soft plastics

[g_zed]

hi everyone i am a new member that has read this site for some time now.there seeme to be lots of sucsessfull stories on s/p.I finaly went and bought some to try! first place CORUMBIN RIVER in two or three hours managed to hook one gar of good size ,but i let him go.second try, mud yesterday the sea were a bit lumpy, hell but i am keen :) drifted between cardinal markers over supposed reef for 2.5 hours nooo good. decided to troll some hard bodied lure to 4 beacons ,did not even see a fish of eny sort ,late arvo went home .( berkleh 3"gulps in black , berkley minnow from 3"- 4" indifferent colours.where did i go wrong? is there some doe's and dont's "any help or advise would be mutch appreciated"

[Scalem]

Hello and welcome to the site ( on behalf of all the Ausfish members)

Please let us know everything about the tackle you are using. If you ans the following basic Q's that might help some good natured plastics user to help you, that would be good.

What main line, and what breaking strain?
Are you using a leader, what is it (inc Breaking strain) and how are you attaching?
What size Jig heads are you using, and how do you present it? ie: if you drag it through the water the same as a hard bodied lure, that might be the problem.

If you click on the search tab at the top of this page you should be able to find a heap of thread on the subject of SP's but we can give you a head start if you ans some Q's above.

All the best
Scalem

[PlasticMatt]

Hi g_zed, The first time a threw an SP ( about 2 years ago) it was a similar outcome to your own. All I can say is keep on truckin because after you get your first fish they will keep on coming. I would be fishing as many structures as I possibly could around the Estuarys, Canals and River mouths. Also try and mix it up a bit and see what works for you. Using the Shad type and Swimming Minnows are easiest to work and require little more than a slow retrieve to hook up a flattie or two. Using finesse gear does help but is not essential if you don't have it. If you find the Fish they will take most things you put in front of them. I am too a newbie to the site and have found all the members helpful with there replies to posts I have read.

Good Luck
Matt

[g_zed]

Hi guy's thanks for your help so far,
well the Gar I cought @ mouth of Currumbin river I used a shakespere 6 ' 6 rod 4 -8lb line class light action with a shakespere eggbeater 4.9 - 1ratio with 8lb mono line direct to jig head 6grm & 1.0 hook to a 3" minnow grub Black berkley Gulp, it was fareley windy used varied retrieve.
@ Mud used 7 food ugle stick med to heavy action (no more writting on rod sorry guy's) a diawa 5500 eggbeater 3.5 - 1 retrieveale rate and 15lb line mono tied direct to 16oz jig head & 2.0 hook, tried the black 3" monnow Glup, 3" power minnow prl/Wtmin/shad, & 3" Mullet Glow chartreuse, 15 knot wind and drifting.
hope this info can direct any help to were I went Wrong?

[NeMo84]

g_zed the biggest problem i see is that your using far too much lead, get yourself some smaller jigheads, for the estuary instead of 6gm go get some from 1.5gm down i reckon, IMHO those jigheads your using are far too heavy for the little 3" bass minnows...oh and you could also invest in some fireline/braid, it's worth it, but first of all get some lighter jigheads...

[Scalem]

g_zed,

Try this - Nemo84 has hit the nail on the head (no punn intended), when saying fish lighter jig heads, but I will go further to say....

The principle is to fish as light as you can get away with when fishing SP's. I use such light jig heads they normally won't get to the bottom unless I cast ahead of the direction the boat is drifting. ie: up current. By the time the boat has drifted enough to catch up with the SP, you should be in touch with the lure and can see it is on the bottom. Give it a few small jigs, but release the line so that it floats back down to the bottom again, even if you have to open the bail arm of your reel. You want to experience your 1st bites on SP's right? Visit Mud again, throw caution to the wind and go silly with the principal of "fishing "light" by taking your shakespere 6 ' 6 rod 4 -8lb line class light action with a shakespere eggbeater, and get yourself some flurocarbon leader, something like Vanish 1.9KG and practise tying 2 lines together using the uni knot illustrated http://www.fishsa.com/kntiesun.php The flurocarbon fools the fish because they can't see the stuff, which adds to the natural presentation of the plastic. Use about 1.5 - 2 mtrs. You will lose fish because this is so light, but you will also get legal squire on 2KG line. Once you develop the skill and want to get bigger fish, upgrade to around 5KG Flurocarbon.

Works for me! I hope you do well, and if you use what I have said, photo's please!

PB snapper fish photo attached, caught Nov 2005

Scalem

[Scalem]

And... make sure you have plenty of line on the spool, and your drag washers are in tip top condition..... ;)

[Benno75]

G Zed

I've only recently converted to SPs myself. I don't consider myself to be an expert, atcually I'm a rank amature. I've noticed though that some fish are easier to catch on Sp's than others though. Flathead and squire seem to be the two that I most often catch. I've yet to bag a bream even though I'm sure I've been in the right spots at the right time. Perhaps targeting the right species will help your success rate a bit.

Generally speaking there were 2 things that took me a bit of time to work out though. 1) SLOW - slowly pick up your sp off the bottom and let it sink again. and 2) making sure I was actually allowing the sp to get to the bottom. I spent a day in the Maroochy when it was unbelievably clear and it amazed me how long it takes an SP to sink.

By the way - the experts will talk about the right line/reel/rob combo. I think they know what they are talking about. But just for the record I use 12lb mono, no leader on an old crappy spinning reel. Its what I've got, and I've had reasonable success . . . sometimes

Benno

[g_zed]

hi

well well that is more info than i hoped for :) all is written down and tomorrow have to see my tackle shop.
thanks for all of your imput
It may totaly change my fishing style (for better i hope)
AND MOST OF ALL THANK'S AUSFISH ,GREET TO BE PART OF IT

[last_cast]

g_zed,

Some great advice above. I would stick with just your lighter outfit, even around Mud, for SP. Flathead are probably the easiest fish to target with SP. They will take anything. Have had success with 3 and 4" berkley minnow and 5" Squidgies in the killer tomatoe. For the Berkleys I like to 1/8oz jig heads and for the squidgies 1/4oz. The lure MUST be bumping along the bottom. I have caught flathead in 1 or 2 foot of water using a 1/4oz jig head. Cast up onto a bank and retrieve into a channel (with a few hops and jumps) and you are away. For squire I find minnow type SP work the best. If I were to choose one, it would be the 3" berkley minnow in pumpkin seed (work well on bream too). Team with a 1/8oz (or maybe a 1/6oz with your line) jig head and cast ahead of your boat on the drift. Retrieve your line slowly with a couple of small twitches and the occasional slow lift. If you do not get bites doing this, move. Squire love the SP and if they are there, they will let you know. Last couple of trips to mud, the vast majority of bites (and fish) have come a couple of hours after day break. Will greatly increase your chances getting out then. There is also a heap of other info on this site. Use the search button above and you will have enough info to keep you busy for a while.

[fishingnottake]

hey mate next time your down at currumbin creek, let me know ahead of time, i'll show you some prime spots, and help you with your technique.
ash