Fishing Styles

There are many popular styles of fishing in Australia. Each is suited to an individual's skill level, the environment and the target fish. It is important to consider your destination, resources and the likely weather conditions before deciding what type of fishing you will do on your next holiday. The following information details some of the popular fishing styles in Australia.

Freshwater Fishing

Freshwater fishing is a great way to utilize your local dam, river or creek bed. In this water you can use an attended fishing line or in some locations a set line. Try to aim for approximately 5 metres in water depth when freshwater fishing.

The best time to fish varies depending on where you are fishing and the time of year. In some locations it's early morning and late after noon, in others it's in the evening. Ask the locals in the area or consult with the closest fishery agency for the prime fishing time.

Popular bait for freshwater fishing includes garden worms, saltwater mullet, grasshoppers, woodgrubs etc. Green-coloured, pink or gold lures are also popular amongst freshwater fishers.

Estuary Fishing

Estuaries are a prime location for fishing. Channels, weed beds and drop-offs have a high concentration of fish thus offering the perfect place to make a huge catch. You can fish either from shore, an anchored boat or drifting.

Common catches in estuaries are Snapper, Mullet, Bream and Flathead, among others. The best bait varies depending on the fish you want to catch but includes: live mullet, worms, fish pieces, chicken gut, prawn, squid and more. A great way to bring the fish to your area is by trailing bread, fish pieces and/or chicken pellets.

Reef Fishing

The popularity of reef fishing has grown in the last few decades, with many great reefs across Australia. The standard equipment for reef fishers is light rods and reels. For the best results you should avoid using lines over 15 kgs in weight.

Drifting is preferable in deeper water however you may be able to anchor in shallow depths. It is a common misconception with reef fishing that you will only find the fish on the bottom of the ocean - in fact, there are often fish in schools hovering well above the reef.

You will commonly find trout, cod, sweetlip, red emperor among others when reef fishing. The types of fish will vary depending on the location of the reef as will the restrictions regarding reef fishing which are often very strict. Popular choices for bait include squid and pilchard.

Fly Fishing

Fly Fishing is one of the oldest fishing styles in Australia. You can catch a vast variety of fish with the fly fishing style including salmon, trout, carp, panfish and more. The main art of fly fishing is selecting the right tackle/lure. Large, colourful lures are a popular choice amongst fishers.

When casting the line whilst fly fishing it is important to keep the fly (lure) in the water as much as possible if you wish to catch a fish. You should also monitor the speed at which you retrieve the line, it should be relative to the speed of the fish.

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