Wondering if you guys have notable success by going out early? I have no lack of motivation I love that time of night/day and have no trouble bouncing out of bed at 4am but my lack of guaranteed eating fish has seen me uninterested in registering for the local comp this weekend - much to my surprise, even after seeing 50% off deals on grabone. I will likely be going out for a fish this weekend aswel. Dawn is my ideal time to escape the house having a young family, can usually be the only one at my chosen spot (have not run into any 'bad company' as of yet) and if i end up stuck on a beach with not much to do after sunrise I just brew a coffee I will persist, and have already weathered through the hissy fit stage where I gave up fishing 3 years in a row (at the end of each xmas holidays saying it is a 'fools game', ha ha weak right) , I have fished on most weekends usually 5:30 am til 9am give or take for over a year now and have upgraded to a new fishing rod and reel after wearing my last ones out, I'm trying new things and branching out of wellington harbor more and more.
I just want an opinion on sunrise vs sunset without getting so much into different tackle and bait tactics at this stage...
Re: Dawnies
Posted by racepics on 10/6/2013, 6:52 pm, in reply to "Dawnies"
It has been my personal experience that you seldom catch anything until the actual sunrise. ( sharks and rays being the exception ) I've often been on the beach fishing at 3 or 4am, some two hours before sunrise. Generally nothing doing fish wise until the first rays of sun poke through. Just my own experiences - others may have different thoughts. http://www.paniasurfcasting.org http://www.surfcaster.co.nz
Re: Dawnies
Posted by AndyG on 10/6/2013, 8:05 pm, in reply to "Dawnies"
I've always found the opposite, although I like getting up early to head out fishing I've always had better luck at sunset rather than sunrise.
Re: Dawnies
Posted by rondo on 10/6/2013, 9:01 pm, in reply to "Re: Dawnies"
Yeah thats what I wondered, I was thinking of changing up my game and trying afternoons, it would just be a little harder to negotiate escaping my family then. But do-able. Early mornings is how I was first exposed to hunting/fishing but unlike those times going with family members I go out solo and at its worst can have me looking over my shoulder suspiciously when I'm around populated areas with not much to do in 2 hrs of darkness, at best though I love being able to pull in a nice sized kahawai in the dark and have had big interest from mystery creatures that pop off the hook but this seems to be the exception to the rule for me, most often it is at or aftersunrise that I seem to catch, though notably absent for me is any fish that has a size limit especially absent are gurnard, terakihi, takable trevally and snapper. I understand this is the nature of the sport I do have a habit of choosing easy to reach spots, mostly because it is hard to try out a new spot in the dark with no prior reconnaissance. I love that ritual of loading up and setting up in the dark and have my system well honed. Do you find that when fishing through sunset the onset of darkness can spell and end to the bites?
Re: Dawnies
Posted by Wellyfisher on 10/6/2013, 10:44 pm, in reply to "Re: Dawnies"
I have found in the harbour I have caught my best fish around sunrise. This is when I have caught snapper, gurnard, and tarakihi. I havn't caught that many of them, but this has always been the time.
I'm in the same boat family wise so morning is the easiest option. I've had a bad run with the harbour lately though, so have been going out to ocean beach. It hasn't mattered what time i've been out there, caught 15 fish over the last 3 visits. All red cod and a few lemons so far.
Re: Dawnies
Posted by Rex HB on 11/6/2013, 10:53 am, in reply to "Re: Dawnies"
Dawn and dusk are good times to fish. But Welly harbour always struck me as a fickle place. And I can relate to the need to look over your shoulder too. You never know whats around for sure. I fished a bit round Petone and the airport and caught feck all really. The problem is no one will confess to the best spots in close anyway. Joining the local surfcasting club would be a good start. There are places around I'm sure and fishing with others is always a good idea for security reasons of course.
Re: Dawnies
Posted by rondo on 11/6/2013, 7:15 pm, in reply to "Re: Dawnies"
Yep I think club membership is inevitable for me, I've been entertaining that idea for a while. It would be good to have fishing be more social. been using the spot x guide more recently and while I don't think I'll give up on the dawn missions I think a couple of late afternoon fishes are in order now ('scuse me while I consult my better half...) tried fishing Makara only once, with the family in tow and they bullied me into leaving when it was an hour before sunset andhigh tide, it had just started spitting with black clouds on the horizon while I was catching little kahawai on every cast - must try that again. nice to know I'm not alone in this Wellyfisher
Re: Dawnies
Posted by Tin Tin on 12/6/2013, 5:15 pm, in reply to "Re: Dawnies"
Hey Rondo - check out the welly clubs FB page for more info or message me if you want more info, cheers
Posted by GaryK on 13/6/2013, 6:12 pm, in reply to "Dawnies"
I love mornings. Particularly for snapper and moki. You are right about the lack of competition, everyone seems to sleep in these days. The snapper don't know where the car park is! Sometimes it is better to travel than to arrive.
on 10/6/2013, 6:33 pm
