70cm on a 4k 20lb leader.

I’m a super amateur when it comes to fishing.
Having said that I’ve been fishing a few times over the years in Australia and overseas and caught some nice fish. But I don’t know anything at all when it comes to rigging up rods, what gear is what, what to buy as a beginner.

It’s always something I’ve either done with friends who have a bunch of gear and know what they’re doing and have all the gear setup, so I just cast and reel it in.

I’ve caught your regular bream, snapper, and a shovel nose shark here in Aus. Overseas was mainly cod, coal fish. Caught a halibut & wolfish too!

But these were on tours, and they had everything setup for me to just go & fish.

I’ve been wanting to go and land some exciting new catches again now that summer is coming up. But it’s hard to rely on friends all the time and I don’t wanna pay loads for a boat fishing tour.

So I’ve signed up to a land fishing introductory tour recently who will take me through everything and i can learn abit.

That’s a bit of context regarding my experience and current mindset. I wanted to know if it’s worth for someone like me to actually buy some beginner gear so i can go out on my own. I probably won’t catch anything that excites me. Or if I should just to doing a tour like twice a year in summer locally. So i can just enjoy catching some good fish alongside experts.

I don’t want to invest in all the gear and for me to go out, catch something I don’t care too much about. Get bored and it just be a waste of money.

Having said that, I was looking at Shimano rods and reels. What would you said is the absolute best durable and reliable long term rod & reel for someone at my level, that can handle most regular species of fish. I won’t be out on a boat to land anything big like a marlin or mahi mahi or whatever.

But maybe an occasional king fish off the harbour, who knows. I just want to research the right gear within that range and see if it’s worth me spending some coin on, should I choose to go ahead with it.

Landed the fish of a lifetime yesterday. It’s absolutely insane how much power these guys have. I was very lucky with the timing of the waves. I’m sure if he got a chance to run he would’ve absolutely smoked me.

At 11 he's slowly getting the hang of self-sufficiency and resilience. He didn't whinge when his line got tangled. He untangled it, cast again, and caught this beautiful fella, shouting "I caught my first fish!"

He's reeled in fish before, but this was his "first fish".

Looking for tips for fishing I wanna fish in areas where I can eat the fish I’ve gone to Bradley’s head point a twice now and gotten not much but bites idk if I’m doing things wrong I’ve used mostly pilchard w squid and prawns sometimes too I’ve set up with 1/0 hooks to 2/0 and 3/0 idk if I’m doing smth wrong e the setup of the rod or what but I’ve lost every fish I’ve been on really early.

Thanks guy

Anyone done a great half day or full day fishing charter from Melbourne? Aiming for mid December

Last weekend, caught my PB Grunter at 50cm

This week, caught my new PB at 62cm.

Hey , I’m looking at getting a spinning reel for targeting bigger fish off Australian beaches to pair with a 12-foot surf rod.
I’m tossing up between different reel sizes and brands, including the Daiwa BG MQ, Shimano Saragosa SW and Shimano Stradic SW.
What reel size would you recommend for an all-round beach setup? Would a 6000, 8000 or 10000 be the best option?
I’m mainly looking to target mulloway but would also like a setup that can handle decent-sized fish, cast heavy sinkers and baits, and hold enough braid for longer runs.
Also, what braid strength and leader setup would you recommend?
Would appreciate any advice from people who regularly fish Australian beaches for jewfish. Cheers!

When I was about 14, roughly 10 years ago, I was fishing from the mainland shore at Yamba, NSW, not far from Hickey Island.
I caught what I can only describe as some kind of albino eel/eel-like fish. It was BIG — from memory at least 800–900 mm and quite possibly around a metre long. Long eel-shaped body, no normal fish-like tail, fairly pointed snout.
It was completely white with unmistakably RED eyes. Not reddish reflections from the light — genuinely red eyes.
But the part that has driven me absolutely insane for nearly a decade was its mouth.
It had a mouth full of sharp/needle-like teeth, but at the very front of the lower jaw were two absolutely enormous white fang-like teeth. From my memory and comparing the size now, I’d estimate roughly 50–60 mm long. I’ve attached a tape-measure photo specifically to show the size I’m talking about.
And I really want to emphasise this part:
The two lower fangs angled forward/outward and protruded beyond the end of its mouth. Even when the fish closed its mouth, those teeth were still sticking out past the snout. They were NOT enclosed inside the upper jaw.
That’s why I’m struggling with common pike eel. Muraenesox bagio is probably the closest thing I’ve found in terms of its general body/head shape, and I know they’re caught around Yamba, but I cannot find a photo or description showing one with two enormous lower teeth projecting beyond the CLOSED mouth like this thing had.
Unfortunately there is no photo of the actual fish. I was 14, alone, and had just dragged an approximately metre-long, completely white, red-eyed eel-looking creature with enormous bloody fangs onto the concrete. 😂 I was PETRIFIED. I left it and my fishing gear there, ran back to camp and got an older family friend who was an experienced fisherman to come down, remove the hook and release it.
I’ve tried identifying it on and off ever since and nothing I’ve ever found properly matches it.
I know this is a nearly 10-year-old memory, so obviously I can’t claim the exact measurements are perfect. But I will never forget the features that made this animal so damn horrifying: white body, And when I say white, I mean PAPER WHITE. Not pale grey, silver, cream, translucent, white underneath with darker markings on top, or a normal fish that looked washed-out in the light. I mean paper-white from head to tail. Proper stark white, all over, with no brown, grey or black pigmentation that I could see whatsoever. Combined with its completely red eyes, it looked genuinely albino.
, pointed eel-like head/body and those enormous lower fangs protruding beyond its mouth.
I’ve now actually sent an identification enquiry to the Australian Museum because after nearly a decade I want to know what the hell I caught 😂, but their response may take 6–8 weeks.
So while I wait: has anyone who’s spent years fishing around Yamba, the Clarence River or northern NSW ever caught or seen something matching this description? And before anyone assumes this is a childhood fishing story that’s gotten bigger and scarier every time I’ve remembered it — it hasn’t. I am not exaggerating what I saw. I was there. I landed this thing and had it thrashing around on the concrete directly in front of me. It scared me so badly that the image of it is burned into my memory.
I completely understand that this happened nearly 10 years ago, and I’m not claiming I could tell you whether the fish was exactly 87 cm long or whether a tooth measured exactly 54 mm. Those measurements are estimates. But the physical features themselves are not details I’ve invented or added over the years. I remember that animal vividly
- SO, Albino pike eel with some bizarre dental abnormality? Another species entirely? Some deformed individual?
Please put me out of my misery. This damn fish has lived rent-free in my head since I was 14. 😭

Hey everyone, I'm pretty new to fishing, so any tips or advice are welcome!

I'm trying to get a better understanding of when to use different setups rather than just throwing a line in and hoping for the best.

I've got a few questions:

• Sinkers vs floats vs neither: When should I use each one? Does it depend on the depth, current, type of fish, or where I'm fishing?
• Lures vs bait: When is it better to use a lure instead of actual bait? What are the advantages and disadvantages of each?
• General setups: Are there any simple rules of thumb for choosing a setup depending on whether I'm fishing from a beach, river, lake, or jetty?

I'm mainly planning to fish around NSW, both saltwater and freshwater, and I'm not targeting any particular species yet because I don't know any 😅.

I'd appreciate any advice or beginner tips. Cheers!

Looking to buy a Top Ender. Just wondering if anyone has had any experience with them on getting out and fishing/spearing the reef in fnq? Otherwise what boat would you recommend for a 30k budget that gets out to the reef, but is also handy for creek fishing

Latest installment of chonker bass! Sadly didn't have my bragmat with me so I used my trusty tape measure 🙌 Caught on a Berkley Jerk Shad diver minnow on my second cast, She fought like a horse, the absolute unit almost broke my little 1-3kg luxel setup on 12lb. Had my drag almost locked as I wasn't getting broken off on any snags today 😁 appologies for terrible camera angles, I had to record it all myself on my solo trip 🫡 Thanks for stopping by, Tight lines! 🎣🇦🇺

(Also last photos are just the release 💪)

I'm looking at getting a new light 2 piece 7ft rod, paired with a 3000 size reel. Currently my main rod is a 6ft 2000 size reel (pretty short yea, but its a 4 piece travel rod). In terms of braid and leader currently I just have:

• 8lb braid & 30lb braid
• 12lb & 45lb fluoro leader

I see a lot of people use quite high lb line when actively targeting kingfish.etc but also see a lot of people catch these species on 6-12lb leader.

What am I better off spooling a 3000 size reel with?

I'm down in Yamba area for the next week and i'm struggling to figure out the Brooms head beaches.

Using fresh beach worms, targeting gutters and features, also casting slugs for tailor, but it seems the beach up to Redcliff and just beyond are really quiet.

Any locals on here that could provide insight onto the fishing situation round the Brooms head area or what i might be doing wrong?

Just a little flathead I caught awhile back, these ones have pretty cool features

Been going fishing every weekend for the past few months and sometimes after work I’ve been using lures and I don’t get anything like I’ll be out for hours and not even a smack does anyone have any recommendations on what I can do to improve my catch rate to anything but 0 😂 and what lures or squidgies to use? does scent help? when I use bait I’ll catch a undersized bream or flatty and for context I live in the northern rivers nsw

I feel a bit more competitive with others but when I'm alone I kinda get in my mind more.

In both cases it's peaceful and fun.

Anyone had luck with salmon on lures around wollongong area? Have tried a couple times last week and haven't managed a single salmon 🫠 will take lure recommendations!

Is there any recommended baits for freshwater fishing in WA?

I have a 2 week holdiay to fish im in sydney and going to jervis bay on the weekend

I have two rods one with a 2500 reel and another with a 3000 reel

I havnt fished in sydney before or jervis bay what braid and leader weigth should i use and what lures and jigheads should i get for each rods.

thank you if anyone responds.

"Can't believe this 67cm European Carp was sitting right there in Berwick Springs! The new Abu Garcia Muscle Tip held up beautifully on just corn and bread bait.

https://www.youtube.com/@HookedwithMurph

Has anyone tried the Spiderwire Durasilk Braid? Is it any good? Or is it crap like the Wilson XL braid?

I picked up a G.Loomis SR842-2 for $25 this morning. Its a 2pc 7ft 4-8lb fast action

The tip had snapped and has had a new top eyelet put on professionally, so it is now a 6ft

I would rather it be the original 7ft. Is there any way I could get a replacement top half. Wether that is a oem replacement or maybe I could find a suitable donor from another type of rod? Open to suggestions.

Probably going to use this as a dedicated Ultra light Whiting set up.