Soft plastic problems

[spilly]

I've been trying soft plastics for a while now (still using bait as well) Have had some hits but can"t seem to land a fish on them. What am I doing wrong ??? >

[agnes_jack]

Spilly
Hard to say without more detail, but most people that have trouble (generally) are trying too hard. Slow the retrieve rate right down, try varying your retrieve action.
There are a lot of things that may affect your results, such as where, when,jig head weight, what species you are targetting etc.
If you can be a little more specific, there is sure to be someone here with some suggestions.

Regards, Tony

[basserman]

as tony said but more than not the main reson people fail at first with the plastics and other lure to that point is that they try and use them alot like they do with bait but the main thing that you can do to improve your results is to fish where the fish are and i'm not trying to be smart there but what i mean is you need to cast your lures and work the lures right in the strike zone in the snags and structer

[matthill80]

i was shown by a mate who is a gun sp angla he said instead of striking the rod it is better to just give the reel a quick turn or two. it has really upped my hookup rate hope this helps

[SquareBear]

Spilly

You have probably received this advice before, but for what it's worth, I would encourage you to take a look at the Squidgie DVD. It is a good place to start for pointers on haw to rig SPs, how to fish/work them, and more importantly, how to strike/hookup.

To be honest, my mate and I watched this DVD quite a long time ago, as we were interested in using SPs to chase bass. We had never done this before, and found it quite informative. We put all their advice into practice the following weekend, and snared 18 bass! Beginner's Luck?

Don't be too proud to revisit this DVD if you have already seen it in the past. My copy is now
paper-thin! . Good luck mate!

SquareBear 8)

[Touchy - R.I.P.]

You dont mention what jigheads you are using but since I switched to Nitros & TT'S my hookup rate has improved, the hooks are a thin wire type & very sharp. Cheers Touchy.><>

[beefaman]

Spilly, try and get out with someone who knows what they are doing, and catches fish regularily on SP's, it is how I learned!!
There is so many little things to be learnt by sharing experiences and techniques, that you never really stop learning....hell, even Touchy has taught me some things
Quality gear is always a bonus, good jigheads, good leader etc certainly helps!!

[spilly]

I've hear about "leader" all the time. I"m still using mono line straight to the plastic. Is this a problem, should I be using braid with a mono leader? If so what's the advantage over conventional line with soft plastics? Can you use a wire trace?

[aquarius]

Spilly buy yourself a spool of 6lb green fireline and some 10 or 12lb nitlon, siglon or vanish flourocarbon leader.
Mono line has 30 % stretch and braid has almost zero.
You need to be able to feel where your plastic is in the water and braid enables you to do this.
Use a small weighted nitro or TT jighead just so it reaches the bottom structure.......you don't want the jighead falling fast just a slow gentle drift down...Must look natural to a fish!!!!!!!
Once on the bottom give SLOW lifts on the rod and take in the slack line.
Repeat this process all the way to the boat while drifting along the edge of the reef.
You can cast ahead of or to the side of the boat or if you get lazy like us just troll behind the boat but still give that Slow lift.
Don't use wire because those fish will see it for sure and you might just catch GRINNERS all day long..lol.
Hope this helps you.
Cheers Brent

[flickflack]

beefamann's advice is spoton. if you can go fishing with someone who knows how to fish sp's you will learn more in 10 minutes just by watching them than you will from any books. I have been fishing with sp's for about 20 years and am still learning new tricks every time I fish with someone different Once you get the knack baitfishing will take a backseat. My mate and I went to the broadwater this morning for a fish and caught 7 bream , 6 flathead, a sole and a doggie mackerel all on soft plastics in a few hours before work.
good luck Rods

[flynny15]

gday mate, i know just where ya coming from, i have asked the same question a few weeks ago, so i thought i would give it some quality time, i live rite next to currumbin creek, i have fished it 30min sessions or longer about 10 times in 3 weeks just with platics.

results 2 flathead.

futhermore being landbased i have just fished the 3 main bridges. iam so frustrated i have tried everything, every plastic, i use flurocarbon leaderr, with braid , still nothing grrrrrr.

[aquarius]

Folks you can fish 1 spot all day and not catch a fish on plastic......you need to be where the fish are.
Work area's and tides together......fish heard up the bait schools and push them into corners where they can set a trap for the meal of the day.
On outgoing tides work area's like broken reef where bait fish pass through and predators can strike.
Points at the end of a reef is another good spot to target on the ebb tide.
You just need to think like a fish to catch one..lol
If you are using bait and a burley mixture the fish will find you but soft plastics is just the reverse situation.
Cheers Brent

[Sergio_kutz]

flynny,

I've fished currumbin with plastics also, the bream just look at them and laugh. I've tried my heart out to get one to touch a plastic and get no result. But when i've fished in other places the bream have nailed me all over the place. Currumbin isn't an easy place to fish with the plastics, that's all. mabye if you went a little furthur up the creek you may have mnore success. but around the 3 bridges near to the mouth, you'll get done every time. try moving up to tallebudgura creek and giving it a go there. once you get the first one on sp's, and keep getting a few more you'll be hooked.

Sergio

P.S> only ever gotten undersized flatties on plastics in currumbin

[flickflack]

g'day Flinny

Give me a contact no mate .I stay in tugun and fish a few mornings in the week before work.If you are landbased ile take you for a fish in my tinnie.

[bowie06]

Hi,

If you go to www.fishraider.com.au the site has very good reading on soft plastic fishing.....

GL