GEAR UP FOR THE CATCH

A vibe (or "vibration bait") is a flat, lipless, sinking lure with the line tie on its back. As it sinks or is lifted, it puts out a tight body roll and vibration that triggers strikes. Vibes shine in colder water and deeper holes when fish are sluggish — work them with a lift-and-drop along the bottom, or a slow roll. They are a go-to for bream, flathead, bass, golden perch and barramundi in estuaries, dams and impoundments, and because they sink they let you reach fish that surface lures and shallow hardbodies can't.

Soft plastics are versatile, inexpensive and have a lifelike action — rigged on a jig head they suit almost any species and let you change profiles in seconds. Hardbody lures (minnows, crankbaits) dive to a set depth and hold it, so they're ideal for casting to structure or trolling a known depth. Vibes sit between the two — they sink fast and cover the water column. Most anglers carry all three: soft plastics for finesse, hardbodies for diving to depth, and vibes for cold or deep water.

Braid is thin for its strength, has almost no stretch and is extremely sensitive — the best choice for your main line, especially when lure fishing. Monofilament stretches, floats and is forgiving and cheap — great for beginners and bait fishing. Fluorocarbon is nearly invisible underwater, sinks and resists abrasion — most anglers use it as a leader tied to a braid main line. A typical lure setup: braid main line + a rod-length fluorocarbon leader joined with an FG or double-uni knot.

Match line to your target species and water. Light estuary fishing (bream, whiting, flathead): 4–8 lb braid with a 6–10 lb leader. General all-rounder (snapper, salmon, bass): 10–20 lb braid with a 12–20 lb leader. Heavy / offshore (mulloway, kingfish, reef): 30 lb braid and up with a heavy leader. Heavier line is not always better — lighter line casts further, gets more bites and lets light lures swim naturally. Step up only when structure or fish size demands it.

Hook sizing runs two ways. For plain sizes, a bigger number means a smaller hook (a size 12 is tiny, a size 1 is much larger). Above size 1, hooks switch to "aught" sizes (1/0, 2/0, 3/0…) where a bigger number means a bigger hook. As a rough guide: size 6–1 for whiting, bream and garfish; 1/0–4/0 for flathead, snapper and salmon; 5/0 and up for mulloway and larger species. Match the hook to the bait size as much as the fish — the bait should sit naturally.

A 7 ft light-to-medium spin rod paired with a 2500–4000 size reel is the most versatile starter setup — it handles estuary, beach, lake and light boat fishing. Spool it with 8–12 lb braid and add a fluorocarbon leader. Quality entry brands include Shimano, Daiwa and Penn, and a balanced combo costs roughly $80–250. Buy a balanced outfit rather than the cheapest rod and reel separately — a well-matched combo casts better and lasts far longer.

Terminal tackle is everything at the business end of your line: hooks, sinkers, swivels, snaps, rings, beads and leader. Swivels stop line twist, snaps let you change lures quickly, and sinkers get your bait down to where the fish are. A small tackle box of well-organised terminal tackle covers most situations — keep a range of hook sizes, a few sinker weights (ball, bean and star) and quality swivels, and you can rig for almost any species on the day.

It depends on the state. NSW requires a recreational fishing fee for almost all fishing (fresh and salt). Victoria requires a recreational fishing licence with some exemptions. Queensland has no general licence but requires a Stocked Impoundment Permit for many dams. WA requires licences for specific activities (rock lobster, abalone, freshwater, net fishing). SA, Tasmania and the NT vary, with Tasmania requiring an inland angling licence. Always check your state fisheries authority before you fish — rules and fees change yearly.

Rinse everything in fresh water after every saltwater trip — rods, reels, lures and pliers. Salt is the number one killer of fishing tackle. Let gear dry fully before storing it in a tackle box so hooks and split rings don't rust. Back the drag off on your reels between trips to protect the drag washers, and add a drop of reel oil to moving parts occasionally. Touch up blunt or rusty hooks with a hook file, and replace worn leader before each session.

A simple rule: natural colours in clear water, bright or dark colours in dirty water. In clean estuary or dam water, match the local baitfish with browns, greens, silvers and translucent patterns. In stained or murky water — or low light — use high-contrast colours like chartreuse, gold, black or fluoro to help fish find the lure. Dark lures also work well on bright days because they show a strong silhouette. Carry a few options in each category and let the fish tell you what they want.