be amazed at how many fish can be caught on any given beach! we normally come home with a bag of flounder, flathead, garfish and whiting if quick enough with the spear!

[Kadmium]

Hey mate. I've gone floundering a couple times but no joy. As for fishing for KGW landbased I would generally gove it a miss. You will catch them but not consistently to any degree like a boat fisho.

Squid - can be caught 24 hours a day. You need good jigs (not expensive but good colours and foils etc) and good fluro leader. Places to start are Mornington / Sorrento bay side or Flinders for less consistent but bigger squid.

Flatties - A decent size jighead that will get you down to the bottom and stay there. A zman paddle tail or grub will get you started. Very hardy and no fuss plastic. Cast out, let sink to the bottom and a slow roll back. Stop every 2-3m to make sure you hit bottom again. You can vary with a smallish double hop or a burn and stop. Flatties are ambush predators who sot and wait for something to go past. You will catch them, just need to know how.

Enjoy mate!