Use berley – catch fish!!

When I learned this nearly 20 years ago it change my fishing completely….for the better…

After that, except when I was lure fishing, I always used berley and it really worked…

….but here’s the catch -use it right and you can fill you fridge with fish, use it wrong and you might not get a bite!

So to use berley the right way you need to put it all in one placed….the place you want to attract the fish to. For this you need berley cages. They make all the difference!

Berley attracts fish…that’s it job but if it’s not near your bait then it doesn’t help you. 

Use a berley cage near your hook and it delivers berley into your target area….your chances of hooking a fish go way up!

Berley cages act as your sinker – they hold your terminal tackle in place and can be used to deliver particles of bait and attractants very close to your hook bait. These particles and attractants spread out in the water, release smells and tiny bits of food that tell every fish in the area that its “dinner time”! 

And that’s why berley makes such a difference?

…Because it sends a message to fish that there’s a meal waiting!

If you only have your bait out there then you have a small piece of food mixed with all that water….it can be hard for fish to find….

…..but if you also add lots of smells and small pieces of delicious food then there’s a heap more attraction in the water!

I used to think that by putting berley in the water I would feed all the fish and they would just leave with full bellies. That’s not the case, in fact the opposite is true. 

 Berley doesn’t feed the fish it just makes them hungry and looking for food.

So… all you have to do is use the right berley with the right berley cage and you’re in business.

Using the right berley is easy. You can buy it or make it.

Using the right berley cage is easy. Just look at the flow of the water you are going to fish and use the right weight so it holds bottom….just like choosing the right sinker.

Berley cages come in various weights and shapes. The weights keep the cage on the bottom. In still water they can be light. In moving water you’ll use heavier ones. The main thing is that once they land they stay still and let your berley seep out . After a number of casts to the same spot you’ll have a small pile of berley in the same place and this will give off “foody ” smells and particles that will attract fish from all around…

… it’s kinda like the effect of opening a block of chocolate in the kitchen. If you go into another room in the house you won’t smell it….

……but if you pour a bucket of melted chocolate on the kitchen floor everyone in the house will know it’s there!

The shape of the berley cage is important. You want something that will release a bit of berley as it falls through the water but hold enough so it can deposit some on the bottom.

There are many types available but you probably just want to start with 2 simple types: “open ended” and “closed ended” berley cages.

Open ended cages are just a hollow tube with no blockage at either end. They’re made to release berley fast and are well suited to still waters like lakes and dams and slow moving rivers.

Closed ended cages are blocked at both ends. They have holes to release the contents. They’re made to hold live bait, like worms and maggots that can crawl out  and offer attractive food for passing fish…and get them feeding. They can also hold berley that slowly empties. They work well on moving water like fast rivers and streams as well as the beach.

One of my favourite spots in Dromana, holds some good size silver bream, mullet and, at times, whiting and flathead. I have been there when there’s a line of anglers, almost shoulder to shoulder, going for the bream. Berley cages and good bait presentation have caught me some big bream ….when others have gone home empty handed. Berley cages DO make a difference!

I have also used berley cages in the surf to pull in salmon, bream, trevally and a heap of other fish. You just have to match the weight of the cage to suit the flow of the water you’re fishing.

Berley cages are usually made of plastic or metal and can be mesh, with plenty of holes, or solid tubing with fewer holes. The more holes the faster the berley will come out.

I’ve tested how good berley cages are by using two rods, one with cages and one without. I’ve also had side by side competitions with mates. I used cages and they didn’t……and in just about every case berley cages caught more fish.

It makes sense really…

….experienced game fish anglers, surf anglers and boat anglers have known for a long time that a berley stream brings in fish. So I guess the rest of us should do what they do….especially since it catches more fish!

So…..if you really want to give yourself an “edge” try using berley cages next time you fish. They can make all the difference!