mangrove jack- need some help

[grinny]

hey all i need some help with jack fishing ive been using 5" jershads gulp in sartay chicked, pepered prawn, and blue pepper neon but my results have only resulted in a few jack and i have used 4" shrimp in molting and i've tried a couple of the squidy plastics from starlo and bushy. I have also tried trolling close to snags but i keep getting busted of on 15pound braided line with a 14 pound berkley vanish leader. does anyone have any tips about the gear i should be useing and what lures to troll and flick around.

thanks grinny

[fisho_83]

Hey Grinny. I have had success with the following hard body lures: Tilsan Barra, Reidy's Taipan, Lively Lures Mad Mullet & Predatek Jindavyk. I use 30lb braid and 40-50lb leader (although I am fishing for barra at the same time), saying that I have never been busted off! Have a go at casting at the snags or structure, you might have a better catch rate than trolling. All the best buddy.

[grinny]

thanks fisho_83 all the best for you too

[aidbox]

yeah mate i also fish hard and heavy for barra with 20lb line and 50lb leader and havent been busted off- but the funny thing is i have landed and had better success on my bream rod with jacks- 6lb line and 16lb leader haha, haven;t been busted off yet but use 1/8 weight and 3' gulp prawns (jelly bean theory-sometimes less is more) It is funny, the jacks seem to hit as hard but are easier to land on the light gear- more Resistance the more the fight.

[aidbox]

yeah mate i also fish hard and heavy for barra with 20lb line and 50lb leader and havent been busted off- but the funny thing is i have landed and had better success on my bream rod with jacks- 6lb line and 16lb leader haha, haven;t been busted off yet but use 1/8 weight and 3' gulp prawns (jelly bean theory-sometimes less is more) It is funny, the jacks seem to hit as hard but are easier to land on the light gear- more Resistance the more the fight.

By the way I dont think you need any help by the look of that photo haha nice fish- what was the secret with that one?

[grinny]

i just got him on a live potty mullet on the light gear, it put up a heck of a fight

[fishinwahbee]

Hey mate

Use of 15lb fins and 20lb Vanish with a 6-10 baitcaster should see you landing some fish. Fish lighter weights than what you would with jewies or flathead. You do not want the lure to crash to the bottome which may be sometimes good, but more so to flutter slowy through the strikezone. Plastics which may be worth a go are: squidgy white lighting shad, 100ml black gold squidgy. If you are not loosing them you are not getting close enough to the snags. Poppers are also really good throwing under fallen timber or over shallow rocky outcrops and working them across the mouth of creeks or up them - 65mm river to sea in lighter colours. Jacks do not only live in snags you can find them in holes on tide changes. I cant threat enough how important it is to have a sounder, so try something new and good luck. It had me landing one in mid winter in deep water with no snags or rocky bottom in sight. Search your topic in the search bar and check out some of the post by others.

Fishinwahbee

Never to young to be a pro14yo!