More answers

Here are some more of the many questions anglers have asked me over the years about fishing around southern Sydney.

• Greg Simmons from Rockdale would like to know where to get live bait in Port Hacking.

I recommend Greg chases mullet, squid, yellowtail, garfish and nippers on the sand flats in South est rm, North est rm, around Maianbar and Grays Point. Try Shark Island, Jibbon each, the ramps at Wonga Road and Dolans and Attwell’s Boat Shed for mullet, squid, pike, slimies, yellowtail and garfish – berley well.

• Peter Roberts of Blacktown wants to know how to rig a prawn on the hook when targeting silver trevally.

I consider it a must to peel the prawn before I put it on the hook. n the estuaries and bays I suggest a No 1 to 1/0 baitholder hook, and offshore I’d try a 2/0 baitholder. It also pays to do a couple of half hitches over the end of the prawn.

• Joel Rice of Bondi wants to know the best bait for luderick and where can he get some.

You can use green weed out of the estuaries and green cabbage off the ocean rocks. Places to try for green weed would be where stormwater drains empty into the rivers or bays, small creeks and backwaters. Kelso Park would be worth a look.

or green cabbage you could try most ocean rock platforms off Cronulla, the Royal National Park, Maroubra, Coogee and Malabar. Be careful of the swells when harvesting off the ocean rocks and always check first to see if you’re not in a sanctuary zone.

• David Stokes of Maroubra would like to know what colour squid jigs I use.

I tend to have a range of colours because squid can be choosy from one day to the next. In order of preference I like pink, green, orange and blue.

• Chris Turner from Port Kembla seeks a cure for hooks rusting in the tackle box.

I put hooks in a clear film container and then spray a small amount of Inox. The Inox does not put the fish off the bite and it doesn’t affect fishing line.

• Alyssa Peters from Botany wants to know the size and type of hook for estuary leatherjackets.

I use a Mustad Bloodworm, model No 90234NPNR, from size 10 to 6 long-shanked hook with enough prawn to just cover the bend of the hook.

• Ron Stevens of Wetherill Park would like to know if you can pump nippers on the sand flats in Gunnamatta Bay, Port Hacking.

No: this is a sanctuary. In the whole of Port Hacking this is the only place that you cannot pump nippers.

• Brooke Cumberland of Liverpool has read about the Hot Water Outlet in Botany Bay but doesn’t know where it is.

The Hot Water Outlet is on the western side of the oil wharf, not very far from the floating fish cages. nchor on the up-current side and berley to attract bream, trevally, flathead and kingfish.

• Luke Cross would like to know what size ganged hooks to use with WA pilchards or garfish for tailor and salmon.

I always have a range of hook sizes and gang lengths. I have gangs of three four and five hooks in size 5/0 and gangs of three and four in 4/0 and 3/0. This range of gangs allows me to pick the correct length and hook size for pillie or gar. Ensure the hook barbs protrude from the bait.

• Joel Colman from Penrith queries how many times to pump a nipper hole. He pumps only once or twice and doesn’t have much success.

I usually pump the same hole five or six times to ensure I don’t miss the nippers sucked into the hole. It’s a good idea to pump the hole three or four times, stop for a few seconds and then do another couple of pumps.

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