Jack Secrets for virgins

[cactus jack]

Thanks Andrew, never given Jacks a go, but you have made an enticing arguement. Will have to have a crack this summer!

[eotbmg]

Hey Andrew,
Thanks for your informative post, its just the kick in the ring i needed to get out there and start chasing the red beasts.
Just a quick question though... How many mullet would you go through in an average 6 hour session????? And how often would you check your baits??????
Thanks again
Ben

[Colo77]

Great info fellas. Been living in Jack country for a couple of years now but have only landed 1 about 6" long on a 70mm squidgie fish, funnily enough I caught it around a rocky outcrop in the Pioneer River Mackay.

I have never targeted them solely but this thread has renewed my enthusiam to get out & have a crack at some larger models. Some wicked colours on the juvenile I caught.

I have heard of quite a few cracker jacks up to 56cm caught around here. Awesome jacks by anyones standards.

Wouldn't mind going toe to toe with a real big guy from the reef oneday too, those beasts must really test a guys tackle.

Thanks again, some really useful info shared by all.

Cheers Colo.

[the gecko]

Id go thru 4-6 whole 30cm mullet in a session, so I buy 3 paks of 2 mullet. I usually have a backup bait as well, maybe yakkas, pillies, tailor, whiting or gar, whatever I can get. i rarely use the backup bait tho. I keep a castnet on board, so Id rather get livies if I run out of strips.

You dont need to check your bait much, if you fish with braid line, and 1 rod, light sinker, then youll know whats going on. The bream pickers will clean the flesh and leave the skin behind, so if Ive had pickers, I might change bait every 5 mins. Most bream cant swallow a 5/0 hook. If no pickers are around, I will check bait every 15 mins, and cast in a different direction. Bream pickers arent such a bad thing, the activity attracts bigger preadators to come and have a look too.

make sure you leave the scales ON the mullet strips, its more realistic, but remove all bones and fins. Thats why I never buy fillets, they are already scaled, so no good.

cheers
Andrew

[eotbmg]

Thanks Mate

[Lovey80]

Thanks Gecko top post. I too love to target the red devils and have found that using winter whiting live work a treat. The bigger the better. I like to fish deep holes on low tide and up close to pilons and mangroves on high where the Jacks like to come out to chase the bait hiding in the structure. When I can get enough live winter whiting (10 per pers at least) I use a snelled rig behind the head and just above the tail. Many times smaller jacks up to 40cm chomp on the larger whiting like a big bream would and the snell works well.

Cheers

Chris

[darylive]

Its so good to see that nobody is even asking for location hints, they just wanna learn to fish for themselves. Great to see.

cheers
Andrew[/quote]

I have to say I did the same asa previous poster (I'm not going back to look Nath? maybe) I saw this searching for Jack threads. Once found it was to the fridge for a tally of brew and the pint pot then settle in.

I could not agree more Andy, you are truley in the spirit of ausfish, sharing the technique not your own secrete spot. I am sure no one would expect that. In fact out of respect send me a PM with the locations and I will make a point of not telling anyone just to make sure I don't spill the beans on your spot! It is the least I can do having benifited from all your good drum.

In fact I have a few days off so i will personally go and guard a spot or two for you old mate.

Let me reinforce I did Google Mangrove Jack not Virgins despite what some might say

[mangrovejacks]

A little long winded but some good tips there - well researched. Using strips and going through that much bait in a night tells me you must be feeding a lot of bream and wasting quality Jack time.

I refuse to use dead bait of any kind to catch MJ's for the above mentioned reason. But each to their own and good luck.

[kahla_creek]

Gecko
You are a true gentleman for sharing this great information. May the god of cold beer and full mudcrabs shine upon you.

Cheers
Muddy

[Didley]

A little long winded but some good tips there - well researched. Using strips and going through that much bait in a night tells me you must be feeding a lot of bream and wasting quality Jack time.

I refuse to use dead bait of any kind to catch MJ's for the above mentioned reason. But each to their own and good luck.

Mangrovejacks, I suggest if your using nothing but live bait your missing a lot of jacks that were there for the taking. There is many times they'll take dead bait but not touch livies. Regards Didley

[kingtin]

Mangrovejacks, I suggest if your using nothing but live bait your missing a lot of jacks that were there for the taking. There is many times they'll take dead bait but not touch livies. Regards Didley

Rigid thinking and dismissal of any other technique can cost you.............there are always exceptions to the rule.

I fished livies all day for bugger all..............the missus chucks out my jew gear baited with a side of mullet and squid cocktail and pulls this:


kev

[mangrovejacks]

As I say, each to their own and whatever works. I personally have no time for dead bait as I have put in the hours using both and am happy with the numbers.

Good fishing to you all.

[breakthelines]

I have fished for them in the middle of the day with great success on poppers and fizzers. Great info and mangrovejacks.....each man has their way and its good to learn new and interesting things!

[tunaticer]

I've just stumbed accross a whole new way of getting mangrove jacks connected with artificials.........very very effective, even more so than the old techniques with livies.
I think I will keep it to myself for a season or two though.

[pommy]

Bit of a miserable post Mangrovejacks!

Nice one Andrew!

Regards, Rob.
Ballina.