Slowly finding a pattern

[SaltyGreek 25]

Hi all

I have gone out to a local spot for 3 weeks in a row now fishing live baits for Jewfish and flathead and I have started to find a pattern. All my action weather it be death rattles, baits bitten in half and runs have been an hour either side of the tide change. So far out of the 4 runs I’ve had, I have lost 2 to human error, lost 1 to leader strength and my 4th run produced a stingray. The fish that I know of so far have been a stingray and a flathead that would have been over 70cm that was lost right at the wharf. Heart breaking to lose fish that put up such a good fight and after I’ve waited for 4 hours for just one run but I know it’s all part of livie fishing. It’s definitely worth the wait as a fish hooked on a big live herring is usually a good one. I’m planning to go out again as soon as I can and hopefully on my 4th attempt at a big flatty or Jew I can land it, take a few photos and release it again to grow some more. I’ve started to find a pattern to these fish and soon I know I will land one.

Tight lines 

SaltyGreek

[Rebel 211]

Great Report. Keep at,youwill win in the end.

[PaddyT 408]

fish with your reel in gear and then you wont miss them

[SaltyGreek 25]

4 minutes ago, PaddyT said:

fish with your reel in gear and then you wont miss them

Not missing the fish they just pop off

[kingie chaser 527]

What area are we talking about?

 

What hooks are you using??

[SaltyGreek 25]

12 minutes ago, kingie chaser said:

What area are we talking about?

 

What hooks are you using??

Jewfish bay 

Using 1/0 hooks 

[kingie chaser 527]

2 hours ago, SaltyGreek said:

Jewfish bay 

Using 1/0 hooks 

I mean what type of hook not the size??

Suicides or circles will be best, will generally hook through the corner of the mouth.

With flathead it also pretty important to keep their head below the water line for as long as possible until your ready to net it, as soon as they breath air they with thrash & can throw the hook easily.

Best of luck for next time.

[PaddyT 408]

are you busting off? or pulling the hook? If you are pulling the hook then up the size to a 4/0 which is what i use for live herring for jew- a two hook rig misses less too, but still fish with the reel in gear, your best chance of hooking up is on the hit.

[SaltyGreek 25]

1 hour ago, kingie chaser said:

I mean what type of hook not the size??

Suicides or circles will be best, will generally hook through the corner of the mouth.

With flathead it also pretty important to keep their head below the water line for as long as possible until your ready to net it, as soon as they breath air they with thrash & can throw the hook easily.

Best of luck for next time.

Yeah I’m using suicides. Got the flathead to the wharf and my mate went to net it from the front and it broke the line in the process. 

[SaltyGreek 25]

53 minutes ago, PaddyT said:

are you busting off? or pulling the hook? If you are pulling the hook then up the size to a 4/0 which is what i use for live herring for jew- a two hook rig misses less too, but still fish with the reel in gear, your best chance of hooking up is on the hit.

Keep busting off. I need to get a few heavier reels for Livie fishing and a few heavier rods that are two piece so I can carry them around easily on my bike.

[Berleyguts 943]

Where are you busting off? At a knot? What strength leader are using? If it’s flathead, are you sure they’re not just sawing through the leader above the hook? If so, keep their head down below the surface and bring the net up from underneath... use a big net... less chance of them sawing through the leader.

[SaltyGreek 25]

2 hours ago, Berleyguts said:

Where are you busting off? At a knot? What strength leader are using? If it’s flathead, are you sure they’re not just sawing through the leader above the hook? If so, keep their head down below the surface and bring the net up from underneath... use a big net... less chance of them sawing through the leader.

I’m pretty sure it’s the main line breaking. I need to use some heavier line with bigger reels

[JamoDamo 27]

4 hours ago, SaltyGreek said:

Yeah I’m using suicides. Got the flathead to the wharf and my mate went to net it from the front and it broke the line in the process. 

lol sorry xD I think we will land some soon tho

[Berleyguts 943]

1 hour ago, SaltyGreek said:

I’m pretty sure it’s the main line breaking. I need to use some heavier line with bigger reels

I can’t really see the main line breaking under normal circumstances.. What breaking strain line are you using? Are the fish heavier than the bs? Even so, fish heavier than the bs are quite possible if you play them correctly and your drag is set right. Perhaps the line is wearing on a damaged runner or bail arm roller...

[SaltyGreek 25]

14 minutes ago, Berleyguts said:

I can’t really see the main line breaking under normal circumstances.. What breaking strain line are you using? Are the fish heavier than the bs? Even so, fish heavier than the bs are quite possible if you play them correctly and your drag is set right. Perhaps the line is wearing on a damaged runner or bail arm roller...

So I’ve had all my runs on rods with 8lb mainline but I set the drag a little looser than usual to avoid I popping off and to tire the fish out. However yesterday the fish made a run for cover and me gently palming the spool was enough to snap the line. I’m rigging a baitrunner that I have with 12kg line and I will be fishing a 30lb trace with a double snell rig 4/0 and 5/0 hooks. Hopefully that will be better for the bigger livies which were a little harder to cast on the lighter rods and I hope I can land a fish

[JamoDamo 27]

19 minutes ago, SaltyGreek said:

So I’ve had all my runs on rods with 8lb mainline but I set the drag a little looser than usual to avoid I popping off and to tire the fish out. However yesterday the fish made a run for cover and me gently palming the spool was enough to snap the line. I’m rigging a baitrunner that I have with 12kg line and I will be fishing a 30lb trace with a double snell rig 4/0 and 5/0 hooks. Hopefully that will be better for the bigger livies which were a little harder to cast on the lighter rods and I hope I can land a fish

Oh that will be epic hopefully we get as good at catching herring  as old mate is xD he is a beast and pulls them in so quickly! Btw I am getting the sabiki rigs soon

Edited November 17 by JamoDamo

[rickmarlin62 1,513]

Fishing live baits on 8lb mainline is the main reason your not landing fish   go up in size on mainline and trace

[SaltyGreek 25]

6 hours ago, rickmarlin62 said:

Fishing live baits on 8lb mainline is the main reason your not landing fish   go up in size on mainline and trace

Will do 

[Keflapod 22]

Hey salty creek, I have an  image of you as a youngster on a bike going to spots and discovering the world of fishing. Regardless of your age, you're in for an amazing time coz the Fishraider community here are a great bunch of people who share  Intel and can help you catch that fish you're chasing. I have seen some people catch Jew to maybe 70cm on very light line but they were in a boat and the hook was in the mouth holding onto almost nothing. They could chase the fish and keep enough pressure on to prevent the hook falling out. There's no way you could set the hook on a Jew with such light line. If the hook did get into the gills or swallowed then it might hold but the light trace would cut or wear out on the gill plates or mouth. That 12kg gear you have is better suited but don't fish the bait runner engaged. Fish it in gear and get some cord and attach it to the gear else you'll lose it on the strike. Good luck and hope to see you here with a big fish and matching smile on your dial. 😎