To some of you pros who make north WP your home - how do you know where to fish for KGW ?

Not asking for marks - but WP water being what it is, visibility is not always the best. So how do you know where the sand patches in weed are to target them ?

With good light I can make out sand patches in weed down to 2m (say off quail bank) but anything deeper I cannot see.

So how do people know where to anchor ? Is it all down to reading the sounder ? i.e. I need to learn to see the difference between sand/weed and other ground to chase KGW in WP ?

or is it pure trial and error ?

frappa11 wrote:So how do people know where to anchor ? Is it all down to reading the sounder ? i.e. I need to learn to see the difference between sand/weed and other ground to chase KGW in WP ?

or is it pure trial and error ?

use your sounder -- one very easy way to learn is go over ground you can see the bottom and check what your sounder is telling you - most sounders will give you a thin line on the bottom on sand ( a strong return of the sound ) mud a thicker line as the sound return is not as strong and weed another thicker line with a bumpier texture
of cause the colour could also be different depending on the sounder and set up

so learn what your sounder is telling you in shallower and maybe clearer water where you can see the bottom

If you are thinking top end where it is murky check out google earth where it is currently showing as lowish tide, this will give you an idea of where they are located. Finding the sandy patches using sounder is not always that easy up there. Most tend to fish the drop offs. There are a lot of tiny toadies in WP which often means you have to keep moving if you want to avoid them and keep bait on your hooks.

Make sure you use a good set of polaroid sunglasses. Even being able to distinguish light (sandy) and dark (weeds/reef) patches is usually enough, and can be done with good quality polaroid sunnies. If you can, try to stand up and have a look around so that you have a better vantage point. And as cheater said, learn to trust what your sounder is telling you. If you can find a drop off mixed in with the light and dark patches, all the better. Once you've chosen a spot, drop a bait straight to the bottom. Use the second rod to prospect around the kayak, casting around the yak at likely looking sand patches. Once you've covered the area and you get no whiting, move to the next spot. Usually takes 20-30 minutes to prospect an area if done properly (including anchoring etc.).

If it's flat, and just a little ripple sometimes a bit larger you can often tell as the weedy patches will have less ripple, this could also happen in sharp changes in depth, but it is a good indication i often use dirtier water if i want to cast multiple rods. But if you have a sounder get to know the patterns, you can always zoom using bottom lock if unsure. Good luck

thanks guys - going to do a small study session with my sounder on quail bank to learn the basics

i tried the google maps thing and I do see a bit - but again I do not think the satelitte layer can see under 3m or so of water. But again its a good hint.