Hi,
Have been wondering lately what kind of gear beach fish folk use on the Perf metro coast. Now that summer and hols are here there are heaps of fish folk showing up.
I am mainly wondering what sort of chance there is in getting hooked on one of these set-ups? Do these rigs have floats holding the hooks etc close to the surface or and they likely to be down near the bottom?
It seems most have medium sized rods and cast about 20-30m or so but every now and then I spy a fella with a big-@arsed rod (must have replied to those email spams
) that looks like it could cast 50m?
I'd like to give em a very wide berth but it is pretty tricky to avoid as they are spaced out pretty much all along my fav run at the mo.
Hey GF,
Be wary of the Fisho's, most of them use beach surf rods capable of casting a good 30-40m. They usually use a gang hook setup with a big arse surf sinker.
We have the same issues with fisho's at Pinna's although most of 'em are pretty cool and wait until the last few kiters clear the beach. Some however are known wankers and will cast directly at kiters.
You DO NOT want a gang hook setup hooked into any part of your anatomy 
It has occurred in the past 
Give them a wide berth. If they do intentionally hook you, it would be only fair play to loop your kite down on them and take 'em out! [}:)]
KH
Ta Daz.
Gang hooks ey? Sounds tres nasty..Do the hang out in Northbridge?
Does a surf sinker keep the hooks off the bottom?
I think most of the fishos around Flozzer etc are pretty patient with the flotila of kites passing through there, but they are spread pretty evenly along the run making it tricky to get at the waves for some stretches. Have seen a few fishos preparing to cast when I or others have been heading into shore. Whoah Nellie! Time to head back out for sure.
BTW the fishos seem to be heading down pretty early well before the sun is getting sleepy.
The chances of getting hooked up with beach fishing gear is excellent if the fisherman is experienced and he wants to target you. He may want to target you if (in his mind) you ride through what he deems his fishing area and he thinks that you may be spooking the fish. An experienced fisherman can land his line and sinkers within one metre of any target in his range, a 25m long kite and rider is an easy target for them close to shore. Especially with a big star sinker, gang hooks and a treble attatched to the end.
You will generally find beach fisherman at locations where there are gutters running along the beach, drains or in the wash of a surf break over a reef. I have been beach fishing when a kiter came way to close to the fisherman when there was plenty of other room and he was targeted by the fisherman who fortunately for the kiter was inexperienced.
Best advice, continue giving them a wide berth.
You definitely do not want something like this stuck in your body. Most hooks need to be cut out at a doctors day surgery.http://www.mirafont.com.au/ganghook_setups.html
And this type is more common
www.fishingtackleshop.com.au/category303_1.htm
I've had a fisherman cast straight at me, harsh words were exchanged, and I was with a large number of other kiters, the fisherman stopped doing it.
I know a doc who kites here in Sydney who got hooked in the lip just like a fish, he had to have it surgically removed and it left a nasty scar.
Fishermen do not have the right to endanger other water users, if they do it continually report them to the police. Most often a simple "hey mate, don't throw that at me please" will get an appropriate response.
I just stay well away from them as much as possible.
Cya and
Goodwinds
Steve
Ta guys,
Nasty collection of hooks there for sure!
I reckon the fishos must get pizzed with the numbers of kites buzzing through the area. Most seem to be patient tho. Apparently there is fek all to be caught beach fishing round this way anyhoo.
Strange that they have been showing up in large numbers so early?
yeh be cautious, the dickheads around here aim for kiters and although their aim isn't good they're pretty persistent and after a few coldies they don't give a ****..
Aiming for kiters hah? sounds like a cool sport, if I wasn't on the other end, Ill remember that for later years and come back to Pinnas.
I have experiance
Once I did not even know till it was to late.
Got me in the ankles.
The second time I did not see the guy fishing, he was wearing dark clothes and sitting in amonst large rocks on a break wall.
I grabed the line and listened to it spoooooooollllllllllllllllllllllllll.
It then broke.
I guess I was lucky it did not have a heavy line rigged up.
I got a few burns on the fingers but I reckon it was better than having them hook into me again
the funny thing is that fish spook easily, any serious fisherman knows that water disturbances such as kiteboards or windsurfers make fish run for the deep and fishing nearby is pointless.
therefore the people you guys describe are not actually fishermen but "persons who have purchased fishing tackle." 
an old bi.tch (grey nomad) abused me recently for kiting past her....I was there first, am a local and she some victorian probably - had been there all afternoon kiting in a very small area at low tide. She starts fishing and I kite past. Starts using agressive hand motions at me to move away as I am scaring all the fish in her spot. Needless to say I used my own agressive hand motions and suggested she return to her home state.
Bi.tch
I've managed to hook myself in fishing lines quite a few times, mostly with the board fins. Generally not a drama if you can extract yourself, I think I've snapped one line which I apologised about and offered to pay for the lost tackle. The fisho wasn't worried about it and didn't take me up on the offer. They were all very relaxed about it.
I've also dropped a hook and sinker in a gutter out past casting range for a guy once. He was a bit concerned by the time I did though, he had almost nothing left on the reel...
Cant believe how little people know about fishing. Beach fishing is done at dawn and dusk and the line isnt going to be any heavier than 10kg if you want to be able to cast it a long way. Im more worried about the cray ropes and all the burley in the water up our way. Easy to donate fins when you hit floats and ropes and theres always critters hanging around for a free feed when the pots are pulled.
A couple of years ago some guys in a boat were chuckin chicken guts and other crap out the back of their boat where I was kiting.Talk about a shark feeding frenzy and this right off Newcastles main swimming beach .I spose the sharks had plenny to eat and were attracted away from the swimmers
