VICTORIAN SURF FISHING

With Paul (Benno) Bennett
EASY FISH LAND-BASED FISHING CHARTERS

See Benno's profile here.

28 March 2008

Hi there anglers. What a wounderful start to the year we are having, with most fishing spots producing the goods. It doesn't matter if you were a pier angler or you love the sand, most beaches have been firing, day and night.

I had great news during the week. A mate of mine bought a boat 3 months ago and I advised him of what types of reels to buy, and the importance of getting it right. Last week he went fishing with his kids around the full moon and had a ball catching 6 species of fish.

Well, he later phoned me to report that most of the reels collapsed and now he has to replace them. Buying the right reel if you intend to fish regularly can be difficult, as there are so many options to choose from to suit your budget. The smart angler will go to a tackle shop that has a good name. Don't always buy the first reel that you see, there are often 3 or 4 reels to suit your budget.

When buying a new reel there are a few things to look for, starting with ball bearings. The more ball bearings, the better, remembering that being a surf angler, you will cast kilometers of line in one season. As I have stated in recent reports, there are new reels on the market with newly designed handles, making retrieving line easier. Plus, they are more comfortable on your hand. The new reel must also have an aero-designed spool, and don't forget to spool it with 30lb braid, remembering that 30lb braid is as thin as 6lb mono-line.

If you are a surf angler wanting to purchase a new surf rod, you also have other things to look out for. To start with, the rod must be at least 12.5-13.5ft long and have a medium taper. Too often, new surf anglers buy a surf rod that has a far too heavy action, and often don't show a true bite on the tip, unless the fish is 2lb or bigger.

If a surf rod has a heavy tip, it is harder to get a bend on the tip unless you use a 6oz star sinker. After casting, when the rod has been placed into the rod holder and line tension has been taken up, there should be a bend on the tip, about 2.5-3ft down the rod. This bend is very important to have because salmon often strike a bait and swim straight to the first shore break and power left or right. If you were using a heavy action rod with little bend on the tip, a good fish would be lost because it would be harder to see that the line has dropped to the sand.

There is one rod we use and recommend on my surf fishing charters, which is balanced through the casting action and when the rod is positioned in the holder - the Wilson Heritage surf rod. They are 13.6 ft long, and not only cast smoothly and sit with a lovely bend on the tip, but they play a salmon to the shore with so much ease, and absorb any lunge that a big fish might want to dish out.

If you were using a heavier action rod, you would have to back the drag off quickly or you would pull the hook from its mouth. Most tackle shops stock them and if they don't, get them to order one in - you won't be disappointed.

To keep the reel seat thread smooth, I use graphite powder, it's a dry lube and stops the thread from cross-threading and it can be bought from hardware stores.

Dont forget to use shoulder bags to carry everything - let your shoulders carry the weight. Now, we also need some hooks, so take your pick - there are over 200 packets of hooks to choose from, or just ask for Mustad Beak hooks, size 1/0. The shank is just long enough for a large pipi, and it has reverse barbs to hold the it up. Don't forget to twist the pipi when feeding it onto the hook.

For larger baits like a cut pilchard, bluebait or chicken fillets marinated in tuna oil, use a Mustad size 1/0 bait holder hook. Both of these hooks are made from high carbon steel. They are thin gage steel and are chemically sharpened.

Stay tuned for more surf fishing tips next report. If you are not sure about anything to do with surf fishing, drop me an email.

Regards,

BENNO

EASY FISH LAND-BASED FISHING CHARTERS
Paul Bennett
Telephone: 0418 547 990
Email: easyfish@bigpond.com.au  

See Benno's previous report here.