Whiting and bream fishing.

[Bugman]

Just thought I would ask as to what gear is in use for the above two species. I went fishing recently mainly for whiting and it was great. Very nice eating fish.
I just used a handline from a dinghy, but others around me were using rods etc. Did a bit of research but there is a plethora of equipment to the point it confuses my old tired brain. Any ideas?

[Bill]

Whiting hook, 6lb line maximum and a live nipper, tube or blood worm for me. Rod or handline doesnt matter.

[Oldbloke]

Think light trout gear. More or less same.

[PaddyT]

Just concentrate on the whiting-bream are the cockroaches of the sea, but light gear is all you need and good fresh bait like worms or nippers-there are folk out there who spend 100K on a boat and use 1000 dollar rods, 1000 dollar reels and 60 dollar Japanese lures to catch bream-they make me laugh.

[Peter988]

Any 2-4K rod with 1500 size reel. Nippers on. No2 long shank. Couple feet of trace. Unless you are in Qld where us diehards use Alvey reels with a similar setup. If we are fishing for winter whiting it’s usually handlline straight under the boat in 6 ft of water.

[Bugman]

Thanks for the replies. I will do some more equipment and technique investigation. I guess you could say I am hooked on this type of fishing.

[Bill]

Bugman are you beach fishing or bay ? I tend to target whiting in the last 2 hrs of runout, doesnt matter if it 8am or midday, I find the schools tend to get more concentrated with less water. I tend to target beaches that have heaps of weed and reef nearby

[Bugman]

Near where I live, I have good access to small bays and sandflats, that's where I will concentrate. Never really tried beach fishing, but will to explore it.

[PaddyT]

Whiting are a summer time fish in those spots-but agree with above comments the last couple of hours of runoff is usually excellent-the will often be in very shallow water (2-3 inches deep) waiting for the tide to bring food to them-especially prawns (forget packet prawns-live prawns are deadly)-ive caught quite a few on surface lures -water movement is key and dont spook the fish-i rarely fish for whiting these days (im mainly an offshore fisho) but we would anchor in deep water and throw back to the edge of the sandbank-even up on it-very light or no sinker at all. As i said before -bream you can keep for yourself-rubbish fish.

[Blr243]

If u are ever on the beach whiting can be real close so as u are retrieving to check your bait drag it in with the rod low all the way sometimes they jump on at the last ....sometimes a little red plastic bead near your bait may get a whiting attention

[Oldbloke]

Any 2-4K rod with 1500 size reel. Nippers on. No2 long shank. Couple feet of trace. Unless you are in Qld where us diehards use Alvey reels with a similar setup. If we are fishing for winter whiting it’s usually handlline straight under the boat in 6 ft of water.

Lol. I'm in Vic. Got 4 or 5 Alveys. Great in salt water. Don't corrode.

[Blr243]

Many yrs ago, hang on I’m older than that,, many decades ago when I bought my first surf reel I ignored local retailers for some reason and drove direct to the alvey factory... when I walked in the door there’s The inventor old man Charles alvey behind the counter and he sells me the reel. Pretty cool I thought ...imagine walking into a gun shop to buy a win 3030, or a 1911 45 and you purchase it from John browning

[Bugman]

I also remember using an Alvey reel when I was about 10 years old. My late father used to take us up to QLD every May school holidays to a place called Toogoom.
His side of the family had a a holiday shack there. Outside loo, no TV, but there was a little timber dinghy with an old Seagull motor. The place was alive with fish and mud crabs. Maybe I should buy an Alvey reel just for the nostalgia.

[Blr243]

Yes bugman I think u should. Preferably a second hand one that has some history, even though u will probably never know where it’s been. Come to think of it I have not seen mine for years. I spose one day when I’m digging round in the shed it will turn up.

[Oldbloke]

https://alvey.com.au/alvey-tips-tricks/

[Bugman]

Will purchase soon. Will try out asap. I am looking forward to using this gear. Thanks for the input.

[Oldbloke]

Will purchase soon. Will try out asap. I am looking forward to using this gear. Thanks for the input.

Used ones often pop up for sale.

[Bugman]

Just bought one from Alvey. Couldn't help myself.