Fishing for Beginners

team teri on 12/10/2018 - 17:57
Last edited 12/10/2018 - 18:17 by 1 other user

Hey, I think this summer I should spend a bit more time near the water. Fishing sounds just like the thing to do. Off the beach or from a jetty mostly.

I have no clue though. I've had a $20 Kmart rod & reel combo that's falling apart. Caught a few blowies but hardly anything edible the few times I've used it. Time to shop for a slightly more durable and hassle free replacement.

Without breaking the bank, what kind of gear should I consider?

Any opinions on this one from BCF? Savage MPP2 spinning combo, reduced from $179 to $79.

Sports & Outdoors

Comments

  • Ocker on 12/10/2018 - 19:49
    +5

    Sydney fish market - save yourself the time and cost

    • team teri on 13/10/2018 - 13:10
      +1

      I can buy lots of fishing gear before I've spent more than a flight to Sydney costs me ;-)

      As to time: I'm looking for a way to spend a few pleasurable hours outdoors near the water. Catching something edible adds to the pleasure, but isn't the only reason to go fishing.

  • [Deactivated] on 12/10/2018 - 20:11

    Get the Shimano Sienna rod and reel combos when they are around $80. Get some cheap braid around $40.

    Buy some nylon leader and learn to tie braid to mono knots. Use the same leader to tie rigs.

    Two rigs you will need to know - paternoster and sliding sinker rig.

    Buy around 2kg of pilchards and separate them into small portions.

    You'll be out around $200 but have enough bait and consumables (hooks, sinkers and swivels) for a few trips out.

    • team teri on 13/10/2018 - 19:42

      Thanks for the tips. Seems there are several versions of the Shimano around, different reels and rods. Which one did you have in mind? Also, can't find any at a good price now, how often do they come on special in your experience?

      On paper the specs don't look too different to the Savage combos, regular price is similar too. Is Shimano that much better to wait for it?

      • [Deactivated] on 13/10/2018 - 21:27

        Reels come in sizes. For general pier fishing, 2500 or 4000 is good.

        Rods come in weight or stiffness rating. The 2500 would go with a 2-4kg rod, the 4000 would pair well with 6-8kg. It's not an exact science and it doesn't really matter if the balance is off a little. You're unlikely to need casting distance or accuracy anytime soon.

        BCF typically have the Sienna and Sonic Pro combo for under $100. This happens a couple of times a quarter.

        Braid - enough to fill your spool. You will be able to find how much line goes on your spool per given diameter line. The thicker the line, the less you're going to get on the spool.

        Brands don't mean much in fishing. I go by individual models. Sienna being the best ~$50 reel I can think off. You'll undoubtedly wreck your first reel in a year or two so no point looking beyond a decent cheapie.

        • team teri on 14/10/2018 - 02:23

          The reels are on special right now for $39.99 at BCF. The combos aren't right now.

          I saw they have different rods for Bait and Lure fishing both called Sonic Pro. How strict is that distinction? I have no idea what I'll end up doing, which is the less risky choice?

          • [Deactivated] on 14/10/2018 - 08:57
            +1

            @team teri: As long as the rod isn't for baitcasting type reels, it doesn't matter. It's a gimmick.

            Lure fishing usually means faster action (less bendy). Bait is usually more bendy but honestly, I fish with lure rods only.

            The logic behind bait rods being more slinky is that you can use massive sinkers without damaging the rod but as a newbie, you're not going to be in 50m+ water. Also, slinky rods are less likely to scare fish when they're pecking the bait however, this is only true if you're not set up right or are not watching the rods.

            • team teri on 16/10/2018 - 11:51

              @[Deactivated]: How about this combo from Anaconda, $139 regular, down to $79 now?

              Using a Sienna 2500 with a Quickfire MK2 rod. Shimano website has neither information on Sonic nor on Quickfire, they don't make it easy to compare…

              • [Deactivated] on 16/10/2018 - 12:34

                @team teri: The rods are possibly all the same. Shimano is also an OEM manufacturer for rods (not reels). The big chains here buy in bulk and slap Shimano (insert funky name) and customers think its a special model.

                $79 for a starter rod is quite premium but if you can swing that, it's not a bad option.

                Personally, I stopped using my starter rod after a year and it has become a guest rod. Still, money well spent and many good memories.

  • Cheeper on 12/10/2018 - 20:37
    +1

    I use the kmart cheap rods & reels and they work fine. Catch some decent fish too.
    There is more to it than the hardware…
    It's where and when you go.
    The bait and burley you use.
    Your line setup.. sinker, trace, hook size & shape, etc..
    Throwing money at fishing rarely improves the catch.
    I don't recommend braid for recreational fishing.
    A tip.. For a good mixed type of bait try the marinara mix from woolies or coles. Far cheaper than a bait shop and several baits to choose from.

    • team teri on 13/10/2018 - 19:42

      I'll give the marinara mix a try, great idea!

  • yogihogi on 12/10/2018 - 20:58
    +3

    Chicken thigh (bait) stale bread (burley) Hand line ( Kmart) caught plenty of bream/ flathead/ whiting/ trevally with this combo

  • ego22 on 12/10/2018 - 22:03

    get another kmart rod and reel.

  • hawkeye on 12/10/2018 - 22:47

    Chuck a crab pot in if you can where possible luck has no boundaries

  • WreckTangle on 13/10/2018 - 08:01

    As a novice fisherman myself, i’m concerned about catching and eating a fish i cant actually eat. Not sure i can recognise the species after i catch it. Anyone know how to tell if its safe to eat (say, from lake eildon or somewhr)?

    • team teri on 13/10/2018 - 13:56

      I'm sure there's something like this fish identification guide for your area.

  • parker55 on 14/10/2018 - 00:14

    what for overseas?

  • dasher86 on 14/10/2018 - 16:43

    Wog pole if off the jetty.

  • JepunK on 26/11/2018 - 17:12
    +1

    1. learn the tide times and wind, best times to fish imo are 2 hrs before and 2 hrs after high tide…and light winds enables you to cast further

    2. use smaller hooks and lighter lines, you have more chance in catching fish with smaller setups, don't go big using like size 10 hooks unless trying to catch jaws or megalodon.. lol

    3. use fresh bait if you can, the fresher the better, but if you can't prawns are very versatile bait

    4. use a cheap gear setup to start with until you get the hang of it and if you can try to use mono lines because it's cheaper and braids can sometimes get tangled easily if you dont know what you're doing

    5. Ask around when you're fishing. most fishos are quite helpful and will tell you their tips

    6. don't cast over someone's line- it's a big no no

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