Sand Whiting- Sillago Cili Intro description: Sand or summer whiting are a great little fish accessible in most coastal areas of Australia. Sand whiting tend to inhabit rivers, estuaries, creeks and beach gutters. They are a schooling fish who love to feed in shallow water. For their size, whiting are great fighters and are widely regarded as one of the best eating fish in the ocean. These factors, coupled with their accessibility make sand whiting an extremely popular target for anglers across Australia. Sand whiting do not grow as big as their southern cousins, the King George Whiting. Any sand whiting over 40cm long is a great fish however they have been known to grow up to 50cm long and weigh around a kilogram. The name summer whiting is a little misleading as these fish can be caught all year round. However, sand whiting tend to spawn in the warmer months and can be caught in numbers while they are schooled up. Bait: Beach/Blood/Rock/Mud worms, yabbies, pipis, small prawns, soldier crabs. Lures: Small surface poppers and ‘walk the dog’ style surface stick baits, small soft plastics. Rod: Any rod with a soft tip can be effective on whiting. Depending on where you are chasing these fish will determine the type of rod you use. If you’re fishing surf beaches, a longer (10ft-13ft), whippy rod is required for longer casting. If you’re fishing the estuaries, there’s the option to use the longer, whippy rods or revert to shorter (7ft-9ft) graphite rods. A soft tipped rod is important as it will allow the angler to see the soft whiting bites at the rod tip. Shorter rods are a must if you’re looking to work poppers for whiting so you maintain constant contact with your lure. Reel: In Queensland, the locally produced Alvey surf reels are popular however a 1000-2500 spin reel will work just as well. Line: 2lb to 8lb (braid when fishing lures, monofilament for bait). Leader: 6lb-10lb fluorocarbon leader. Technique (using bait): Using bait is still the most widely employed technique for catching sand whiting. Fresh baits are definitely more effective and it pays to use baits that naturally exist in the area you’re fishing. Use a simple rig consisting of a small hook (size 2) connected to a swivel via a metre of 6lb fluorocarbon leader. Above a swivel, use a running ball sinker to ensure your bait is on the bottom. HOT TIP: When fishing for whiting, use a long trace. This allows your bait to move naturally in the current and entice a hungry whiting. Don’t be afraid to stack a lot of bait onto your hook. If the hook is exposed, put more bait on. Whiting have sensitive mouths and tend to bite baits softly before swallowing them. When a whiting bites, your soft tip rod will bounce ever so slightly. When this happens, allow the fish to keep mouthing the bait and once you feel the fish has swallowed the bait, set the hook and retrieve the fish. Sometimes it pays to leave your rod on the deck of the boat or in a rod holder as whiting can be sensitive to any tension or subtle movements through the line. HOT TIP: If you’re keen to catch a whiting, early morning and late afternoon are the best times. An outgoing tide will also increase your chances. Technique (using lures): Catching sand whiting on lures is something that is growing in popularity. Surface lures have led this revolution with the discovery that whiting often take a liking to a well presented popper or stick bait. If you’re looking to use lures to catch whiting, use braided line as it doesn’t stretch and will allow you to work your lure effectively. A popper is designed to dispel water on the surface thus imitating a wounded baitfish or prawn. Cast your popper over a sandbank and constantly impart small ‘bloops’ by jerking the rod tip down towards the surface of the water. The visual aspect of popper fishing is addictive and the idea is to entice a whiting to whack your offering from below. Use a similar action to jerk small stick baits across the surface. These lures won’t dispel as much water but can entice the odd whiting when worked correctly. Where to target sand whiting: No matter what technique you choose to use, a key part of catching whiting is determining where they are feeding. Concentrate your efforts on areas where the current is moving over sand. Where the current moves, sand is dispelled and bait such as worms and yabbies are exposed. This is where whiting will feed. Also, don’t discount fishing at night. Whiting are far more confident at low light periods as they can escape the view of their predators. .