I find some good whiting in surf gutters and find the surf (Sunshine or Gold Coast beaches) more rewarding for bigger whiting than sand bars in estuaries although I find bigger numbers of whiting in river mouths, though they tend to be just not as big as from the surf.
 People talk about catching flathead from surf gutters and I know they are there because of the little ones that suicide on my retrieving line in the surf, however I seem to miss any decent size ones. I do have some success with good legal size flathead in rivers, particularly at the drop off from sand bars where the in-coming tide comes off a sand bar into deeper water. The key here is to place the lure just at the drop off, preferably just on the sand bar and let it be drawn into the drop off.
And yes, I am talking lures.
Fisherman like me are used to being asked if we are going to throw bait at fish. After often giving away unused fresh bait, yabbies, worms or pipis (eugaries), even if you are smart enough to collect them yourself, there is a tendency to think that lures may just be both cheaper and less wasteful environmentally than using fresh bait. Not that I would ever argue against a good supply of fresh local bait when fish are on the bite. However, when fish are on the bite, lures do pretty well too.
Soft plastics are what I use most, light rod, light line, light trace, as light as possible cling on lead and a small long shank hook works for me either in the surf or river with either bream whiting or flathead. Presentation of the bait / lure is one half of the equation, just presenting well is no good if you are where there are no fish. The lure needs to be presented where the fish are.
Adding to what I have said about location for catching bream whiting and flathead, I would emphasise the benefit of fishing that end of surf gutters which have an exit to the deeper water off-shore. Of course there is the extra benefit of knowing that this is also the main entry point for fish coming close to shore in your gutter.
Play safe, we know not to turn our backs on the surf
and at 64 years of age I have stopped using waders
in the surf having nearly been knocked off my feet a
few times, I don’t fancy being caught in a rip with
waders full of sea water.
The colours of the soft plastic lures I use are light yellow or silver with a green tinge and silver and dark brown (like a small mullet). The latter, silver and brown are the largest I use for going after the really big bream. In winter, in the surf, preferably after schools of tailor have fed through schools of bait fish close to shore is when the poddy mullet size lures are used to go after the bream that feast on the trail of leftovers from the feeding tailor.
Back in the river, I often try out new locations from the river mouth and up stream as far as good roads provide good access. I prefer to fish for bream on the high tide and that can be a problem fishing into structures I’ve not fished before. Fishing structures is costly on gear at best of times and I have learnt the hard way to check out these structures at low tide.
The holes around structures are easier to locate at low tide. I have even taken the trouble of drawing a small map in my handy notebook which blokes my age must carry if we are to know what shopping to do on the way home. This bit of research takes time, but it pays off to know as much about a structure as possible, especially fishing from the bank.
Structures provide a bit of still or slow moving water against a tidal flow and sometimes shade which attracts fish of all sizes to hide from predators. Casting from a boat in deeper water to a structure allows for a quick retrieval away from snags if you are awake when they strike.
Researching structures at low tide can identify where you want to retrieve to when fishing from the bank. A nice light rod of at least two metres in length will assist in keeping you from being dragged into the snags. You will do some gear especially if you stumble on a Jack or really big bream and haven’t prepared your strategy for landing them.
I also prefer small Jig Heads with soft plastics when fishing for bream around structures. Having said that, choose the size jig head that suits the depth you seek and the strength of current present. The colour of the plastics should be as close to the colour of the smaller fish in the locale you are fishing.
A final word about fishing rivers after the big wet we are currently experiencing. I don’t bother, as with so much fresh about it’s hard for fish to see anything I imagine. There is a bright side however, as the fresh clears, there is a major influx of food to attract smaller fish into the estuaries and the bigger ones have more to feed on so, this winter should be a great season for fishes. Good luck
Dave 'The Old Salty'
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