Fishing for Whiting

effluent

I'm thinking of targeting Whiting, I've never really fished for them before. From the little I know about them, they seem to move inshore and take up the gap left by other species which moved out to deeper waters. I've heard of people who simply bait their feathers with small strips of mackerel or small roach minnow and cast off a pier.

Given that it's been very calm in the last few days (and it's forecasted until Tuesday) and there has been frost I'm thinking of going out either tomorrow or Monday. I've two marks in mind. One is to just fish off a pier and set up a floating rig and just let the bait drift. The other mark is to fish off cliffs into deep waters and fish off the bottom. I'd normal fish here for mackerel and Pollock since it's so deep.

Of these to marks what sounds like the ideal one to fish for whiting. Also would I be better of jigging the baited feathers rather than float fish or bottom fishing? Do you think it’s too early to be targeting Whiting, I normally see people out fishing for them around Christmas time.

Thanks.

flounder

i would head for the pier, use a 3 hook flapper with size 1 or size 2 hooks baited with lug, when ya get the first bite just leave it because there will be a shoal of them so ya might get treble shots, night will usually be best,

damagegt

I went down to the bridge in Kinsale this evening with the small fella until around 9ish and we had 3 whitting taken on mackeral pieces fished on the bottom and I was taking to my father this evening and they had the world of them from the boat in Dungarvan today .He was getting them on glittery foil type feathers in 60ft of water so give both ways a go and see how you get on.

SeaFields

damagegt wrote: »

I went down to the bridge in Kinsale this evening with the small fella until around 9ish and we had 3 whitting taken on mackeral pieces fished on the bottom and I was taking to my father this evening and they had the world of them from the boat in Dungarvan today .He was getting them on glittery foil type feathers in 60ft of water so give both ways a go and see how you get on.

Any size?

I was thinking of heading out next weekend after the frosts we should get over the next couple of days.

damagegt

Nothing to write home,all were about 1/2 pounders but still good to see them in.

mawk

whiting are fairly easy to target, they can be pretty swarmy in winter. sometimes you help but hit them.

2/3 hook paternoster, small strips of mackerel or lugworm.
they usually swim past the bait at speed and take a snap at it, shake their heads and arse off. so you get these huge all of a sudden bites which are pretty exciting.

careful unhooking them btw. dont put your fingers in their mouths. squillions of small teeth that cut the crap out of you without you noticing for hours. Seen some nasty infections from them. so, get a foreceps

SeaFields

mawk wrote: »

so you get these huge all of a sudden bites which are pretty exciting.

I started sea fishing when i was young after whiting down the deep water berth in ringaskiddy. Them bites they give ill always remember. The rod would be wrenched from the pier. Great craic.

ronaldo84

effluent wrote: »

I'm thinking of targeting Whiting, I've never really fished for them before. From the little I know about them, they seem to move inshore and take up the gap left by other species which moved out to deeper waters. I've heard of people who simply bait their feathers with small strips of mackerel or small roach minnow and cast off a pier.

Given that it's been very calm in the last few days (and it's forecasted until Tuesday) and there has been frost I'm thinking of going out either tomorrow or Monday. I've two marks in mind. One is to just fish off a pier and set up a floating rig and just let the bait drift. The other mark is to fish off cliffs into deep waters and fish off the bottom. I'd normal fish here for mackerel and Pollock since it's so deep.

Of these to marks what sounds like the ideal one to fish for whiting. Also would I be better of jigging the baited feathers rather than float fish or bottom fishing? Do you think it’s too early to be targeting Whiting, I normally see people out fishing for them around Christmas time.

Thanks.

i see your from mayo where about you going fishing for them?? would be interested to catch a few

effluent

ronaldo84 wrote: »

i see your from mayo where about you going fishing for them?? would be interested to catch a few

I was going to fish off the cliffs off Downpatrick in Ballycastle or just fish off Ennicscrone or Kilcummen pier.

mawk

SeaFields wrote: »

I started sea fishing when i was young after whiting down the deep water berth in ringaskiddy. Them bites they give ill always remember. The rod would be wrenched from the pier. Great craic.

a real shame they shut off the pier. used to be such handy fishing. seldom spectacular but very convenient

SeaFields

mawk wrote: »

a real shame they shut off the pier. used to be such handy fishing. seldom spectacular but very convenient

Yep, just another example of a minority ruining it for everyone else.

muracan

A handy tip to attract whiting is to use flourescent beads or tubing.A string of hokkais can be very handy.