Let's talk Whiting how-to

King George Whiting, KGW, Ting
beefy
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Let's talk Whiting how-to

Post by beefy » Thu Mar 03, 2022 4:53 pm

Never caught a Whiting yet, but I've been checking out Google and Youtube for info. Heard Whiting are a year round fish so why not give them some attention.

Some of what I've read/watched are:

Don't fish in the weed, fish on sand patches just outside the weed.
Keep quiet when in shallow water as Whiting are easily spooked.
Keep some distance from the sand patch and cast into it, to avoid spooking them.
You want the water flow to be coming off the weed and onto the sand, i.e. no good fishing the sand if the water then flow into the weed.
Water flow brings the food out of the weed and onto the sand where the Whiting are waiting. No flow, no food.
Steep drop-offs are best, and fish at the bottom of the drop off.
Berley to attract them.
Move if zippo after 15-20 mins, they may be only 50 metres away.
Long shank hooks with a running ledger rig, and you holding the rod ready to >>gently<< strike.
Circles on a paternoster rig, and you can leave the rod in the holder and the Whiting will hook themselves.

So who begs to differ, or agree on the above. Some lads I talk to just cast a line anywhere there's weed. So much varying info.

I mainly fish Westernport but techniques for anywhere is great.

purple5ive
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Re: Let's talk Whiting how-to

Post by purple5ive » Thu Mar 03, 2022 5:15 pm

The most important rule will always be.

LEARN TO ANCHOR PROPERLY :-D

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re-tyred
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Re: Let's talk Whiting how-to

Post by re-tyred » Thu Mar 03, 2022 5:46 pm

Were to start. First up. Don't go right into the middle of a bunch of boats, then bang and crash your anchor ⚓ . Don't talk to your mate like he is 200 mtrs away and don't play loud music. If you follow these rules then other fishos might talk to you and then you learn.
Lightest gear you can get away with. Mix the bait up. Prawn squid,mussels, pippies. In shallow water I use a running rig and slack line fish. Small hook, #8 let them swallow the bait. Deeper water I use paternoster, but that is more about the type of bottom we have in 10 mtrs. It is covered in short spongie weed. If you use a running rig and cast out the rig catches on the sponge and you can't feel the bite. 10 MTR I drop it down till it just gets to the bottom. Then no hookup on the sponge.
They seem to be on the edge of channels and where there is weed. Burley often helps to get them going, but just need a little bit.
There's nothing . . . absolutely nothing . . . half so much worth doing as simply messing around in boats.
Kenneth Grahame, The Wind in the Willows (River Rat to Mole)

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bowl
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Re: Let's talk Whiting how-to

Post by bowl » Thu Mar 03, 2022 5:49 pm

beefy wrote:
Thu Mar 03, 2022 4:53 pm
Never caught a Whiting yet, but I've been checking out Google and Youtube for info. Heard Whiting are a year round fish so why not give them some attention.

Some of what I've read/watched are:

Don't fish in the weed, fish on sand patches just outside the weed.
Keep quiet when in shallow water as Whiting are easily spooked.
Keep some distance from the sand patch and cast into it, to avoid spooking them.
You want the water flow to be coming off the weed and onto the sand, i.e. no good fishing the sand if the water then flow into the weed.
Water flow brings the food out of the weed and onto the sand where the Whiting are waiting. No flow, no food.
Steep drop-offs are best, and fish at the bottom of the drop off.
Berley to attract them.
Move if zippo after 15-20 mins, they may be only 50 metres away.
Long shank hooks with a running ledger rig, and you holding the rod ready to >>gently<< strike.
Circles on a paternoster rig, and you can leave the rod in the holder and the Whiting will hook themselves.

So who begs to differ, or agree on the above. Some lads I talk to just cast a line anywhere there's weed. So much varying info.

I mainly fish Westernport but techniques for anywhere is great.
best sessions r when i put the line in the water and hook up within one minute,,,,, that's with no shelling or burly.....
When the whiting r running hot and any rig will work.
Bigger the run in tide the better and around 6-9pm in arvo.

In saying that on a 30 plus degree days with light winds , you can bag in middle of day around werribee.
squid strips an cocktail baits
To many boats kayak, helicopter , catch a fish,catch a fish

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Sebb
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Re: Let's talk Whiting how-to

Post by Sebb » Thu Mar 03, 2022 5:59 pm

All mentioned are good.
The only thing I'd add is to use soft nibble tip rod. It helps especially when they're picky. Less resistance and nibbles can turn to hook-ups.
------------------------------
A fish is a fish :ft:
No fish is worth a life, stay safe

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bowl
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Re: Let's talk Whiting how-to

Post by bowl » Thu Mar 03, 2022 6:05 pm

Sebb wrote:
Thu Mar 03, 2022 5:59 pm
All mentioned are good.
The only thing I'd add is to use soft nibble tip rod. It helps especially when they're picky. Less resistance and nibbles can turn to hook-ups.
when there picky, i just release the bail arm and give them some slack line.

I cant catch them on nibble tips.
To many boats kayak, helicopter , catch a fish,catch a fish

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Sebb
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Re: Let's talk Whiting how-to

Post by Sebb » Thu Mar 03, 2022 6:09 pm

bowl wrote:
Thu Mar 03, 2022 6:05 pm
Sebb wrote:
Thu Mar 03, 2022 5:59 pm
All mentioned are good.
The only thing I'd add is to use soft nibble tip rod. It helps especially when they're picky. Less resistance and nibbles can turn to hook-ups.
when there picky, i just release the bail arm and give them some slack line.

I cant catch them on nibble tips.
Good idea.
Usually i just give some slack but still with bail arm closed.
------------------------------
A fish is a fish :ft:
No fish is worth a life, stay safe

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Re: Let's talk Whiting how-to

Post by beefy » Thu Mar 03, 2022 9:07 pm

purple5ive wrote:
Thu Mar 03, 2022 5:15 pm
The most important rule will always be.

LEARN TO ANCHOR PROPERLY :-D
First of all thanks everyone.

Purple5ive,

can you elaborate a bit on what you mean by "properly". Do you mean doing it quietly ?

I heard some people put some tubing over their anchor chain so it's not so noisy when it goes over the rollers. Just this afternoon I re-installed my anchor winch and wired it up after a complete strip down. Put a new polyurethane roller on the bow but still noisy as hell when the chain reaches it.

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Re: Let's talk Whiting how-to

Post by yepi'mon » Thu Mar 03, 2022 9:42 pm

Right amount of tide and keep your rod in your hand.

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Sebb
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Re: Let's talk Whiting how-to

Post by Sebb » Thu Mar 03, 2022 10:11 pm

Have a squid jig ready on a spare rod too.
Last time I was kayaking at Clifton Springs, a big squid tried to take the whiting I was pulling. Still remember the chills.
------------------------------
A fish is a fish :ft:
No fish is worth a life, stay safe

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