another evening at Kerferd Pier

[kabo]

Hi all,

just a quick report from Kerferd pier friday night - stayed from about 5.30 to 8.30pm set up about 2/3 up to the end, pier was quite empty when I arrived, so ha lots of room. It was much windier than I expected, that'll teach me to read the weather report properly I was way underdressed and nearly frozen stiff by the time I left :doh1: water quite choppy and so lots of dragging around of my too light sinkers, which meant I lost another 2 rigs to the weeds. I pulled out 1 pinky, which was nice and had the group of kids present into hysterics - very funny.

Later the nice guy at the end of the pier helped me out with some fresh bait (squid) and a place to cast of off the end, where there's apparently no weeds! hooray! :a_goodjob: He was quite helpful and explained lots of things, and I had then a few strong bites, but mistimed my hook up, so no further fish for me. But it was great fun, and if I had had more appropriate clothing I might have stayed a bit longer.

One question though, he said the running sinker rig was really only good for flathead and not for any other species - is that right? I though it worked for snapper as well?

all in all a fun evening.
kabo

[purple5ive]

Good report
running sinker rig will catch a lot of fish not just flathead.. but if fishing a rocky or weedy patch best to use a paternoster rig..

[neckbeards]

think i know which one you were! pretty quiet night

[smile0784]

i only use running sinker rig, here in ppb and up at bermagui
in ppb i mainly catch flathead cos thats what im after but did catch a lot of late season snapper in may last year on those rigs and nice snapper too 9 of them over 2 days all over 6kg, had a 6 to 7 foot gummy shark up next to the boat, a few smaller gummys, wrasse,
and up at bermagui mainly flathead but have caught hammer head shark, gummy sharks, mowong, snapper, wrasse, salmon

hope this help

[kabo]

Well, clearly a running sinker works for all sorts of fish. I can see how a paternoster rig would keep (hopefully, anyway) the hooks of the weeds more than a running sinker...I will keep experimenting. And I would be quite happy with a flathead anyway

Well, neckbeard, that's just not fair - which one were you?

[nhillboy]

Hi kabo, well done again on having a go at Kerferd. I fish at Sandringham/Brighton now during the week but mainly fished at Kerferd from '07 to '11. Always got plenty of pinkys Feb to April, keepers being about 25% of what was landed. Sessions were nearly the same, had to be choppy 15 to 20 knots, SE, W or SW, high tide late afternoon/sunset/evening. Gear was 3 x 8 foot rods, 2 or 3 oz star sinkers, set up towards end of pier or end if empty, size 2 ,1/0 bait holder hooks on a 2 hook paternoster rig 20 lb mono and calamari, pilchards and blue bait, sometimes pipi as baits of choice. Main fish landed where pinkys. Other species hooked up at times where whiting,salmon, flathead, bream, trevally, gars, ling, banjos, rays,toadies etc. Hope this info helps out somewhat in helping you understand Kerferd pier better. Sometimes when water calmer around 10 knots I would throw out a rig with size 6 long shank hooks baited with pipi for some KG whiting action, mainly in the 25 to 30 cm range... :cheers:

[barra mick]

Well, clearly a running sinker works for all sorts of fish. I can see how a paternoster rig would keep (hopefully, anyway) the hooks of the weeds more than a running sinker...I will keep experimenting. And I would be quite happy with a flathead anyway

Well, neckbeard, that's just not fair - which one were you?

they both work fine

barra mick

[kabo]

Nhillboy - thanks for being so generous with info! I had great fun and will try out your suggestions. I might try to have a longer lead between the sinker and the first hook of the paternoster, maybe that will safe me a couple of rigs I'm just so slow re-tying stuff...no patience for this when I'm on a pier. I thought I might try circle hooks, since I'm so good at mistiming my hook up that way I just hang back and pray, hehe. Also, completely forgot about the two banjos that the other guys caught while I was there, they are good value for entertainment. Had the fishy jumping after his rod.

Barra Mick, I'll keep trying!
Cheers
Kabo

[kabo]

Just a quick update: went last night between about 9 and 10.30pm. Was worried it was bad timing when I saw only one other fisherman on the pier...at first happy to have the end to myself, but soon realised there was nothing happening at all. Not even a nibble. My prawns came back as shells, and then some white wormy thing crawled out of one - blurgh. I assume that was sealice?
Tried walking down the pier and casting in different directions, but still no luck. At least I was properly dressed this time packed up and chatted with the other guy who had caught a 30cm pinky and an undersized bream (returned) right at the start of the pier. Had fun anyway tossing lines about and I didn't lose a rig for the first time! Hooray!

[Basti]

little tip i came up with for the sea lice/crab issue. thread your hook through a little bit of packing foam a couple of times, pull through, and then bait up. the foam keeps it up off the seafloor and away from the buggers. the fish will still find it though. the piece of foam doesn't need to be big at all 1cm cubed is more than enough for half a pillie.

keep in mind, i doubt that the foam is biodegradable so try not to lose the rig too often