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surfcasting for gurnard

Posted by fin-nor <iframe src='https://members5.boardhost.com/surfcasting/info/user=fin-nor' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on 18/8/2013, 12:19 pm

Just wondering if anyone has any tips and tricks for catching gurnard in the surf have always tried to catch them but never been successful as much as i like catching and eating kahawai, snapper and trevs my weakness is fresh gurnard

I mainly use pulley and ledger rigs with 3/0, 4/0 & 5/0 hooks

Re: surfcasting for gurnard

Posted by GaryK <iframe src='https://members5.boardhost.com/surfcasting/info/user=GaryK' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on 18/8/2013, 2:38 pm, in reply to "surfcasting for gurnard"

Pick calmer days and fish the big sandy beaches. crabs make a good bait but they take pillies and tuna as well. Change of light is best. Use circle hooks for a good hookup in their bony mouths.

The snapper don't know where the car park is!
Sometimes it is better to travel than to arrive.

Re: surfcasting for gurnard

Posted by fin-nor <iframe src='https://members5.boardhost.com/surfcasting/info/user=fin-nor' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on 18/8/2013, 2:54 pm, in reply to "Re: surfcasting for gurnard"

Thanks for that Gary I forgot to mention I use nothing but mutsu hooks so pretty much on the right track as to hook type I do use frozen bonito with bait elastic but next lot of bait I will probably go for pillies as I can get through those alot quicker than a whole bonito. The area I saw and was told holds gurnard the sand was littered with old crab, scallop and tua tua shells

Re: surfcasting for gurnard

Posted by Hangler <iframe src='https://members5.boardhost.com/surfcasting/info/user=Hangler' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on 18/8/2013, 3:12 pm, in reply to "Re: surfcasting for gurnard"

Fin-nor, I have experienced a very good past twelve months for gurnard, and like you they are a favoured table food. They are a very obliging fish, I must also add they have been in remarkable condition and of very acceptable size.

Everyone has a favourite bait, there is no right or wrong answer, if it works and it has your confidence, then that is the bait you should use. My own favourite in a frozen anchovy, with the head removed an a slight angle to let the gut cavity juices flow out as the bait thaws.

This was the bait I used with huge success in the Bay of Plenty, and the red fellows love it just it much here in Hawke's Bay. A personal opinion, I would rather use anchovies than pilchard, sometimes pilchards are quite big and they are cumbersome to use whole. This is not a problem with anchovies, it's as if they only grow to the perfect size for a hook bait.

Hope this helps.

Re: surfcasting for gurnard

Posted by fin-nor <iframe src='https://members5.boardhost.com/surfcasting/info/user=fin-nor' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on 18/8/2013, 6:21 pm, in reply to "Re: surfcasting for gurnard"

thanks for the good advice so far it is much appreciated. So obviously 4/0 & 5/0 will be an ok hook size as some say 1/0 &2/0 but I am not into smaller hooks under 3/0 like I am not into suicide or octopus hooks so I can ensure that I am lip hooking snapper/other fish species as I do like to release fish with minimal injuries to them especially if they are undersized (key reason for bigger hooks to stop the little ones hooking up) or if I do not want to keep them.

Re: surfcasting for gurnard

Posted by GaryK <iframe src='https://members5.boardhost.com/surfcasting/info/user=GaryK' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on 18/8/2013, 7:27 pm, in reply to "Re: surfcasting for gurnard"

Shop around Hangler. There are plenty of anchovy size pillies available and they tend to be a bit oilier. I often use anchovies myself particularly in the spring when they run here and I can get fresh ones. Not so good on the longline though they fall off when towed through the sand.

The snapper don't know where the car park is!
Sometimes it is better to travel than to arrive.

Re: surfcasting for gurnard

Posted by Wellyfisher <iframe src='https://members5.boardhost.com/surfcasting/info/user=Wellyfisher' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on 18/8/2013, 7:32 pm, in reply to "Re: surfcasting for gurnard"

Where do you get anchovy bait? Have never seen it for sale.

Re: surfcasting for gurnard

Posted by fin-nor <iframe src='https://members5.boardhost.com/surfcasting/info/user=fin-nor' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on 18/8/2013, 7:33 pm, in reply to "Re: surfcasting for gurnard"

years ago when living in auckland I used to go to the fish retailers to buy my bait used to work out cheaper than buying frozen bait from the tackle shops and had more to choose from wish they had a fresh fish retailer in the waikato.

Re: surfcasting for gurnard

Posted by SNAPPA NAPIER <iframe src='https://members5.boardhost.com/surfcasting/info/user=SNAPPA+NAPIER' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on 18/8/2013, 7:43 pm, in reply to "Re: surfcasting for gurnard"

3/0 to 5/0 circles either blank or with a flasher rig skirt on ledger( Two hook rig) with strips of fresh kahawai. Dynamite on gurneys. They will take almost any fish bait given half a chance, pilly cubes and skippy cubes work just swell. Avoid squid or occy. When distance casting is required(wading surf beaches) a small cut bait on a pulley rig with a lil bling (needle skirt/sequins/lumo beads) will see the red devils pouncing on your baits. Ive seen gurnard caught on mere short 10metre wash casts on shelving beaches so don't think you haven't cast far enough to capture them. Some of my f##ked up casts have scored well on gurns. Good luck

Re: surfcasting for gurnard

Posted by fin-nor <iframe src='https://members5.boardhost.com/surfcasting/info/user=fin-nor' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on 18/8/2013, 7:57 pm, in reply to "Re: surfcasting for gurnard"

Welly fisher I get anchovies when I am being tighter than a dutchmans wallet from hamills but h&F and other tackle shops should sell them I usually pay $5 for a bag of anchovies. Snapper napier I have both octopus (10cm pink and blue and white)and needlefish skirts (green and yellow with lumo heads)then I also have plain traces all tied and ready to go and have set them up so I can pre bait and swap traces as I bring in the empty one, and for extra laziness I have a large yoghurt container cable tied to my beach spike to store my bait elastic and precut baits. The war council disapproved of me keeping chunks of bait in my trouser pockets after I left one in my pocket and those pants went into the washing basket then the cats hung around it for a couple of days, was ordered to come up with a better system for storing my cut baits while fishing

Re: surfcasting for gurnard

Posted by Hangler <iframe src='https://members5.boardhost.com/surfcasting/info/user=Hangler' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on 18/8/2013, 8:12 pm, in reply to "Re: surfcasting for gurnard"

I have never thought of using anchovies on a long line, Gary. Thanks for the advice, I always listen to those with personal experience.

Re: surfcasting for gurnard

Posted by GaryK <iframe src='https://members5.boardhost.com/surfcasting/info/user=GaryK' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on 18/8/2013, 8:22 pm, in reply to "Re: surfcasting for gurnard"

Ha nice one. Our cat ate the pocket out of a pair of pants I had been wearing fishing before they got in the wash.

The snapper don't know where the car park is!
Sometimes it is better to travel than to arrive.

Re: surfcasting for gurnard

Posted by rondo <iframe src='https://members5.boardhost.com/surfcasting/info/user=rondo' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on 18/8/2013, 8:27 pm, in reply to "Re: surfcasting for gurnard"

Wellyfisher, i have seen anchovies for sale at the fishmarket in High St Lower Hutt, more recently at Pete Lambs Port Rd shop. also at the
Bayview BP station in HB. Be prepared for their mushiness keep em frozen and use elastic. Though I have only ever brought them once, in a 500gm pack. Keen to give them another try using Hanglers no head advice. and a chilly bag.

Re: surfcasting for gurnard

Posted by fin-nor <iframe src='https://members5.boardhost.com/surfcasting/info/user=fin-nor' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on 18/8/2013, 8:44 pm, in reply to "Re: surfcasting for gurnard"

yep and a good reason my fishing rods go in the shower for a good wash after a day. I had a cat many years ago that ate the eva hand grip off one of my old surfcasters wasn't too worried it was only a jarvis walker rod (that's how I got my first penn surf rod).

Re: surfcasting for gurnard

Posted by Wellyfisher <iframe src='https://members5.boardhost.com/surfcasting/info/user=Wellyfisher' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on 18/8/2013, 9:03 pm, in reply to "Re: surfcasting for gurnard"

Thanks for that guys, I might try and get hold of some this week. My second daughter is almost two weeks old now, must be time for a celebratory fish =)

Re: surfcasting for gurnard

Posted by Hangler <iframe src='https://members5.boardhost.com/surfcasting/info/user=Hangler' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on 19/8/2013, 9:02 am, in reply to "Re: surfcasting for gurnard"

The mushiness is a very good point. I should have mentioned when you purchase anchovies, to keep them frozen wrap them in newspaper for insulation, and buy a small chilly bag from the Warehouse or somewhere similar. Just open the end of the paper wrapping and split the plastic bag the anchovies come in.

Now just take out what you need, one or two at a time. Keep the chilly bag closed in between casts and you will find the bait will remain frozen for the whole session. If you intend to have a really long session, then put two or three small plastic lemonade bottles in the chilly bag. Fill them with water first and leave them in the freezer to cool their heals, cheapest slicker pads on the market.

I have kept anchovies frozen all day on the hottest of summer days using this method.

Re: surfcasting for gurnard

Posted by fin-nor <iframe src='https://members5.boardhost.com/surfcasting/info/user=fin-nor' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on 19/8/2013, 10:32 am, in reply to "Re: surfcasting for gurnard"

I thought anchovies only went mushy after refreezing but good point about keepig them cool through out the day while fishing might have to dig out that chilly bag from the cupboard.

Re: surfcasting for gurnard

Posted by GrantBOP <iframe src='https://members5.boardhost.com/surfcasting/info/user=GrantBOP' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on 19/8/2013, 7:25 pm, in reply to "Re: surfcasting for gurnard"

I take my anchovies out of the freezer bout 3 ta 4 hours before i go fishing. Nothing worse than frozen bait. After a couple of times in and out of the freezer they go a bit mushy so i just fold the head back down to the tail wrap it up tight in cotton so its guts starts to leak then thread my hooks in so one of the points is right out thro the guts and it works a treat. Also try cutting the head and back third off and put one nice big 5/0 in it. Works a treat up here for gurnard and snaps

Re: surfcasting for gurnard

Posted by SNAPPA NAPIER <iframe src='https://members5.boardhost.com/surfcasting/info/user=SNAPPA+NAPIER' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on 19/8/2013, 7:37 pm, in reply to "Re: surfcasting for gurnard"

Must be a HB thing dropping ya frozen pillies/anchovies into a small bucket of water for a minute to thaw?. My bait stays in a chillybin when it get to the beach to keep it as fresh as possible. Ive heard rolling a few pillies in the news paper trick works well for short fishing sessions without defrosting a whole bag.

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