Top bait tips to improve your catch rate

THE weather and sea have not been the greatest but the shore angling has been good on both the edible and inedible fronts. The big seas have scoured out some sanded areas so we hope this will improve the fishing.

The North Coast has been the true mix of edibles and inedibles. Blythedale and Zinkwazi have been the most productive spots.

On the edible side, chokka and prawn have been the best baits mentioned while the bigger shad have preferred sardines.

There have also been plenty of spadefish around which love a white bait. Fishing has been best around rocks and particularly in bays that form some protection from the seas.

The inedibles have favoured mackerel and redeye as a bait. There have been some good sandies landed as well as some big rays. The sea has been a bit warm, but the north-east winds should help drop the temperature.

The central coast has seen mostly edibles from the reports but there have been some inedibles scattered in the mix.

The shad have been around even though the season is a bit late. The stumpies and smaller kob have been around in good numbers. These fish will eat a neat chokka bait on a longer hook snood (promotes a more natural presentation).

The inedibles have mainly been of the grey sharks kind.

For these fish, floatation is important as well as a bit of attraction in the form of glow. Use a mix of chokka and a meaty bait to target these fish as well as most other species.

The South Coast has seen good kingfish hooked by the anglers throwing bigger spoons and plugs. There have been both GTs as well as blacktip kingies. These are very hard fighting fish that require full use of your pulling power and drag as they will try to cut you off.

The gullies and ledges are still a great place to target the edibles on chokka and prawn baits. Most bream species are around as well as a host of surprises waiting in the foamy white water.

In the gaps between the bigger seas, the deeper points have been fishable. These spots have produced some big fish as well as some big hidings.

The offshore fishing has been phenomenal! The only issue has been the big surf, making launching a clenching affair …

The lower North Coast has had a good mix of game fish with tuna, couta and snoek making up the bulk of the catches. The sharks have been an issue. Pull your strip baits in the morning for the snoek and then move deeper for the couta/tuna.

The reefs off the Bluff have produced better sized couta but the pickings have been slim.

Getting decent live bait has been essential if you want the bite amongst the crowd.

For the best in tackle and advice, pop into The Kingfisher 8am-5pm Mon-Fri, 8am-1pm on Saturdays and Sundays.

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