Margin fishing or fishing under the rod tip is an electrifying experience, big angry carp bursting off at 100 miles an hour requires a good rod that can put the brakes on bringing control back in your favour. So, what rod to choose? Carp fishing this close requires a good shock absorbing rod and I would recommend a “Through Action Rod”. The design allows the full energy of the fight to be absorbed from the tip to the grip giving you greater control over the carp in the margins during the fight. A test curve of around is optimal for this style of fishing.
A recurring complaint is that the lowest drag settings are still too tight, especially in the smaller sizes (specifically the 3500) of the Penn Slammer III reel. This can be problematic for lighter tackle setups targeting smaller fish, making it difficult to pull line out and potentially causing break-offs. Some users have had to physically remove a lower seal to remedy this problem, thereby compromising the reel’s water resistance.
Please Note: Bag limits, minimum and maximum lengths are subject to change and review by your State Fisheries Department.
Best eating quality is often around the 40cm mark, where possible please take a photo and release the 70cm plus breeder which replenish our fish stocks. Unlike a number of other species, flatties are not as particular about baits and will take almost anything pulled within striking distance.
Prawns are our top bait for many reasons firstly they are cheap enough to buy easy to catch and simple to present in a natural manner. Passing the hook though the bottom of the tail and back out through the legs and you’re ready to fish. The size and style of the hook will depend on the size of the prawn and your personal preference. For smaller prawns I prefer long shank hooks up to size 1/0 this hook allows the prawn to lay flat along the hook with a half hitch around the tail keeping it in position for a very natural position and larger prawns on a 2/0 or 3/0 Kirby or bait holder style of hook. Other popular hooks are suicide and wide gap hooks also. Rigging live a prawn is also a simple process and best done in the lower half of the tail the higher up the tail the hook is placed the better and more natural the prawn’s movement will be. Peeled prawn is exceptional bait for large whiting and best presented on a smaller long shank hook from size 6 to size 1 depending on bait size again.
If you want a cheap, plentiful, easy to use and highly effective fishing bait, try bread. The kids can make this bait which will make them feel that they contributed towards a fishing trip. Use a stale, thin-sliced white loaf to make the paste.
The first step is to remove the crust from the slices. Soak the trimmed slices in a bowl of cold water, making them soggy but not so wet that they disintegrate. Wrap the soaked slices in a clean cloth (such as a tea towel) and squeeze them firmly to remove all excess water. Take the bread out of the cloth and knead it until it becomes a firm, smooth non-sticky paste. You can add additives such as aniseed, brown sugar or custard powder into the paste. My father used to ask my mother for vanilla or almond essence. You can also colour the paste if you want with cake icing colour. When you put the paste on the hook you should mould it around the shank and bend of the hook, leaving the point exposed. So kids ask mum or dad for some stale bread and start making your own bait. Happy fishing at your local dam or river.
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