When and where to fish

Hi - I'm a beginner. Bought a Shakespeare 12' BeachcasterTarga rod and reel.Guy in the shop showed me how to tie the reel line to the feathers and how to put the weight on.Been on the harbour arm 3 times and caught a mackerel.Is there an easier way instead of tying the feathers on each time,can you use snap links?
I went to see a mate I hadn't seen for ages as I know he eats,sleeps and breathes fishing,although he does only course now he sea fished for years. He made up what he called a running rig and showed me how to attach it so I'm hoping to get some bait and use that as well.I had so many questions I forgot to ask about swapping over between feathers quickly.Plus he gave me a guided tour of all his gear,what Boilies are,torches,photos of ginormous carp etc etc was interesting but my head was going round in circles.
He told me best time for mackerel was one hour before and one after high tide.Forgot to ask what times are best for other fish.Perhaps someone can give a few pointers for basic beginners stuff.

Thanks,

Trevor

Oops!My Title was a bit adrift - should be "when to fish" but I've asked several other questions as well.I'm new to this forum - must remember to preview next time!

Trevor

[GrassHopper]

just tye on a snap link to the end of your leead line then you can attacth you feathers or riggs easyer

[Fishing Forum Admin]

Hi

Yes just use a snap link to attatch your rigs to your main line

What I would advise is that you go form a walk where you go fishing and have a peek at what other anglers are using i.e rigs hook size and bait. and just have a chat with them

A good idea is joining a local club

Also if you are having trouble tieing your own rigs go to the tackle shop and buy a few ready made ones and see how they are made as you can then copy them

As you have freshwater fished before the skills are the same

• Think of your hook / bait size compared to the fish you are targeting - small fish =small hooks and bait ect
• Its always trial and error in the begining
• Fish flow the tide in and out so at low tide have a look at the ground you are fishing - look for weed beds ,rock crops, gullies and worm beds as this is where the fish will be targeting these areas for food

Just some quick ideas but I sure other members will chip in

[Ben]

buy magazines, ask in tackel shpos, buy ready made rigs and ask what other anglers do
maybe even get some books

[upnorth1]

Hi mate and welcome to the forum...

Just a quick rule of thumb for you to remember...for safety reasons when casting a lead, always multiply the weight of your lead by ten and this will give you an idea of what leader to use...i.e : 4oz of lead - 40lb. leader...
5oz. of lead - 50lb. leader...etc. when you've caught loadsa fish on the feathers, try a spinner on lighter tackle and you'll, I promise, enjoy it more.

But I do agree with buying mags, they're always full of great advice, rig tying, marks to fish etc...

Joining a club is also a fab idea, but best of all...

KEEP COMING TO THIS FORUM, it's always packed to the hilt with great advice from anglers from all over the world...

Enjoy your fishing mate, and don't forget to come along and give us your catch reports..

Thanks guys.Looked for books in the library...nothing,must be popular!What's the best mag for a beginner,haven't looked at any yet. Is there a book worth buying as well?
Thanks,
Trevor

[Fishing Forum Admin]

Hi

Visit the link below ( it is our sister site )

A good starting book is Step -by - Step Guide to Baits and rigs

Nice pictures and easy to read , there are more sea fishing books there as well

| Sea Fishing Books Click Here |

[Simon TorbayFishing]

This year is a weird one (you'll see me keep saying this).

I've seen people feathering all afternoon catching nothing while the 2 people either side of him float fishing were catching loads of mackerel.

As I'm walking toward my spot I always look at what everyone else is doing and if they have caught much fish. I also ask every other one "Am I going to be busy or quiet today?". I ask that because it drives me nuts when non-fishing peeps keep walking up to me asking "Caught much?" so I use my phrase to not annoy as much :)

If you're going to be fishing a lot in one spot then talk to the people close to you and get some tips and tricks from them. It takes years to learn what spots in one area are best, what depth to fish, do you fish on float or bottom, night or day... you get my drift :)

I've taken a lot of people under my wing and I've seen others do the same. It's a great way to make new friends and compare notes.

Lastly... and this is only my opinion... don't get caught up using one rig or one depth. If you're float fishing and you're not catching anything change depth every 10 minutes are so. Change to fresher bait ever 20 minutes or so. I see far too many people keep the same setup all day and spend the rest of the day with no bites while people like me are doing ok. Until I get my first bite I'm changing depths or length of cast every 10 to 15 minutes until I get a bite. I then keep at that depth or distance for another 30 minutes and see what happens. If nothing else happens I re-adjust slightly.

If you're look for a rig guide I've made some here:
http://www.torbayfishing.com/rigs.htm

By being here you're already doing well :)

[Ben]

good rig bit there, i aint seen a cod rig like that before, but then again i aint ever tryed cod fishing
i think i might try it next time just to make a big bait to attraxt more fish(hopefully)