When you go to your tackle store don’t be frightened by all the different hook sizes and styles. Hooks are sized with a number 12 being on the smaller side of the scale while a number 12/0 is on the larger size of the scale. There are only 2 things that you really need to worry about. The first is the bait you are using, and the second is the fish that you are chasing. For example: A Whiting fisherman using worms for bait would probably use a size 4 long shank hook because the Whiting has a long slender mouth and the bait is long and slender.
A Snapper fisherman using squid heads for bait may use 2 size 6/0 Octopus or Suicide hooks as the Snapper have a large mouth and the angler is using a big bait. A Salmon or Tailor fisherman using pilchards may choose a gang hook. See it’s simple, just match your hook to your bait and fish. Trust me there is a hook to suit everything.
From a conservation point please don’t use Stainless steel hooks. These are horrible devices that stay with fish for years. They simply don’t corrode, if you need an extra strong hook use a hook with a high carbon component. There are arguments that say stainless hooks are better for fish as they don’t decompose in the fish. These arguments look at the imbedded hook as a style of harmless piecing.
Sinkers are dictated by water depths, fish locations and tidal movement. Sinkers are simple a piece of lead used to present a bait at a determined depth. Sinkers are sized in numerical form, with 1 being smaller than 2.
If you require a sinker to present a bait in deep or fast flowing water then you will need a large hydrodynamic sinker. You may also need a larger sinker to aid in casting long distances. Different sinker styles are produced to fish different marine surfaces.
Sinkers come in many different moulds and weights. Picking a sinker can be easier than it looks. All you simply have to do is look at it. If you take a ball sinker for example, you can tell just by looking at it that it will roll along the bottom. Now look at a Star sinker, this sucker is not designed to roll, its designed to hold to bottom.
A Star Sinker is designed for use in the surf. Its design enables itself to embed into the sand and hold the bottom. This sinker is best used with a dropper rig.
Snapper Sinkers are designed once again for use with dropper rigs. Snapper sinkers are very popular with reef fishermen as they are less prone to snagging and designed to sink quickly to the bottom.
Bomb sinkers are designed to let the bait roll around the bottom and can be used by both shore and boat anglers. The Swivel line attachment helps eliminate line twist and also gives the angler the ability to fish with a running sinker, this is best done with an easy rig.
Ball sinkers are round and designed to roll over the seabed. They are great for anglers that want to present a bait on the seabed and have it move and roll about the bottom.
Bean sinkers are like ball sinkers but they roll less. Bean sinkers are more inclined to roll from side to side but not forward and back.
Bug sinkers have a flat top and base and are designed to sit on the seabed with minimal roll effect.
Barrel sinkers are long and thin and are commonly used by anglers trawling baits and lures to get their presentations to a desired depth. Barrel sinkers are very hydrodynamic and when used in bait fishing provide minimal drag. Barrel sinkers will roll from side to side, but they are a great option for running sinker rigs in fast flowing water with smooth seabeds.
Spilt shot sinkers are designed to be clamped on to the line and weigh down a bait or a float. They are normally very small and are very popular with float fishermen. When using Spilt shot sinkers don’t clamp them too tightly onto your line as this can damage the line and cause you to lose your prized catch.
Sinkers are made of lead, so they are not exactly the most environmentally friendly compound. In the near future some waterways may ban the use of lead sinkers, as hunters have had lead shot banned for use in swamps and waterways. This development may never happen though.
Tungsten is the newest fad in fishing sinkers in the USA. Tungsten is better for the environment and has a higher density. The higher density for tungsten gives the angler a better ability to feel the bottom and distinguish a stick from a rock and weed from sand.
Fishing line is a great topic in itself. Monofilament or Mono line is a nylon line that will stretch considerably prior breaking. Braided line is a fibrous line that has virtually no stretch. The advantage of braided line over mono line is the fact that braided line has a smaller diameter, virtually no stretch (aiding the angler in distinguishing bites and snags, and also helping in hook setting) and is stronger for its line class and diameter than mono. The disadvantages of braid are that it is very expensive, has a reduced abrasion resistance and does not offer the same shock absorbing qualities of mono. Also due to the material used in the construction of braid and the fine diameter care must be taken in tying knots.
Braided line with all of its advantages is still not suitable for game fishing as there is a reduction in abrasion resistance and no stretch. With no stretch in the line there is no shock absorbs ion to soften the impact of a strike and help hold the hook in place. While braided lines are permitted by the IGFA the breaking strain of the braid often over tests its rating due to the fact that braid is rated to the breaking strength at the knot rather than the main line.
Braided lines are great for lure and soft plastic anglers as it gives them the ability to impart more action on the lure and better detection for strikes and snags. Braided line is also a great asset for anglers fishing deep and fast flowing water. The reduced line diameter gives the angler the ability to fish with lighter sinkers as the line has less water resistance. Also since the line has little or no stretch bites are easily detected as the line will not absorb such inputs.
Ronnie RigsWhen using braided lines you have to always use a mono leader. This leader acts as a shock absorber as well as protection against abrasion. The leader should be as transparent as possible. To achieve this you should use fluorocarbon monofilament, this material has the same reflective index as water so it becomes close to invisible.
When choosing a fishing line you tend to get what you pay for. If you plan on using your line only occasionally and your not that serious purchase a cheaper line, if your going to use your line often and are a serious angler purchase a good quality line.
There are many different line characteristics. Supple or soft lines are a preferred option of bait anglers as they give the ability to more naturally present a bait. More rigid lines are great for lure and soft plastic angles as they give the angler the ability to more responsively work a lure and detect strikes on the sink.
When un-tangling braided lines it is better to tease a knot out rather than pull it out, if a knot is tightened in braided line it can be virtually impossible to untangle.
Go into any tackle store and the hundreds of different lures on display can be very confusing. Where do you start and what do you look for.
Firstly lets think about what you want to fish for. There is no point trying to catch a 1 kilogram fish on a 6 inch lure, so if you are chasing little fish try little lures. Little lures will catch both small and large fish. Now lets think about the fish we are chasing, are they surface, mid-water or bottom feeders ?
If your fishing for Australian Salmon it’s a good assumption that they will be feeding on the surface or mid water, so you would choose a surface or mid water lure. Now if you were fishing for a bottom feeder like Flathead you would choose a lure that is fished on the bottom, lures like deep divers and soft plastics are perfect for these applications.
If your fishing for Australian Salmon it’s a good assumption that they will be feeding on the surface or mid water, so you would choose a surface or mid water lure. Now if you were fishing for a bottom feeder like Flathead you would choose a lure that is fished on the bottom, lures like deep divers and soft plastics are perfect for these applications.
Now what do the fish you are chasing eat? If your chosen species eat yabbies a yabby or Crawfish lure is a good choice. For example Yellow-belly eat Yabbies so a Yabby pattern is a good choice. Now if your after a Trevally a baitfish style of lure is the best choice.
When lure fishing here are a couple of great tips. When fishing in clean water use natural colour lures, when you are fishing in dirty water use bright colour lures. Match the lure colour to the water. Also on bright days bright lures are best.
Spoons: are metal lures shaped in an egg, oval or rounded fish shape. Used for Trout, redfin and fresh water natives as well as flathead, tailor, salmon and pike in the salt. Large spoons are also very popular with Spanish Mackerel and Kingfish anglers.
Spinners: Are lures with a rotating metal or plastic blade(s) that spin around a central metal shaft. While most spinners are small some larger models are made for Murray Cod. Spinners are normally small and very effective on all fresh water Natives as well as trout and Redfin. Recently Spinner Baits have come onto the Australian scene. Spinner Baits originated in the United States and are very popular with their Bass fishery. A Spinner Bait is a V shaped lure with a rotating blade and a lead headed jig covered with feathers, plastic or a soft Plastic lure. Spinner Baits are very effective on all Australian freshwater native fish in both tropical and southern waters.
Slices: Are metal lures angularly cut out of lengths hexangular, square or circular metal rods. Slices are predominately used by salt water anglers and are designed to be retrieved at high speed. Slices are very productive on Tuna,Salmon, Tailor, Kingfish and Mackerel.
Lead Lures/ Slugs: Slugs are made out of a lead alloy or lead and are pencil or Knife shaped. Slugs are most effective when they are cast and retrieved at high speed. Lead slugs are designed to imitate a small fleeing baitfish. Lead slugs are predominantly used by anglers chasing Tuna, Mackerel, Queen fish, Salmon and most other pelagics. The key to success with lead slugs is matching the size of your lure with the size of the baitfish the fish are feeding on.
Jigs: While jigs were traditionally just oversized lead slugs, now days jigs represent a number of different forms. Forms of jigs include lead headed flies, lead-headed soft plastics and also the traditional form of oversize lead slugs. Jigs can have a number of different hook combinations from single hooks to trebles. Jigs can range in size from just a few grams right through to half a kilogram. While jigs were once traditionally used only in deep water, today with the increasing range and diversity of styles there is a jig to suit nearly every popular angling species. If a suitable jig is moved in the correct region in the water column very exciting fishing is possible. As a tip vary your action and retrieves to find the most popular for the day.
Squid Jigs are a type of jig that is specifically designed to catch squid. There are two distinct types of Squid Jigs. The first type is the Bait style squid jig. This jig is characterised by a long steel shaft that that has a set or two of very sharp barb less prongs. A whole fish bait of a Whiting or pilchard is threaded onto the shaft. The second style of squid jig is the Yo-Zuri or prawn imitation jig. These jigs are very popular with squid anglers and are made out of cloth, wood or plastic.Squid jigs range in size from one inch through to six inches.
Bait Jigs or flasher rigs are multiple hooked rigs dressed with a combination of luminous beads, tinsel, feathers, cloth and/ or soft plastic lures. While flasher rigs are typically used to capture bait fish such as Mackerel, Herring and Trevally, they are also popular in larger sizes for larger off shore reef species including snapper, morwong and trumpeter.