How much lead to use for bottom fishing on the cliffs

Hi Guys,

 

Can I get some guidance from the community with regards to what weight sinkers to use off the cliffs (Quobba/Steep Point) for bottom fishing?

 

Cheers


Iceman's picture

Posts: 745

Date Joined: 17/03/09

Snapper leads

Wed, 2015-05-20 12:40

 We use size 4 snapper leads. We did use size 4 star sinkers but got caught up on the reef a lot. Size 4 or 5 is more than wnough as you don't need to cast out very far and we find most fish are close the edge.

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Belly Fish's picture

Posts: 499

Date Joined: 09/03/12

Heavier

Wed, 2015-05-20 12:46

I fished False Entrance cliffs for years....don't go there anymore though.  We exclusively used 6 ounce snapper leads.  Make your rigs simple, as many of them do one way trips, especially when we targetted Baldies in close to the cliff.  Nowadays, with beefier rods, we use 8 ounce snapper leads.

Syzygy's picture

Posts: 39

Date Joined: 13/04/15

I have size 4 but was worried

Wed, 2015-05-20 12:50

I have size 4 but was worried it wouldn't be enough.....how much do size 4 weigh?

TorquenFish's picture

Posts: 321

Date Joined: 30/12/12

 Size 4 will be fine. You'll

Wed, 2015-05-20 13:02

 Size 4 will be fine. You'll either be on to a fish/have ya bait snaffled within a minute or two... or you would have caught terrafirma and have donated a rig to the ocean's tackle box.

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Snags's picture

Posts: 558

Date Joined: 07/05/09

4-6oz on paternoster rig. My

Wed, 2015-05-20 16:09

4-6oz on paternoster rig.

 

My last trip I switched to using bean sinkers (size 6?) which are about 2oz on a running rig.  Much prefer this method now.  

ChrisG's picture

Posts: 558

Date Joined: 30/12/11

 Used to burn thru the lead

Wed, 2015-05-20 17:44

 Used to burn thru the lead both big and small sizes at steep.

Tried all sorts of rigs and sizes of leads and used to get good fish but also lost a LOT of lead.

got some advise on this web site to just to use a very simple rig and have never looked back and no longer loose anywhere near as much gear as I used to....and my catch rate hasn't dropped at all.

just 6ft of 60-80lb leader, single hook on the end with a med ball running sinker immediately above the hook.  No swivels no fancy set ups.

Sounds too simple to work but trick is not to use it as a running rig ie let it hit bottom but then keep the drag up full and the line tight at all times. Keeping the line tight stops you getting buried in the reef by even small fish (just keep your rod in hand and not just sitting around unattended). With this rig if you do get snagged in the reef, if you have kept the line tight and you continue to keep tight, all you need to do is vigorously bounce your rod tip and you'll bounce the sinker against the hook and you dislodge it out of the snag....

 

simple actually works best....sometimes.

Dale's picture

Posts: 7930

Date Joined: 13/09/05

Wed, 2015-05-20 17:46

 I've used large nuts or bolts, spark plugs or what ever else, run a light line to it so when it snags or a fish takes it, the line easily breaks and your free to retrieve the line.

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Posts: 140

Date Joined: 10/02/11

I went to dirk last year with

Wed, 2015-05-20 19:45

I went to dirk last year with a mate of mine (gyprock 101 on here) and a good trick they taught me was if you do get snagged, don't snap it off straight away, quite often you'd wait and get another bite and they'd desnag you.

But who am I kidding no matter what you do prepare to lose some lead

Posts: 790

Date Joined: 25/05/12

 Haha I just told you that

Thu, 2015-05-21 18:03

 Haha I just told you that too keep you out the game Gray!!

I couldn't catch a break, you out fished me for sure that trip.

it was the only trick I could think of to raise my chances...other than kicking you off the cliffs,

as the guys above mentioned big ball sinkers seem to get caught less in the reefs

and either a dropper rig or running sinker works fine 

and yes if you leave it the fish will pic it off and sometimes you can give it a bit of a jiggle and work it with the swell and eventually will come free.

Happy Hooker's picture

Posts: 305

Date Joined: 12/11/08

Agree with Chris G and Gray

Thu, 2015-05-21 07:39

 Just came back from Dirk , same type of fishing as steep , both worked a treat . Used bean and ball sinkers....and a lot of them.....and patience when jagged as it was normally a fish which buried us so let a bit of line out and waited for it to come back out.

Posts: 200

Date Joined: 30/12/08

 I use spark plugs on a

Thu, 2015-05-21 16:47

 I use spark plugs on a sacrificial mono so don't care if I lose it. the spark plugs weigh only 45gm but it's easy enough to make a mold and add more lead. I figure if the fish aren't biting I can run a wire to the plug and electrocute them.

Belly88's picture

Posts: 380

Date Joined: 08/02/12

Well

Thu, 2015-05-21 20:07

 I guess it's all personal preference. In my experience heavyer is better.. The times you get snagged most is when your rig is moving. To light and the swell will move your rig in and snag up. I use 8oz snapper, cast and leave it in the one position if no bite or time for bait change just wind like hell. Fishing cliffs you will always loose a few but this is my technique nowadays..

Belly

Posts: 241

Date Joined: 27/08/11

 Yep, Exactly the same as

Thu, 2015-05-21 22:02

 Yep, Exactly the same as Belly, though not fished steep or quobba, have been doing more and more around Kalbarri and down south. 8oz holds bottom fine and then retrieve with the rod held high if necessary.

Happy Hooker's picture

Posts: 305

Date Joined: 12/11/08

Should only need fairly light sinkers

Fri, 2015-05-22 07:34

 We use 4-5 oz bean and 6 oz balls. running sinker rig, single hook depending on swell ,spot you are fishing..we pulled some fish with barotrauma so it can be deep in spots straight from shore. Star for beach not for reef,will loose them all the time.depends what you are chasing but that was suitable for baldies ( we caught 10 lb ers off cliff) big gts and big pinks .less snags as sinker bumps you off the reefs/rocks. Most snags due to fish taking you in it hole, pretty much cast and bite straight away.as mentioned above, wait for fish to get  out of hole or another one to come along and free you up rather than bust off.you will go through a lot of sinkers though ...Gyprock has pretty much nailed best way to go up there.

its different fishing to kalbarri and down Sth , I fish a lot  around kalbarri  ( have a house there )and wagoe , no comparison fishing style wise.where about you located , can lend you moulds for sinkers if you like , show you rigs we used.

crasny1's picture

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Date Joined: 16/10/08

Does show

Fri, 2015-05-22 08:12

How different we do things to still achieve the same goal. My experience up on the cliffs are limited, but when BB you loose stacks off lead (in some places would love to know what the bottom look like - might be a good spot for a lead recycling mine). Like some above have mentioned soon tired off retying rigs and just settled on the simplest rig possible, and that is ChrisGs above. First time we went up didnt have any many bean or ball sinkers, having thought snapper and stars was the go. Stars were as mentioned crap there, snappers in 4-6 OK but subsequent visits we had lots  of ball and beans on simple running rigs.

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Syzygy's picture

Posts: 39

Date Joined: 13/04/15

Cheers guys. Rig wise I was

Fri, 2015-05-22 08:26

Cheers guys. Rig wise I was going to go with a simple dropper to a snapper sinker below with a swivel at the top. If I'm finding I'm busting off a bit I will try the running ball sinker option. Appreciate the help.