Finesse Fishing #2

For me it all started to make sense a few years ago after an experience with the then, new fluorescent lines. Being a tackle rat, when I first saw that flash fluoro mono I just had to have some and immediately mated my favourite eight-foot whiting rod with a spool full of the bright green stuff. I tied my main line onto a small swivel, added a metre of clear light trace, small sliding sinker and number six, long shank baitholder.

My regular fishing mate Les started out fishing me about three to one, with no real reason why. After a few weeks I found myself fishing side by side with Les, same line class, similar rigs and mutual bait. Les caught four quality Whiting while I caught five quality puffer fish; or maybe one puffer fish five times, you know what puffies are like! They see catch and release as dinner and a massage!

*Spearguns are handy fishing tools but are best used under the water...

That was enough for me, I changed to a clear version of the same line and my results changed immediately... and I’ve seen people with their whole rigs tied with fluro, still getting bites, as the fish carefully remove the bait time and time again. 

 *A good fisher never lets minor setbacks ruin a good days fishing

If an experience like that doesn’t change your whole fishing outlook then I expect that nothing ever will. I never look at any fishing product these days without considering whether I really need it or if it will even work. You must remember that tackle suppliers are in it for the money, of course it’s better for them if you catch lots of fish with their tackle, but if you’ve bought it then they’ve already made their profit; whether it works for you or not!

* Yours truly about to return this large Dusky Flathead

When I was a kid fishing with my dad and two brothers it was commonplace for  people to fish with a hank of line wrapped around a Coke bottle or even a stick in a figure of 8... and did they catch less fish than me? Hell no, possibly because I spent more time playing than actually manning the rod, returning to find the hook clean time and again.. "stupid bait, it doesn't event stick to the hook.."

*I hate when this happens...  (JAWS)

But in reality, as fish become fewer and fishers become more numerous catching any fish is becoming more difficult.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

*At sea...nobody can hear you scream...




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Finesse Fishing #1

What does finesse mean to you? If the writers of CLEO are to be believed, the average Aussie is quite satisfied with his finesse if he can avoid farting at the table and takes his weight on his elbows!

I once read a story about finesse fishing by one of Australia’s finest freshwater writers and frankly, most of it went over my head.  In fact I remember chuckling my way through it and branding it ‘wankerism’ After all, most of what he wrote doesn’t apply to salt water fishing does it? …Or does it? If only Id taken it a bit more seriously!

*The deep water Fang Fish

Now this fellow had us dressed up like Rambo, jungle greens were the go, but with our tackle pinned to our camouflage jackets instead of grenades. With rod in hand and net on shoulder, we crawl, creep and sneak our way around and through the reeds, scotch thistle and blackberry like some kind of ferrel butterfly collector. When we at last get within sight of the water, we mustn’t look! The fish just might be looking! So we cast from in the reeds, under the trees, or crouching behind rocks like a garden gnome with haemorrhoids.

* The mighty Halco Raider, an awesome Salmon and Kingfish lure

So just how do you decide what to pin on to your vest for any one day of fishing?

I imagine that you close your eyes and throw yourself headlong into your tackle collection, and trust providence. I’m not having a go at you tackle rats, believe me I’m one of the worst tackle rats you’ll see; if its shiny or new I’ve got to have it. But having bought many hundreds of fishing toys, how do you decide what to take with you? I could easily fill a large four-wheel drive with my fishing tackle, but I’ve never got the right gadget on hand when I need it, and my tackle bag is always too heavy.

I know what you’re thinking! “How will I get by without my hydraulic bent back bender, and I can’t do without my neoprene nosed pliers”

 *The Tungsten Vib an excellent closed water Bream lure

How simple it all was when I only had one rod and a small tackle bag. It was those insidious lures that started it; a bloke offered me one at a party! “One can’t hurt! Go on try it, you’ll really like it!” Oh! Why didn’t I listen to my mates who warned me that once you try it you just can’t quit, you just can’t stop at one! I used to drink scotch like water, smoke heaps of pot and cartons of cigarettes too; but I’ve had to give it all up to support my luring habit.

So, you want to know where this is taking us. Well, I asked myself the same big question late one afternoon as I staggered along a too soft beach with a too heavy bag. “Is all this stuff really necessary?”  The answer my friend is going to shake the coarse fishing world down to its very English roots. Fly fishing will never be the same, and maybe some of my fellow lure fishing addicts might get the strength to kick the hard body scene and get into soft plastics.

Till next time, just remember the early bird gets the...um..er..



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