On the east coast of Australia, there is bait that seems to outshine many others in terms of availability and attractiveness to fish, and that is the saltwater yabby, or nipper. In the estuaries, they are a premier bait, however they can also be successful in the freshwater.

To many, the surf zone may seem like the domain of bait anglers, but this is simply not true. Those who prefer to throw lures to catch their fish can be equally at home in the surf. In fact, fishing with lures can be a good way of being more selective with your target species.

Squid fishing with jigs, or egi, is a popular pastime, particularly in our southern states. Places like Port Phillip Bay, Western Port, Adelaide, Albany and Perth can see dozens of squidders at a time congregating on public piers and rock walls all trying for a fresh feed of calamari.

Catching beach worms is a valuable skill if you plan to fish along our surf beach zones regularly. Being available from about Yeppoon in Queensland, down through the south east of the continent and into South Australia, beach worms are a staple food source for a lot of surf predators.