I need some advice

[Pottsy]

I'm sorry if I'm not posting in the correct category so correct me if I'm wrong.

As a newbie to fishing I'm wanting to go and do some surf fishing. (Travelling from Latrobe Valley) I was thinking of either going to Woodside, Venus Bay, or somewhere along the 90 mile beach next weekend (30th Nov - 1st Dec). Because I don't have a great deal of knowledge in specifically targeting (dependent on time of year),
for me to have my best chance at catching ANY fish could some one kindly experienced advise me on;

:?: Good location for surf fishing (1hr-2hrs from Traralgon)
What is the best time for me to fish, dawn or dusk?
Tide time? High going out or Low coming in?
What target fish would be my best chance to catch (I'd be happy catching anything), and what bait should would work best?

And a general question: What effect does the moon have on fishing, I know it plays a part in the tides but is that all?
I guess I could of googled some of these questions, but as a member of the forum, theres no harm in asking. :notworthy:

I know I sound like a bit of a dummy, but truth be told I've never had anyone to educate me on these types of things growing up. :|

Cheers.

[Tomcat1]

ok i'm not sure what beach would be best, but i can help with some advise. fish an hour or 2 before and after high and low tides. fish an hour or 2 before and after sunrise or sunset. low tide or slack tide can be good for king george whiting. incoming tides are usually good to fish for many different species. moon cycles do have a big effect on some fish. i usually look at http://www.tides4fishing.com to get an idea of good times to fish. also weather patterns effect some of the different types of fishing. for instance when land based fishing for snapper the best time to go is during gale winds that make the waves really rough. gummy fishing is best on full moons or new moons. bait depends on what you are targeting. pilchards or squid or cuttlefish for snapper. chicken breast and bluebait for salmon. salmon or eel for gummies. squid strips or pipis for king george. the list goes on and on. it would be a easier question to answer if you knew exactly what fish you were wanting to target.

[Breamster]

And a general question: What effect does the moon have on fishing,

Cheers.

Hey Pottsy,
We usually catch more fish around full moon. I don't know why, maybe the fish are more sexually active during this time? I know I am.

[Pottsy]

Thanks Tomkat1 for the advice. The website you shared is excellent, definately one for the bookmarks! "....it would be a easier question to answer if you knew exactly what fish you were wanting to target." I'm not fussed about what fish I'm targeting because I don't know which fish are most active this time of year. All I want to do is just catch some lol

[Tomcat1]

its always best to decide what you are targeting before you fo on a fishing trip. that way you get exactly what you need to catch that fish. the right size hooks the right sinker the right fishing rigs. but also good to have a back up plan. if you are going for snapper you might want to bring pilchards, squid, salmon fillets or Bonita pieces so on...... but if you keep getting little taps on your rod while fishing for snapper then you cut the squid into little strips and put them on smaller hooks and might catch king george. or if you are going fishing for gummies its always good to try to get to the beach around sunset to spin for a few salmon for fresh gummy bait. just cut them into fillets and put them on your hooks. if you dont want to go early to try to catch the salmon for gummies you can get eel from most tackle shops or you can use banana prawns for bait for gummies also or you can buy crabs for bait for gummies too it is really good bait for them.

[cruiser]

l know a work mate that goes to delray and fishes mainly night right until daylight he seems to do oka from the storys l here