Fishing Victoria Forum

After a long stint in Europe, which included a lot fishing, I have firmly decided that the best way to avoid unwanted catching small fish is to use bait that is not as likely to be torn off by 6-inch redfins- live baitfish. I have tried to catch live bait for the last 3-4 fishing trips, I used bait traps with bread/cat food/ dog food set about 30-50 cm deep among the reeds with ZERO effect. Am I doing anything wrong? Angling guide says that you can use a bait net up to 6 meters long in lakes\dams, anyone knows what its supposed to look like or where to buy one? The only other way I know that is legal in Victoria, is to fish with a tiny hook and piece of worm for baby redfin/roach which is while fun by itself is not very productive.

go to your local waterway a few nights before you plan to go out, then let your trap soak overnight and come back one or two days later.
if you want freshwater shrimp, put a bunch of gum leaves in the trap.

fisho999 wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 07, 2022 5:53 am

go to your local waterway a few nights before you plan to go out, then let your trap soak overnight and come back one or two days later.
if you want freshwater shrimp, put a bunch of gum leaves in the trap.

Thanks mate, will try that. Shrimp are good bait, but the tend to be picked off by smaller fish, happened to me a lot on the Murray.

what are you targeting mate? worms work great and you can catch them instead of buying them.

Depends on the waterway. A simple bait trap with cat food does it if there are minnows in the water but best left overnight. If you are ever near lake Bullen Merri in camperdown you get hundreds of them in about half hour with a bait trap and cat food. Solvol soap works really well for shrimp around the murray

fisho999 wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 07, 2022 10:20 am

what are you targeting mate? worms work great and you can catch them instead of buying them.

Redfin/trout, size about 400 grams at least. That's why worms are not the best bait- you catch too many carp and too many 5 inch fish.