Can someone please guide me how and where to fish fast tidal currents in a saltwater creek. The fish are mostly bream, snapper and amberjack.

There are a couple of methods.

Cast and retrieve. Cast out far up stream and slowly retrieve.

Cast and drift. Cast up stream and let your bait drift with the flow.

Bottom fish. You just need a heavy sinker. If the bottom is rocky use a round ball sinker. If it is sandy use a star wedge sinker or a spiked sinker.

Location is the same as for most fishing. Look for structure that might attract fish. Weed beds, over hanging trees, a bend in the river etc.

Thanks itsa, what size & kind of lures do you recommend.

Size depends on the fish.

For cast and retrieve I would go with a soft plastic.

If it is a rocky bottom and you use a large sinker I would go with a bait (Live or dead)

A sandy bottom lends itself to hard body lures...Use a large block type sand sinker. They have large holes to allow the line to move. The sinker will hold the lure under and you can let out just the right amount of line for the lure to "swim". In a fast flow the lure will look like it is swimming against the current.

Shiny metal lures (what we call spinners here) would be worth a try too. Long cast and fast retrieve.

I will see if I can find a photo of what I mean by block sinker.

Much appreciate your quick response

No worries.

I have tried to find a picture of the sinker. No luck. It was never a very popular sinker so maybe they just don't make them anymore. They are the shape of a brick with an arch at each end. You put the line through the arches and the sinker will always stay upright. A large one would be 1 or 2 inches long.

Anyway, most of the spiked sand sinkers and the star type too, have large holes and will work much the same. Many of them actually use a brass swivel.

Let us know how you go.

I have had good results using soft plastics on the beach. Just cast out, feed line out and let the lure drift with the ebb and flow. You don't need to work the lure but rather let the current work it.

Hi Itsa, Great suggestions. I also intend to tie a baloon to the leader for a live bait to swim freely in the current. What do you think about it and have you ever tried it? Expect that the incoming and outgoing tide currents will be slower Saturday and Sunday considering the moon phase. I intend to reach Damb the small fishing village at the mouth of the creek. Take a boat to an Island like spot. Camp there overnight and fish till midnight and early next morning. The local fisherman also places a net overnight and most of the time it is not empty Then try my luck trolling on the way back to Damb.

Yes, I have done a lot of ballooning. The idea of using a balloon is to allow the wind the take the bait out into deeper water. It is usually only done off rocky headlands.

It might be better using a small bobber float. All you are doing is stopping the live bait from hiding.

Is that the sinker you are talking about?

Hi Ryzler

This is what I meant. It shows you have posted, but as it's your first post it might be a few hours before it appears.

I will have a look at Jugiong and let you know what it's like.

Cheers
Neil

Yes, that is it

Well it seems to have gone through right away. I only posted that a couple hours ago.

The Sinker you are referring to are called Channel Sinkers.
http://pachamamatrust.org/f2/1_K/fish/Cd_sinker_KFi.htm
http://www.fishingboating-world.com/n/Different-types-of-sinkers-and-how-to-use-them/116122?source=google.au

Yeah it went through pretty quick...must be cos you are a nice bloke !! couldn't be because of your good looks

That is a handy chart. Thanks for posting it. I used to use these sinkers a lot when beach fishing but never knew they are called channel sinkers.

I think that sinker is called a 'Pickers Doom'.