Fishing is a niche community all over the world and has been around for thousands of years. There is something calming about it and yet exciting at the same time. What will be at the end of the line? The answer is always thrilling for those who love fishing.
One of the world’s best fishing spots is off the eastern coastline of Australia in the state of Queensland. There are many places to cast a line including beaches, headlands, and even fishing charter boats.
Beach fishing is among the most desired in the area and some might inquire what kind of bait to use.
Bait For Beach Fishing
Beach fishing in Australia, particularly Queensland, has always been a beloved activity. When fishing along the sandy shores in the area, knowing what kind of bait to use will ensure that a fishing trip goes successfully!
Fishing bait comes in all forms from live fish, dead fish, worms, etc, there really is no limit to what can be used as bait.
The trick is figuring out which baits attract fish the most. What will make them latch onto the hook? A good rule of thumb is to use the freshest bait possible. Fresh bait, especially if it is alive, draws fish in. It is true that some bigger fish eat smaller fish.
What is more true than anything is that fresh bait is way more alluring than most other baits. Below are some of the most popular bait used in beach fishing.
Popular Bait Choices For Beach Fishing Queensland
- For Smaller Sized Jewfish
– mullet, tailor, whole fish, squid strips, herring, yellowtail, or pillies (fresh)
- For Bream, Tailor, Dart, Salmon, or Flathead – pipis (fresh), beach worms, or pilchards
- For Snapper or Jewfish – garfish
- Other Baits To Try – bluefish, whitebait, or sandworm
These are the most common baits that are used for beach fishing, specifically for certain fish. While the bait is super important, another crucial factor to consider is where on the beach to fish.
It isn’t as simple as casting a line off of a beach shoreline and hoping for the best. Fish near shorelines tend to dwell within the gutters of troughs of the shoreline.
These areas are deeper, thus the fish linger in these areas to stay more protected. Moreover, this is an area where food might appear for them like pipis or even crabs.
To properly fish on the beach with the right bait, within the gutter areas, a good rig is also needed. Investing in rigs that have a longer distance to them when casting is ideal as they will reach the gutter and trough areas more efficiently.
Between the rig, a good spot to cast, and proper bait, beach fishing can be a real treat. It is important to note that fresh bait is best, well fresh. Bringing too much bait might lower the quality of the bait if it is not as fresh as possible.
Best Beaches In Queensland For Beach Fishing
Below are the best beaches in the Queensland area for beach fishing!
Southern Four Mile Beach, Cairns
Known for its black marlin
, Cairns is a highly desired fishing spot in Queensland. Its beach fishing off of Southern Four Mile Beach is a favoured spot. Blue salmon, trevally, and queenfish are popular species found here.
Toogoom Beach, Toogoom Queensland
Toogoom is a small town in Queensland, but its big on the fishing community! The beach fishing in this area is known to bring in species like bream, red emperors, and even barramundi.
Port Douglas, Cairns
Port Douglas’s Four Mile Beach has a southern part and the main part. Fishing off the shores of both parts of this beach is truly an adventure. The fish species more concentrated towards Port Douglas include mahi-mahi, coral trout, wahoo, and seaperch, just to name a few.
There are over 10,000 beaches all over Australia, but Queensland has some of the best fishing beach areas in the country. This includes rock fishing too on Fraser Island and other locations along the coastline. Tourists or residents can enjoy beach fishing all over Queensland.
Not only is it an exciting adventure, but it is also a great way to enjoy Queensland’s beautiful weather and pristine beachfront areas!
Are Lures Better Than Bait?
Before debating which is better, bait, or lure, it is important to know what a lure is exactly. In the fishing world, a lure is an artificial bait that is designed to appeal to fish.
This is generally done with bright, vibrant colours, and various shapes and sizes. Lures also require motion to dance within the water to attract fish.
While lures can be quite impressive looking, that is generally all they are; flashy pieces of bait. When it comes to trying to catch fish, fresh bait will always be a better choice.
Fish, like other things in nature, enjoy eating. If there’s fresh bait that they mistake for dinner, a fisherman will have better luck. To fish with lures is extremely difficult, although it is not completely impossible.
Some would say that the attraction of an interesting lure hooks the fisherman more than it does the fish!
Do Fish Eat Fake Bait?
The fishing community is known for having two teams: team live bait and team lures. Both sides have valid points as to why they prefer one over the other. The bottom line still stands that fresher live bait will attract more fish.
However, fishing with fake bait or lures is not completely impossible. In fact, when done the right way, fish will take to fake bait. Fish like bream is one of the species known to latch onto lures or fake bait. But why?
Perhaps there is some attraction to the flashy colours of the lures or fake bait, but perhaps the ones that look a bit more natural are the more attractive.
While these can be reasonings behind fish being attracted to fake bit, there is more a lure fisher can do to attract fish to a lure. This includes adding scent to the fake bait. Adding scent can be done with liquid solutions or even simply using fresh fish to scent.
Can You Catch Fish Without Live Bait?
Fishing without live bait is a bit trickier than fishing with it. Once again, live bait has such an appeal due to its overall scent and even taste for the fish. While fresh, live bait is the best way to beach fish, it is possible to catch fish without it.
While it can be possible, it is usually a bit harder to do so. Fish might seem like mindless creatures under the waters, however, they are able to notice things in the water that attracts them other than fresh smelling bait.
So what are some unconventional ways to catch fish without live bait? Below are some of the ways to attempt catching fish without live bait!
Unconventional Ways To Catch Fish Without Live Bait
- Vibration or Sound – Some lures will come with sound chambers inside of them that can emit a sound when cast into the waters. Sound is an effective way to attract fish. They can be curious about the sounds.
- Motion – The motion of a lure can attract fish as well. They can be naturally attracted to moving objects and might attack the lure.
- Smell – As expressed before, the scent is a large factor in bringing fish to a lure or fake bait as well. It gives off a more natural vibe that they are familiar with that is similar to the food sources they regularly eat.
These methods aren’t completely “unconventional” yet they are the most effective ways to try catching fish without live bait. It can be done with trial and error combined with these methods.
Moreover, it can require a great deal of patience. After all, fishing isn’t just about catching fish it is about relaxing and getting time away from our everyday duties as well!
Fishing Bait Requirements in Queensland
Australia is full of exotic marine life and wildlife and many protected natural areas. Because of this, certain activities like fishing do have specific requirements that must be followed by law.
These requirements and rules are primarily set up to avoid depleted fish populations due to overfishing. Some of the rules include specific types of netting, lines, etc that must be used specifically for the type of fishing being conducted.
Moreover, there are bait limitations as well that play a role in the reduction of overfishing. Below are some of the fishing bait requirements for Queensland.
Fishing Bait Requirements in Queensland
- Beach worms and Pipis – A limit of 30 each are allowed to be possessed at one time.
- Cribb island worms – A limit of 50 can be possessed at one time.
- Any other species of bait being caught – If a species of bait has no direct, set limit, it is automatically placed at a 20 limit cap.
All information about fishing limits (including lines, netting, etc) can be found on the Queensland government website.
Beach fishing is super fun for those who enjoy fishing. While everyone has their overall preference for bait, having fresh bait is always the best way to go!
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