How do you target your jacks?

[Why-ting]

Just wondering how all you guys like to target you jacks and any reasoning behind your methods.

[Jeremy87]

Casting hard bodies, why? because thats the sought of fishing i do. I first started chasing jacks with livies, did about 6 trips and kept getting catties and pike eels and got the sh!ts and gave up on it.

[harrystrybos]

Just wondering how all you guys like to target you jacks and any reasoning behind your methods.

Fishing is a subjective experience. What works for one, may not work for another.

I "caught" many Mangrove Jacks years ago with a speargun while diving in the "Blue Hole" at the Caloundra end of the Bribie Passage. There is a huge submerged tree that used to hold not only jacks, but bloody big jewies as well. Nowdays, I am still trying to catch a Jack on a line and have had limited success.

Most people here will not spoon feed you on how to catch a jack. They have put in a lot of effort over years to be successful in this limited resource and don't just want to give this knowledge away to anybody :-X. Can't say I blame them!

Can I suggest a search through Google on "Catching Mangrove Jacks" limited to all pages from Australia. A couple of the links I have come up with are:

http://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/archive/index.php/t-60349.html
http://www.spooled.com.au/Article:623
http://www.tackleworld.com.au/Fishing%20Tips/Mangrove.html
http://www.fishingearth.com/fish-files-detail.asp?FishID=70&FishingTypeID=-1&btnID=-1&bgID=1

Cheers and good luck. You have picked a challenging species ;)

Harry

[imnotoriginal]

Fishing is a subjective experience. What works for one, may not work for another.

I "caught" many Mangrove Jacks years ago with a speargun while diving in the "Blue Hole" at the Caloundra end of the Bribie Passage. There is a huge submerged tree that used to hold not only jacks, but bloody big jewies as well. Nowdays, I am still trying to catch a Jack on a line and have had limited success.

Most people here will not spoon feed you on how to catch a jack. They have put in a lot of effort over years to be successful in this limited resource and don't just want to give this knowledge away to anybody :-X. Can't say I blame them!

Can I suggest a search through Google on "Catching Mangrove Jacks" limited to all pages from Australia. A couple of the links I have come up with are:

http://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/archive/index.php/t-60349.html
http://www.spooled.com.au/Article:623
http://www.tackleworld.com.au/Fishing%20Tips/Mangrove.html
http://www.fishingearth.com/fish-files-detail.asp?FishID=70&FishingTypeID=-1&btnID=-1&bgID=1

Cheers and good luck. You have picked a challenging species ;)

Harry

If you'd done a search of Whytey's reports you'd know he's done a fair bit of jack fishing, I think he's more keen on looking at which methods people prefer to use, rather than trying to steal people's favourite technique or spot...

And just for the record, I'll probably cast lures at them cause that's how I like to fish, but right now, I'm whatever it takes to get one in the boat :P
Joel

[harrystrybos]

If you'd done a search of Whytey's reports you'd know he's done a fair bit of jack fishing, I think he's more keen on looking at which methods people prefer to use, rather than trying to steal people's favourite technique or spot...

And just for the record, I'll probably cast lures at them cause that's how I like to fish, but right now, I'm whatever it takes to get one in the boat :P
Joel

Don't see where I suggested he was trying to "trying to steal people's favourite technique or spot...", just suggested that some folks may not wish to share that knowledge.

And just for the record, I cast lures at them as well. Just thought he might like some insight from people that were more knowlegeable than me. :-[ Sorry

[the gecko]

Whiteys a jack whisperer.

He calls out " Im gonna catch a jack on this cast, and they jump on". ;D Johnny Farnhams got nothing. lol.

Youre one the top jack fishos on the site mate.

Andrew

[breamnut]

he is also a bream whisperer:P
i prefere casting for my jack as they bust me of to much when trolling,
i gotta give some of nicks 6'' berkley powerbait shimp a go this season!

[Pistol_P]

Casting lures and plastics remains the most satisfying method of capture for me.

Livebaiting would be second...as the sound of a bitrunner or ratchet scream has allways been a sound I love.

Trolling lures is the bottom of the barrell.::)

Pete

[MeePee_99]

Casting hb's and plastics, just the way i fish and love it that way

[tunaticer]

Mostly lures but will livebait occasionally at night.

Stealth is the ultimate key to good jacking.

Jack.

[RawDog]

casting flies and livebaiting for sure

[GAD]

Haven't voted cause where lures work for jack , hard bodies surviving better than soft plastics as they seem to take the tails off soft plastics more often than not in my expirience , my personel thoughts are nothing gets a jack like a fresh mullet strip, I find live mullet on the bottom seems to attract the crabs, and that usually keeps everything off your line , a live mullet or prawn floating around a meter under the surface is barra foder with the occasional jack hitting it , but a strip of mullet swinging in the current close to the snag is the most succesful method I have come across to entice jack on the bite . Where as in the inlet I preferr to throw lure for barra , and occasionally get a nice jack or two on lure if I go out to chase Jack it will be usuallybe with strip bait .


Greg 8-)

[Lovey80]

Large live whiting, Double Snell rig, preferably at night as the tide slows towards bottom, on bottom and up to when the tide starts running fast again. I hear the saying no run no fun a lot on different species but jack seem to get angry when the tide slows imo.

Cheers

Chris

[Didley]

My preference is in the same order as listed in the poll, Why-ting, but I'm happy to get 'em any way they come. I spent about a year and a half to catch my first one, as I wanted to get it cast and retrieve on lure, did that and it was the most satisfying fish I've ever caught.

Dids

[BigE]

I didnt vote as i have only ever caught jacks on slab mullet...... not saying it is the only way,because i haven't tried much else.

BigE

[nuggstar]

all but two of the jacks iv caught have been on surface lures, but they were all small.

[Why-ting]

Thanks for the replys guys but being a bream and jack whisperer is a bit full on theres plenty of guys out there sweet talking more fish into the boat than me.

I target all my jacks cast and retrieve as it gives me the most satisfaction to boat 1 after all the effort of casting at structure for hours anticipating a fish every cast and finally getting the bone jarring jolt. You have a mind laps for 1 sec and thats usually when you get your lure stolen. If catchin jacks was easy it wouldnt be as rewarding

I used to live bait alot and although this form of fishing for them doesnt appeal to me anymore, I think that it is probably the easiest way to target jacks and a great way to learn alot more about the devils in faster time. I belive it has taught me alot about their habits and in turn has made my lure fishing for them more productive.


Large live whiting, Double Snell rig, preferably at night as the tide slows towards bottom, on bottom and up to when the tide starts running fast again. I hear the saying no run no fun a lot on different species but jack seem to get angry when the tide slows imo.

Cheers

Chris

I have to agree with Chris about tides and the red fish will venture out alot more as the tide slows. But in saying that you can catch them during any part of the tide and i target them when ever i can and if the tides are good then its a bonus. You dont catch jacks sitting on the couch.

Happy Jackin!

Cheers Whytey

[Deadstick]

Hey Why-ting

I have boated Jacks on all of these techniques & i agree with you that you learn a lot about the nature of their attacks fishing with live baits. i haven't caught any big fish casting at them but i am sure it would be memorable experience getting slammed close to structure.

I am sure you still remember what that hit was like all those years ago trolling at night when you got that nice 50cm model it must have had some impact on you as you cant leave them alone these days.

i dont do alot of jack fishing these days but if i did i would mainly be cast & retrieve on hards & softs but mind you i wouldn,t mind catching one on a blade after experiencing some of the bream hits on them.

;D PS ( you need to pause this thread untill after 2,3,4th of Oct you need to focus on flat)

[gaintsquid]

Im sure alot of us have learn alot from you Why-Ting. hope to see many red reports from you this summer :)

[zedjack33]

I voted for livebaiting since my fav not a selection.

I have landed most of mine on "butterflied" mullet.

[Creek Vermin]

Towing hard bods, jigging and casting plastics and prawn imitations keeps me happy.:) As long as there's a cold treat nearby.:P Must be due to for another trip soon whyte man.......

[gr8throba]

I always use live bait(NSW) but I know lures work well in North Queensland. The main criteria for me is to find a place where you can catch a Jack and pull it away from the rocks etc. I know plenty of spots to hook up , but landing a Jack for me is all about tempting them as far away from there cover to take the bait as possible and getting yourself in a position to pull them straight away from there cover. PS I agree completely with everything that was said by "Why-ting"
(http://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/member.php?u=34049)

[pommy]

Greetings all!

Havn't really targeted Jacks so far but after the Gecko's Post I have chosen a few spots for the warmer weather.

Have caught 2 Jacks so far, both on salted white pilliies, free lined on a soft plastics outfit.

Raider, 2000 Okuma, 8lb leader, Size 2 Mustad fine wire and White Pillie.

Floated the bait along the edge of a Rockwall for bream. Caught a few nice bream and biggest Jack of 46cm.

As the Gecko says, the first 2 seconds are important and by chance I put the pressure in the right direction.

Regards, Rob.
Ballina.

[scoota_74]

Yeah you've got love it when ya been flicking a lure a hundred times or more and on that retrieve when your looking at the next snag, WHACK!!!!!! Love chasing those red devils on lure.....

[kahla_creek]

I use poddy mullet butterfly fillets and hang them back near snags with no weight. All the juice running out of them seems to work well as an attractant.
Cheers
Muddy

[mangrovejacks]

Live bait and rock walls never fail.

[Fatboy 1]

hi never caught a jack before but i would have to go with hb's and plastics

[Matthias]

Most productive two methods I have used in the past are:

1- Jigging Sp's, with and sometimes against the current, off bridges
2- Unweighted live mullet or snub nosed gar in GC lakes

but I think livebaiting "from the Bank" and pulling a jack up and out of a rock wall is def the best fun for me. The hit is insane with drag completely locked, u stand-up fast with ur arms straight and nearly verticle with the rod held as high as you can on ur tippy toes, and your cranking as hard as you can while ur wrist is twisting against the rod butt....well u's know how it goes.

GL this season =D

Pete

[tunaticer]

Jacks are suckers for the right soft plastic and presentation.

Jack.

[JRJR]

I'm a bit confused by the HB plastic option. Is that Hardbody lure or a Soft Plastic.
What the heck is a hardbody plastic!? I thought you eitherr use a hardbody lure or use a soft plastic.

I didn't know what to vote.

[Didley]

JRJR, try it with a comer between HB's and plastics, there is 3 options 1 HB's, 2 soft plastics, 3 flies. That's why Whytey's English teacher said he'd never amount to any thing;D

[Why-ting]

Sorry Dids WaS tOO ,bsuy TinkIng OFf jak FishInG? 2 paid TenS1on to TeaCha at scOOlL:P

[snatch]

Don't see where I suggested he was trying to "trying to steal people's favourite technique or spot...", just suggested that some folks may not wish to share that knowledge.

And just for the record, I cast lures at them as well. Just thought he might like some insight from people that were more knowlegeable than me. :-[ Sorry


I read your post as accusing him of short cutting also.

I like live mullet. 100-125 mm long hooked through the eyes. Jacks love 'em. Herring will do also.

[Haji-Baba]

My wife and I sometime target Jacks deliberatly for a bit of good fun.

Our method is to sound out an area looking for underwater snags in small creeks. The water depth can vary from 1 meter to 4 or 5 meters preferably low tide.

The next day we would anchor or beach the tinny opposite the snag and cast half pillies on two hooks at those snags. Whole small mullet or half a whiting fillet cut on the diagonal will work just as well. Very little lead and keep the bait moving.

Throw as close to the bank as possible even if you have to pull the bait off the bank if you go too far.

When the Fish attacks be ready, as the first few seconds are critical.

By pulling directly away from the opposite bank gives you and advantage over the fish.

It works for us and we have fished all up the east coast using this method.

You will lose a lot of gear if you fish the snags as close as necessary.

But that is the way it goes. If you lose a fish it may pay to move and come back later.

I find if you anchor and fish parallel to the bank the Jack has you into the rough stuff before you can stop him.

Have fun Haji-Baba

[Barraboy7]

Ive caught heaps of Jacks over the years in NQ, on hardbody lures in the Tully River, and around Townsville I used mostly live mullet. I learned from a local who had been getting them for years with the simple method of a live poddy mullet cast toward the snags when anchored upstream. You get Jacks like this but you also get heaps of snags trying to get your bait in there. sometimes people get locked into a method for years and never change. There is always a better mousetrap!
So I started using an adjustable float so I could set the depth of the bait against the snag, usually about a metre. You still need a sinker above the hook so the mullet is somewhat controlled to that depth.
Deadly, and from then we landed way more with hardly any snag ups. At night they move around a lot more feeding so you can get them in more open water away from snags with live or dead mullet, even off rocky beaches like West Point on Maggie Is.
But hey, there are heaps more jacks up north, its amusing hearing them being described as almost the Holy Grail of fishing in the south. And they taste fantastic!
Cheers
Barraboy7

[simool-awiad]

Poppers,fizzers and surface rigged plackies are pretty cool!8-)

[struktcha_man]

Sorry for the hijack just wondering what size fluro trace is sufficient for jack?

since they can snapp you off pretty easily.

cheers

[Didley]

Sorry for the hijack just wondering what size fluro trace is sufficient for jack?

since they can snapp you off pretty easily.

cheers

SM, I personally use 40 or 60lb, depending where I'm fishing.

[Tewantin]

This is my 1st season at it (targeting jack) and I count myself as being very lucky as I've landed 7 legal fish so far. Largest so far is 42cm. Aside from my 1st which I fluked on sand worm, all have been caught on slab baits of mullet, bonito, and pilchard. All have been taken through the night either side of a tide change and in relatively open water. I like to think a bit of stealth plays a part and so I will very slowly motor up to a 100 metres upstream from where I want to fish and let the current take me to where I want to anchor. I use 4kg line with a 1.5 mtr 6kg flouro leader and the smallest ball running sinker necessary to reach bottom.