we use just a twin hook rig tied directly to the mainline, no weight, and normally use squid whitebait or mulies

Here is a link to some info mate. I love catching herring by puting some burley in the water to attract them, then use a small metal slice to cast out and catch them..great fun, and taste nice smoked!

Here is the link   http://www.recfishwest.org.au/FishingForHerring.htm

burly burly burly!!!!!!  if you got a boat around mussel farms are the go... burly up big time, use plenty of POLLARD, they will come in the thousands.  10g to 15g gold twisty then bam buckets full. this works well for taylor as well,  lite gear 4lb. 

if your land based one method to use is a floating burley cage . connect the burley cage onto the main line using a snap swivel then run about a 1 mtr trace down to a hook , as far as bait goes try either a small set of gangs swith white bait or a single hook with a small piece of prawn. if the herring get all fired up then you can start casting a small twistie lure out in amongst them . another method is using a float then about a 1mtr trace down to a single hook with a 1 inch piece of fluro tube over the hook and just cast it out and retrieve at a steady pace. using the twistie or the fluro tube works great whenb the herring are fired up and it saves you having to re bait your line all the time

I use light line. heat the swivels up and put in both ends of the blob. Run 80cm to first hook with 30 cm line down. Then 50cm to next hook on the end.

I use the long shank mustad hooks they work a treat. Easy to take out of herring that swallow deep. beats ripping the guts out.

I've got some decent maggots on the brew, they work really well.

You can buy the wogs in the tackle shops most servos dont sell them. If you cant pick em up get squid that way you dont have to rebait as much.

I reccomend Burley as well. And burley up the blob.

You could also pick them up for like $5 from most tackle stores already made.  But that takes all the fun out.

happy fishing

Simara are you using the twisty at night?

Where are you situated?

That way we can work out some good spots close to where you are.

Depending on the size of the herring I am targeting -

Average metro herring (jetty/rocks): 

Main Line ---- Small / Medium Swivel -------- 50cm ish light line --- Size 8 or 10 hook.

Make sure the hook is chemically sharpened. I use very small pieces of mulie as bait (fillet and slice into tiny bits). Throw burley down to attract them, then 'feel' for the bite (gently lift the rod tip). Great sport.

Bull herring (beach):

Main Line ---- Split Shot Weight ---- Medium Swivel ---- 50cm ish light line --- Size 4 or 6 Long Shank hook.

Put a mulie cube on (tails are great). Flick it out into the surf zone and slowly retrieve.

As both methods involve fishing very light, they rely on decent conditions (casting with little or no wind) and not much current. Lift rod tip gently when you feel a bite to set the hook. Wait - if the fish is not on continue retrieving after a few seconds as the fish will come back if it did not get the bait!

I have just got back from Hill River. Absolutely cleaned up on Herring off the Cervantes jetty yesterday. They are always there, along with the gardies. The first technique works well for both. Little or no burley required at Cervantes as the fish are teeming. Cast off the NW side.

Unfortunately could not fish the beach at Hill River last night - windy / cloudy, big tides and too much weed.

Metro - try around freo D/E sheds. Sometimes hit and miss but if the fish are there they are often there in the thousands.

Plenty of bull herring off the beaches north of Quinns. eg. Wilbinga.

Popular jetties are always worth a try - but expect to catch other junk fish too such as trumpeter and blowies.

Good luck!

people who use floats and dont need the casting distane(boaties) just put a 2 hook rig no swivels directy to mainline and thats a good rig.

The best bait i find for herring is easily wogs (maggots), the herring just go crazy for them.  I use a similar rig to what boyscout suggested above, and when fishing after dark i attach a small glowstick halfway between the float and the hook. I'm not sure if the glowstick attracts the fish, but it lets u know wen u hav got a fish on the line, which can be difficult if its pitch black and your float is a long way out. And burley is a must as others have said.

As locations go, just about any marina rock wall, or beach will produce herring. Personally i find that Hillarys north wall always has a few around. Its not hard to get 20 herring there on the right night.

Good luck mate

thanks for all the help guys....so tell me whats the best way you berley up? is it in a cage or berley the bait?..

ill second the rig rescribed by boyscout, used it since i was a kid. Wogs on the long shank make quick hook removal pretty easy as well plus the float size can be changed so casting long distances is possible. Floats that hold the burley in it bring the fish right to ya bait.



Used to get the chicken oil/fat from supermarkets to add to burley, cheap (sometimes free) and works great. Try IGA as coles and wooleys generally have storage and disposal methods which means they cant give it to u.

Yep burley is defianately the way to go wiuth herring and once they are in a "feeding frenzy" you generally start to get them every cast.

hey again guys,

im going to try quinns rock tonight maybe.has it been any good for herring lately?..i know theres groynes up there but which ones are the best to fish off?.im thinking about fishing through the night tonight for a change of tactics.is the weather suited for that as in wind and tide?

thanks guys