Western sport Newbie - current and spots?

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Hogester79
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Joined: Sat Nov 14, 2020 6:12 pm

Western sport Newbie - current and spots?

Post by Hogester79 » Sat Nov 14, 2020 6:20 pm

Hi everyone,

(Boat is at Hastings - starting location)

Been a long time reader as I’ve waited for lockdown to end to finally get out on my new boat

Got into today and very happy with the boat. So now the questions.

When the current is starting to push out (high tide to low) - struggling to keep a 12oz on the bottom. What should I be using?

Alternatively what about some locations where the current isn’t so bad?

Next as I don’t know the waterways all that much yet - anyone provide me with some pointers on places to start ? At the moment it feels like a lot of water and I can’t tell why all of a sudden there will be a bunch of boats about!

Clearly fish love structure. I’ve got the western port map - keen to chase whiting, snapper and squid.

Spent all day today throwing back undersize flatties.

Thanks everyone 👍

cobby
Rank: Murray Cod
Rank: Murray Cod
Joined: Tue Apr 16, 2013 5:39 pm
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Re: Western sport Newbie - current and spots?

Post by cobby » Sat Nov 14, 2020 7:44 pm

It depends on the moon phase, some weeks tides are a lot slower than others, but you want a collection of sinkers from 1oz through to 1lb to cover all fishing aspects of the bay. Your average fishing between Sandy Point and Tooradin in 12+m of water is between 5 and 16oz all through the tide cycle. To get away from the fast moving water you've got to go shallower. Outside of going shallow, you won't get out of the tide flow much, even more so going down a high flow area like the western entrance.

As for areas to go, if you're going from Hastings all the time then put the time into the north arm between Sandy Point and Warneet channel. Fish somewhere on reefy bottom along the edge of the shipping channel 2 hours either side of the tide change (you avoid the peak flow but can miss out on good fishing) for your Gummies and Snapper (and whiting on tide changes), work the 2-8m line along places like the middle spit for Whiting, squid you'll get in 1-6m along any bank that's got weed cover (you'll get a good idea over low tide what's underneath the shallows just by what's exposed on the mud). Because of the tidal influence that can wash food sources off banks into channels the fish are far more opportunistic in their feeding habits and will regularly cruise up and down channels like they're highways.

Hogester79
New Member
Joined: Sat Nov 14, 2020 6:12 pm

Re: Western sport Newbie - current and spots?

Post by Hogester79 » Sun Nov 15, 2020 5:43 am

Thank you!

Do appreciate the reply. I’ll get a bit more weight and follow your advice.

I’m sure I’ll eventually work it out but having some starting guide will certainly help that along.

Cheers.

Pdiddy24
Rank: Garfish
Rank: Garfish
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Re: Western sport Newbie - current and spots?

Post by Pdiddy24 » Sun Nov 15, 2020 6:54 am

Hi mate
I've been trying to figure it out for the last few years with mixed results. I'm hit and miss still with WP but haven't fished anywhere else to be honest so can't really compare. I'm still hopeless and leave some fishing sessions saying im selling the boat and taking up golf, to others thinking I've cracked the code (reality sets in pretty quick though!). but starting to find some consistency now. Last weekend got snapper on consequetive days and some massive squid as well. Half a dozen whiting a couple days later and mid week at night a nice little gummy. The few weeks before that though I went home fishless for a number of sessions.
Things that have helped me.

Obviously this forum.
Focus on a species for an extended time weather it be squid, whiting, snapper/gummies. I used go and try and cover it all in one session. You can cover a few species but understanding the different areas and tides has helped me. Eg. Squid before a gummy snapper session. Focus only on whiting for awhile. Use this forum and youtube to learn the techniques and rigs
Get a WP guide fishing book with gps marks. Helped me find general areas at least. Also read fishing reports for that week online to see where fish are being caught and look those areas up online and in the book and research them.
I'm slowly figuring out my sounder and plotter to understand difference between reef, flat mud or sand bottom, grass and combine that with understanding drop offs etc. Im really just starting to understand fish on the sounder. I used to just drop on anything resembling a fish. Now spend a bit of time (if I have the time) sounding around. Take notes and photos of what you see on the sounder at a spot you anchored at and then what fish you are catching. Couta catch me out all the time but starting to realise that they tend to show up more longer shapes as opposed to snapper that have more of that typical arch or tick shape.
Navigation through the port hasn't been too bad for me. Get the Navionics on your phone a day/or chart plotter. I've had some close calls where I've tried to cut corners or forgotten I went out on high tide coming back tired and following my 'tracks' on the plotter doing mach 10 and next minute in like a 1m less of water with alarms going. Good idea to put a depth alarm on. I have recently been left high and dry at the Cowes ramp thinking I'd be ok on a really low tide getting back in. Had to wait a few hours for the water to come up to get the boat out at night. Anchors stuck on reef as well. Just don't panic and think that stuff through when it happens. I'm no boating expert but I fish solo and feel pretty comfortable out there. If you get stuck it just takes time to wait out tides for the water to fill up again. I've tried to learn from all my mistakes
I havent figured out moon phases and barometer and how it effects fishing. I tend just get out when I can and have a crack. I mainly aim for tide changes and changes in light so early morn or into evening sessions.
Hope this helps
Cheers

Hogester79
New Member
Joined: Sat Nov 14, 2020 6:12 pm

Re: Western sport Newbie - current and spots?

Post by Hogester79 » Sun Nov 15, 2020 9:07 am

Thanks for the response.

Heaps of detail, I think your general comments are pretty
Much it. You can’t turn up on day one and know all the answers.

I’ve got GPS etc all sorted (running a brand new Garmin Echomap 9”. I need to mess with the sound settings but I know I’ll eventually sort that out.

Appreciate the long post - really helps. I went yesterday focused on seeing if I could get into some snapper and then move onto whiting but my first boat in 20 years and learning the sounder etc.
I’ll take the fact that I was the only boat pulling anything out of the water as a decent start!

Like all things in life, just wish I could go more often.

Thanks

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