Advice on shore fishing with lots of rocks

[hi09]

Hey folks - any one have some advice for a newer fisherman with no boat..

i usually go to a place called binbrook here in Hamilton.

problem is there are lots of rocks right at the shore - this past weekend i lost about 15 bucks worth of tackle,

 

i think its because i generally use sinkers - to get a good cast out but they always get caught up as i am realing back in -

 

i dont really have a preference of fish that i am trying to catch - just trying to catch any thing...

 

someone mentioned spinner bait - is that ideal for rock fishing?

 

any suggested setups that maybe more effective...

 

thank you!

[Rizzo]

I don't know what kind of fish are to be found there, but spinnerbaits are quite snag resistant due to the positioning of the hook. Great through the weeds as well. Catch lots of species of fish to boot.

[setomonkey]

But even spinnerbaits will hang up on the rocks if you let it drop all the way to the bottom.

 

For really rocky shore-fishing, I suggest trying ures that float or suspend (e.g., Rapalas) that you can retrieve at different speeds and with different action (long pauses, lots of fast twitches etc.)

 

If you want to fish near the bottom, you can try jigs as a less expensive option. Cast them out, count down so they drop (about one foot per second or so), and retrieve. If you aren't ticking rocks and other structure, count longer, and if you keep getting snagged then go for a shorter count. Eventually you'll get a feel for the depths and will be able to work the shoreline more effectively.

 

Good luck!

 

Mike

[Garry2Rs]

Twenty-five or thirty years ago I was part of a club that but duck blinds in Binbrook every fall. There was access to a parking lot about halfway down the lake on the north side. There was also a road that crossed the west end of the lake...

At that time there were Crappie, Bass and Pike as well as Brown Bullhead and other rough fish in the lake.

Rather than continue to loose tackle, I'd get a slip float and a can of worms...You can fish any depth and worms will catch anything that's in the lake.

If you don't know what a slip float is you need to find a tackle store like Fishing World or Grimsby Tackle where there are knowledgeable people who can explain things to you.

[Beats]

I've had the same issue my whole life of fishing. I've never had a boat so I have always fished from shore in shallow rivers. The key is to more or less buy tackle that floats or atleast floats at idle and sinks depending on the speed of your retrieve. Floating jointed Rapalas and other lures like that are good because you can cast them a fair distance and they only dive based on how fast you retrieve. If you see a log/snag that your lure is approaching all you have to do is either slow the retrieve so the lure rises a little or you can pause and let the lure float back up to the surface before beginning your retrieve again. Also, small spinners work really well in shallow rocky water. The way to fish them is to start reeling fairly quickly the second the lure hits the water and make sure your rod tip is up. The quick retrieve and the high rod tip should keep the spinner just an inch or 2 below the surface of the water. I find most snags in shallow water with a spinner or anything with some weight to it usually happens when the lure initially hits the water and sinks before you start your retrieve. Also try poppers at dusk and if you are worried about losing alot of money on lures, buy a pack of grubs and jigheads as they are quite cheap to replace when lost.

 

I am mostly fishing the Thames in and around London and catching lots of fish in the tiny bit of water that is there currently. Most of the fish I've caught in teh last couple of months have come out of 3ft of water or less, and have been caught on small jointed rapalas and spinners of different sorts.

[HTHM]

I have a canoe, and live near you. PM me and we can set something up for this Saturday

[Garry2Rs]

I don't want to hi-jack this thread into another discussion of fishing line. BUT, if you're breaking off all the time, you might want to consider investing in some 30 pound test PowerPro. It is the diameter of 8 pound test mono and with light wire hooks, like those on Rapala's etc. You have enough strength to pull off many snags or even straighten a hook to release a snagged bait.