Gulps & Powerbaits : A Con-job or are they for real ?

[Scalem]

Hey scalem, we've never used our sea anchor, and we mainly fish in depths of less than 10 meters. So if the current is going hard we'll put more weight on, and use the electric motor to help slow us up. We'll then cast in the direction opposite to the current flow, usually at an angle out from the boat, so that the plastic drops with the current and will be on the bottom before it has drawn level with the boat, allowing us to hop it back to the boat.

simon

Good one Simon!! You've trumped me! That's even better than a sea anchor having an electric motor ya buggar!- I wish I had one!! It always amazes me how many more bream the pro tournament fisho's get for the fact they have a leccie.

Kev - now you have a sporting chance, make sure your leader is flurocarbon to braid tied with a Uni knot http://www.fish4fun.com/Joining2Lines.htm and NO SWIVEL! I use 10lb to 12lb in the bay, Outside I think you might get away with up to 20lb which is still a little light, but still catch snapper. I should do a post and ask the question "How heavy can you go on leader before you notice a decline in number of hits" but generally the lighter the line, the more hits you'll get.. One more thing.... hang on with both hands and don't get caught loafing! Whoohoo!! I can see your post now Kingtin!!

Scalem

[PinHead]

my question is: why use braid...why not mono ??
I am sure people caught snapper before braid was introduced.

[Poodroo]

Good one Simon!! You've trumped me! That's even better than a sea anchor having an electric motor ya buggar!- I wish I had one!! It always amazes me how many more bream the pro tournament fisho's get for the fact they have a leccie.

Kev - now you have a sporting chance, make sure your leader is flurocarbon to braid tied with a Uni knot http://www.fish4fun.com/Joining2Lines.htm and NO SWIVEL! I use 10lb to 12lb in the bay, Outside I think you might get away with up to 20lb which is still a little light, but still catch snapper. I should do a post and ask the question "How heavy can you go on leader before you notice a decline in number of hits" but generally the lighter the line, the more hits you'll get.. One more thing.... hang on with both hands and don't get caught loafing! Whoohoo!! I can see your post now Kingtin!!

Scalem

Could just ask Great_White that question instead. I am sure he will be able to answer that question.

Poodroo

[Scalem]

my question is: why use braid...why not mono ??
I am sure people caught snapper before braid was introduced.

Seems like I've hijacked this thread, appologies for that, but to answer your Q Greg, there's nothing to stop you using Mono for Soft plastics, but here are a few reasons why most of us don't use mono for this type of fishing. The points I am making varies from one brand of mono to another - that's my disclaimer before anyone disagrees with me. I have to generalize to make the following points

• Mono stretches more than Braid and therefore you lose the feel of a fish bumping the lure, and also a strike is more exciting to the fisho using braid. Even small fish transmit the energy all the way up the line if its braid.
• You should not use swivels when using plastics. Opinions vary but I think a swivel interferes with the action of the plastic. So what happens when you dispense with using a swivel when using Mono? Line twist!! Try using mono, casting repeatedly during the day without a swivel, and you will know what I mean. Again, it varies, and there will be those who would argue their beloved mono they have used for decades won't twist no matter how many times you cast it. FINE! But you will have to pay a fortune for it and there's still the instant "no stretch" benefits to using braid on plastics. I took a surf Alvey 6.5" still loaded with 15KG mono on a bluewater trip with Frankoo. I caught fish on it using SP's but eventually put it away, the line twist was driving me crazy!!
• My current braid on the Penn Applause reel has been on it for 2 years and have not had to replace it yet, but ... I will upgrade it just before the R2M. Try get that kind of life out of a $45.00 mono line....I am convinced the Braid lasts much longer than Mono.

Hope that answers some questions Greg.

Scalem
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[slyman]

hey scalem, I think a few of us have hijacked this thread!!
sorry to rogersto the original poster! got a bit carried away.

simon

[pennman]

I have never tried the scented gulps or powerbaits. I fish the regular curl tail grubs as the action seems better to me. These type baits have been very good on the type fish I catch here in the states. Maybe the fish are just dumber over here.
One thing I have noticed about fishing SPs in current is it is very important how the plastic is put on the hook. When I am casting across the current I will make sure to put the SP on the hook straight down the center but will spin the SP on the hook so it runs INTO the current slightly so the lure is not just swept away by the tide.

One other tip. With SPs ( unscented) The bite is very subtle. I can't tell you how many people I have fished with that draw a blank when I am catching fish left and right. Most of the time the bite is just a slight tick that others don't notice. But that may just be a local thing.

Doug

[BLOOEY]

Good tip there penman with the rigging of the plastic so it angles toward the current.I personally think gulps are a con.They do not withstand much punishment at all.As for the stink they have you may as well use some dead bait and work it like a lure.CON.

[Davemclean]

erm, I have used rubber baits a couple of times, a couple of things I have found with them are:

1) use an ordinary office hole punch to punch a couple of holes in the tail, this creates a lot of disturbance and streams of bubbles that no self respecting predator can resist

2)if you have two rubber lures of the same size and type, one with a knackered tail, the other with a knackered body, cut the tails off the lures at the same point, and using supergle, fix the decent tail ti the decent body, saves a bit of money and you can tailor the colours of the lure to what you want

[slyman]

I'll have to disagree with you there Blooey, my brother and I use gulps a lot, and I've watched my brother catch fish on HALF a jerkshad, and HALF a shrimp, and HALF a turtleback worm, Not only that, we've used the same jerkshad to catch multiple fish, then put it in a seconds bag if its in good nick, then catch more fish with them the next day or the next week.

[BLOOEY]

Gday slyman.I probably was a little harsh on the gulps there.Just from personal experience they have certainly not been as tough as other softies.And you can catch fish on half a pilly,half a herring and half a mullet.For their price i still think they are a CON.I think we might have to agree to disagree.

[Aquarius]

Rogersto, Soft plastic fishing is all about persistance and patience.
Cheers Brent

[pennman]

Not all SPs are created equal. Some SPs are made of harder tougher plastic.

Aquaris has a very good point about having patience and persistance to learn to be in the right place at the right time. Year after year the target fish seem to school in pretty much the same areas.

An electric trolling motor is ideal for exploring areas and casting the structure. They are also handy for gettin into shallow water. These places are often over looked.

[slyman]

Agreed blooey

simon

[Mullet Musketeer]

Well - I suspect in this argument you are either for or against and there is not much that will change your mind.

I worked them for a couple of months before I became a believer and I think it was three keeper Flathead in 3 casts wading out the front of Nudgee Beach that converted me in April last year.

These are my stats - From April 23rd to December 31, 2006 - 217 keeper fish mainly Flathead, Bream and Cod all on Gulps or Powerbaits. All land-based in either the Brisbane River, Nudgee Beach/Cabbage Tree Creek or the Passage.

The 2 most successful plastics for me are the 2" Gulp Shrimp (Molting) and the 3"Gulp Minnow Grub ( Pumpkinseed).

The trophy fish an 11lb Jew on the 3"Gulp Minnow Grub ( Pumpkinseed) from Boggy Creek.

[DR]

BUT, gulps are not plastics.. they are a plastic shaped synthetic bait..

from the horses mouth..
Gulp! is not plastic and is 100% biodegradable. If left in water it will turn into tiny particles within 6-9 months. It's a porous material that sponges up the Gulp scent and disperses through the water at 400 times the rate of any other scented bait. The water flows through the bait because it is porous. With any plastic bait, including PowerBait, the water cannot permeate the plastisol so it can only touch the exterior surfaces of the bait.

One other notable difference between Gulp! and other scented baits is that Gulp! is water based. It moves very well through the water and attaches more easily to the sensor receptors in a fish's smelling and tasting organs.