Snappers on Soft Plastics

[Chenz]

I have been using soft plastic lures with good success on species such as Flathead in closed waters and rivers but have been giving them a go in the bluewater and I think I am getting the hang of it.

Took some time to get the technique and rigs worked out but now I have worked out the jig head size, where to cast from the drifting boat to get the plastic down to the strike zone and which sized lures to use and what colours.

Used the 7" jerkshad in Nuclear Chicken with a 1/2 oz carolina running rig. I have used this both in South Australia off Balgowan and off the Coromandel Peninsula in NZ last month and last week in Forster with great success

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/
Forster last weekend in 15 metres of water no more than 1 klm from the main beach. The big one was 6kg and the other one was just over 3. The hit like a freight train on the flutter down after jigging the lure off the bottom.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2012/05/677.jpg

SA Reds

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/04/1076.jpg

This is one of about 50 we caught over a week in NZ

Give them a go. Beats the hell out of bashing the bottom with bait and they fight 4 times as hard without a big lead dropper hanging out of their gob!!!!!

[Pilbara130]

I have been using soft plastic lures with good success on species such as Flathead in closed waters and rivers but have been giving them a go in the bluewater and I think I am getting the hang of it.

Took some time to get the technique and rigs worked out but now I have worked out the jig head size, where to cast from the drifting boat to get the plastic down to the strike zone and which sized lures to use and what colours.

Used the 7" jerkshad in Nuclear Chicken with a 1/2 oz carolina running rig. I have used this both in South Australia off Balgowan and off the Coromandel Peninsula in NZ last month and last week in Forster with great success

http://img233.imageshack.us/img233/8350/fostersnapperapril11.jpg
Forster last weekend in 15 metres of water no more than 1 klm from the main beach. The big one was 6kg and the other one was just over 3. The hit like a freight train on the flutter down after jigging the lure off the bottom.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2012/05/677.jpg

SA Reds

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/04/1076.jpg

This is one of about 50 we caught over a week in NZ

Give them a go. Beats the hell out of bashing the bottom with bait and they fight 4 times as hard without a big lead dropper hanging out of their gob!!!!!


Nice work mate,they would have pulled hard on placys.

I have only just started using soft plastics myself.

Totaly agree with much better than smashing baits along the bottom heaps more fun with plastics and jigs.

I have been using the macarthys in the creeks for salmon but am yet to get a barra on one but planning a trip up the Gibb in August so you never know.

Thanks for sharing the photos.

Dan

[UNDEROVER]

Nice fish Chenz, awesome stuff! :)

Like you I'm starting to see a pattern emerging on the rubber front, and it is a whole lot more fun than old school bottom bashing.
Although I still bait fish for reds and pearlies on occasion, I enjoy the smash and run nature of reefies on plastics.
As an upside, my best pearlies to date have been caught on plastics also.
As for brands, I still favour the "Gulps" in the BBQ Chicken as a go to lure when all else fails.
The tackle shop down here had "Slams" for really cheap so I was using them for a while with reasonable results, but the "Gulps" seem to have more flutter on the drop than the "Slams" and have since gained my faith, as they have resulted in more fish.
As for the scents, the jury is still out for me. I don't dispute the fact they make a difference, but I think the lure action is a big part.

Cheers.

[Chenz]

Nice fish Chenz, awesome stuff! :)

Like you I'm starting to see a pattern emerging on the rubber front, and it is a whole lot more fun than old school bottom bashing.
Although I still bait fish for reds and pearlies on occasion, I enjoy the smash and run nature of reefies on plastics.
As an upside, my best pearlies to date have been caught on plastics also.
As for brands, I still favour the "Gulps" in the BBQ Chicken as a go to lure when all else fails.
The tackle shop down here had "Slams" for really cheap so I was using them for a while with reasonable results, but the "Gulps" seem to have more flutter on the drop than the "Slams" and have since gained my faith, as they have resulted in more fish.
As for the scents, the jury is still out for me. I don't dispute the fact they make a difference, but I think the lure action is a big part.

Cheers.

I agree about the pearlies. Even when I use a paternoster two hook rig bottom bashing these days I have one hook baited with mullet, bonito, squid etc and the other one with a soft plastic like a gulp. If there are Pearl perch about I use a white stick bait and invariably the pearlie will be caught on the plastic. I use those Owner Zbend hooks in 5/0. They catch them in the jaw every time.

The only down side is the price of Gulps and the fact that a good fish will smash them to bits. 4 X 7 inch jerk shads cost $12 - ouch when the jackets are around too.

I don't know about the scent either but I have used squidgies as well in similar colours but the Gulp scented baits seem to outfish them most times.

[Tombie]

This was last week!
No plastics, just 2 hooks through a 'sh1tty' on a hand line each side of the boat.

20 minutes later boat was back in on the trailer :D

Ps> not me, it's my mate in the pics.
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/

[Chenz]

This was last week!
No plastics, just 2 hooks through a 'sh1tty' on a hand line each side of the boat.

20 minutes later boat was back in on the trailer :D

Ps> not me, it's my mate in the pics.
http://184.72.239.143/mu/3aa9d0cd-2937-c148.jpg

Nice. There sure are some big reds off that bit of water. Had a ball first week in March going out off Balgowan on the other side of the gulf. Had a few we could not stop fishing in only 4-6 metres of water.

Hope to get back there in December. They reckon that's when the big ones come in.

[UNDEROVER]

Also Chenz,

as the jig heads can get a bit pricey as well, there are a few jig head moulds around that can save a small fortune.
A quick search on the net will have you amongst them in no time.

The good thing about making your own is the ability to use stronger hooks to avoid them opening up like some of the others on the market. If you're fishing rough country on a regular basis, it's cheap insurance.

[LandyAndy]

Also Chenz,

as the jig heads can get a bit pricey as well, there are a few jig head moulds around that can save a small fortune.
A quick search on the net will have you amongst them in no time.

The good thing about making your own is the ability to use stronger hooks to avoid them opening up like some of the others on the market. If you're fishing rough country on a regular basis, it's cheap insurance.

I had a look on fleabay,only one type of mould ex UK listed.
Cheap enough,what size lead do you reccomend???
The one I saw,bigest diameter was 5/8" then 1/2" the rest in the mould got smaller(3 more sizes) sorry I didnt note weights,in that foriegn language:p:p:p:p
Andrew

[UNDEROVER]

I had a look on fleabay,only one type of mould ex UK listed.
Cheap enough,what size lead do you reccomend???
The one I saw,bigest diameter was 5/8" then 1/2" the rest in the mould got smaller(3 more sizes) sorry I didnt note weights,in that foriegn language:p:p:p:p
Andrew

Hey Andy,

where I fish, it's relatively shallow and with little to no current to contend with, so I find myself starting with a half once jig head and going from there (depending on conditions I go heavier or lighter).
The deeper offshore reefs to about 80 meters, I have gone up to 1.5 ounce heads, and this is sometimes not enough. You can get some quite large heads for this purpose, but the cost can make it prohibitive.
The use of a standard paternoster rig with a plastic on one of the droppers is a lot more wallet friendly.
Plastic style and size, and also line class will determine where you start. The "stickbait" style have the fastest sink rate due to their streamlined shape and are the ones that seem to be used the most offshore.

If you're keen, you can even buy blank moulds and create your own style of custom jig head. :eek:

Cheers.

[LandyAndy]

Hey Andy,

where I fish, it's relatively shallow and with little to no current to contend with, so I find myself starting with a half once jig head and going from there (depending on conditions I go heavier or lighter).
The deeper offshore reefs to about 80 meters, I have gone up to 1.5 ounce heads, and this is sometimes not enough. You can get some quite large heads for this purpose, but the cost can make it prohibitive.
The use of a standard paternoster rig with a plastic on one of the droppers is a lot more wallet friendly.
Plastic style and size, and also line class will determine where you start. The "stickbait" style have the fastest sink rate due to their streamlined shape and are the ones that seem to be used the most offshore.

If you're keen, you can even buy blank moulds and create your own style of custom jig head. :eek:

Cheers.

This is the mould kit I saw.
JIG HEAD 2 LEAD SINKER MOULD 3.5g 7g 10.5g 14g 17.5g | eBay (http://cgi.ebay.com.au/JIG-HEAD-2-LEAD-SINKER-MOULD-3-5g-7g-10-5g-14g-17-5g-/330464871814?pt=UK_SportingGoods_FishingAcces_RL&hash=item4cf13dc586)

I intend starting to make my own sinkers,they are just too expensive to justify feeding tackle shop profits.
Andrew

[UNDEROVER]

Check these guys out: http://www.do-itmolds.com/ (http://www.do-itmolds.com/)

Enough choice to confuse anyone... :eek:

You could also modify a cheap ball sinker mould and save a few $$$.