I desperately need help with fishing!!

[croe04]

Hi all

I've been fishing saltwater for quite a long time, almost always with my dad. He's the one who got me into fishing, and despite only catching about 4 saltwater fish in the 10 years of fishing I have done, I still love it to bits. But despite my 10 years of effort I cannot catch a fish to save my life, and my desire to actually catch something for once has gone through the roof. I really really need some help, although I do feel like a nuisance making one of your typical 'please help i'm terrible at fishing' posts. I've looked at heaps of threads on this website, and none of the tips that they give have given me success. I usually fish anywhere from Port Melbourne down to Sandringham, and despite a lot of people saying that there are great spots around I've still come up with no results. I've fished Sandringham Anchorage, Half moon bay, Brighton Pier, St Kilda Pier, Station Pier, Princess pier and Docklands, all with no more than bites. I've used softplastics, hardbodies and bait but none have produced for me. At this point, I'll catch anything that swims.

I'll usually use paddle tail or curly tail soft plastic, dragging it along the bottom for flatties or giving it the two jerks off the bottom for pinkies and bream. I use pro-cure squid scent on my plastics as well, but i still get nothing.

In terms of bait ill usually put a third of a pilchard on a 2/0 suicide hook on a paternoster or running sinker rig, or squid strips on a number 1 or 2 baitholder. I also have hooks as small as size 8, but I seldom use them.

If anyone could give me any good spots, lures, baits or techniques for anywhere in the aforementioned area it would be a god send. I'm a completely landbased fisherman, the only times i've fished off a boat is when a friend took me out.

It's also strange that despite my saltwater failures i'm actually pretty ok at fishing freshwater. I've been able to get quite a few trout and perch over the years. Saltwater fish must be more clever.

Cheers,

croe04

[Aaron75]

It sounds like you are trying a whole lot of different things in a whole lot of different places - I did that for a long time and got nothing too. Best advice is to focus on one location and make yourself a regular there, and focus on one species and learn everything you can about targeting that species. Results will come when you narrow your focus.

I don't venture north of Mordialloc so I can't help much with spots in your area, but I see consistent reports from the Warmies. If you want to catch flathead on plastics, check out landfishTV youtube channel - the guy catches plenty from Brighton & Sandringham piers. He posts here sometimes under the name 'LinWad', I think he offers lessons too.

[Jasonfish1234]

Hi all

I've been fishing saltwater for quite a long time, almost always with my dad. He's the one who got me into fishing, and despite only catching about 4 saltwater fish in the 10 years of fishing I have done, I still love it to bits. But despite my 10 years of effort I cannot catch a fish to save my life, and my desire to actually catch something for once has gone through the roof. I really really need some help, although I do feel like a nuisance making one of your typical 'please help i'm terrible at fishing' posts. I've looked at heaps of threads on this website, and none of the tips that they give have given me success. I usually fish anywhere from Port Melbourne down to Sandringham, and despite a lot of people saying that there are great spots around I've still come up with no results. I've fished Sandringham Anchorage, Half moon bay, Brighton Pier, St Kilda Pier, Station Pier, Princess pier and Docklands, all with no more than bites. I've used softplastics, hardbodies and bait but none have produced for me. At this point, I'll catch anything that swims.

I'll usually use paddle tail or curly tail soft plastic, dragging it along the bottom for flatties or giving it the two jerks off the bottom for pinkies and bream. I use pro-cure squid scent on my plastics as well, but i still get nothing.

In terms of bait ill usually put a third of a pilchard on a 2/0 suicide hook on a paternoster or running sinker rig, or squid strips on a number 1 or 2 baitholder. I also have hooks as small as size 8, but I seldom use them.

If anyone could give me any good spots, lures, baits or techniques for anywhere in the aforementioned are it would be a god send. I'm a completely landbased fisherman, the only times i've fished off a boat is when a friend took me out.

Cheers,

croe04

Hey, I will be fishing at station pier on Friday 3 of May, would you like to join me on the session. we could learn how to fish together, I am also terrible in fishing too. I suggest that we fishing only station pier for one and half mouth. Then we go to kerford road pier

[croe04]

It sounds like you are trying a whole lot of different things in a whole lot of different places - I did that for a long time and got nothing too. Best advice is to focus on one location and make yourself a regular there, and focus on one species and learn everything you can about targeting that species. Results will come when you narrow your focus.

I don't venture north of Mordialloc so I can't help much with spots in your area, but I see consistent reports from the Warmies. If you want to catch flathead on plastics, check out landfishTV youtube channel - the guy catches plenty from Brighton & Sandringham piers. He posts here sometimes under the name 'LinWad', I think he offers lessons too.

Ive watched just about every landfishTV video there is, he's great, super informative. but, even when i follow his advice to the tee ill still end up empty handed. Focusing on one area does sound like a good idea. Brighton Pier is the easiest to get to for me, but I find that almost always your shoulder to shoulder with another angler. same goes for most of St Kilda and Port Melbourne. Ill give it a shot none the less.

Cheers

[Lightningx]

Hi Croe,
Firstly welcome to the forum mate
I fish those areas you mentioned a lot and every year catch plenty of salmons around this time of the year. I find that in about a month I start getting some more consistent catches. They are great fun to catch with sp’s. Maybe you should target them in the coming months :thumbsup: if you want some more info don’t hesitate to send me a pm

[frozenpod]

Fishing is easy, fish are dumb the trick is being in the right place at the right time. This is much harder landbased.

For landbased fishing the 10% rule applies, expect to catch fish 10% of the time.

Use bait instead of lures as bait out fishes lures, except for squid where jigs out fish bait.

Fish change of tides high tides for piers and low tides for beaches and rocks. If you can line up a ride change with sunset or sun rise that is ideal.

[rb85]

It sounds like you are trying a whole lot of different things in a whole lot of different places - I did that for a long time and got nothing too. Best advice is to focus on one location and make yourself a regular there, and focus on one species and learn everything you can about targeting that species. Results will come when you narrow your focus.

I don't venture north of Mordialloc so I can't help much with spots in your area, but I see consistent reports from the Warmies. If you want to catch flathead on plastics, check out landfishTV youtube channel - the guy catches plenty from Brighton & Sandringham piers. He posts here sometimes under the name 'LinWad', I think he offers lessons too.

Ive watched just about every landfishTV video there is, he's great, super informative. but, even when i follow his advice to the tee ill still end up empty handed. Focusing on one area does sound like a good idea. Brighton Pier is the easiest to get to for me, but I find that almost always your shoulder to shoulder with another angler. same goes for most of St Kilda and Port Melbourne. Ill give it a shot none the less.

Cheers

Lessons for cash?
Think the best advice I heard was from Aarron focus on 1 area work out the basics go from there.

[Jasonfish1234]

Hey, mate I'll help you with fishing problem. I teach you how to fish if you willing to fish with me and I know the fishing guru for landbase. He could you give you tip for station pier and pier around st killa.

[Aaron75]

Fishing is easy, fish are dumb the trick is being in the right place at the right time. This is much harder landbased.

For landbased fishing the 10% rule applies, expect to catch fish 10% of the time.

Use bait instead of lures as bait out fishes lures, except for squid where jigs out fish bait.

Fish change of tides high tides for piers and low tides for beaches and rocks. If you can line up a ride change with sunset or sun rise that is ideal.

I am strictly land based - if I only caught fish 10% of the time I'd give up and find a new hobby.

Bait works better than lures if you know there are fish in front of you. If the fish are somewhere else, you can find them with lures but you wont find them with bait - that's probably why you donut 90% of the time.

Fishing PPB piers I've found sunrise/sunset to be far more important than tides, especially as you get further away from the rip.

[frozenpod]

Fishing is easy, fish are dumb the trick is being in the right place at the right time. This is much harder landbased.

For landbased fishing the 10% rule applies, expect to catch fish 10% of the time.

Use bait instead of lures as bait out fishes lures, except for squid where jigs out fish bait.

Fish change of tides high tides for piers and low tides for beaches and rocks. If you can line up a ride change with sunset or sun rise that is ideal.

I am strictly land based - if I only caught fish 10% of the time I'd give up and find a new hobby.

Bait works better than lures if you know there are fish in front of you. If the fish are somewhere else, you can find them with lures but you wont find them with bait - that's probably why you donut 90% of the time.

Fishing PPB piers I've found sunrise/sunset to be far more important than tides, especially as you get further away from the rip.

Lol I think I am probably one of the 10% of fishermen that catch 90% of the fish.

One dud trip from the last 50 or so in the last couple of years.


The above 10% rule for landbased fishing is pretty accurate for the average fish and would certainly be a great starting place for someone who can't catch a fish.