Legal Jew on 4 lb bream gear landbased...is it possible?

[guimaras]

Good day Gents and Madames...

Like the title says,

How would everyone rate the difficulty (or possibility) of this task?

Reason I ask is... I have been chasing the "magic meter" for quite some time now and am kinda losing my mind a bit. (largest so far is 89cm).

Since finding a big one is a rarity these days, ive been contemplating on upping the challenge a bit by downgrading my gear.

My current jewie setup is 40lb braid, 60 lb leader on a ultegra 14000 reel. I know its overkill but I kinda built that on the notion that I may need that someday when I come face to face with a 20kg jewie. Problem is, most of the ones I catch are between 60-80cm (soapies) and anyone who goes after jewies know that they don't really fight hard for their size. (ive had 45cm salmon give me more trouble).

I just want to hear any inputs,experiences,stories,etc. from anyone.

[Oscarthebeagle]

Got a 77cm off the beach on 2kg line, just need to find somewhere without too much structure.

[Nolongeramember]

It's possible for sure. Key things would be to have enough line on your reel, first class knots and some luck that you don't get bitten off. Actually, the chances of getting bit off are high. Even the line rubbing on some sharp fins during the fight can break 4lb. You would have to be prepared to be disappointed a few times.

[Krispy !]

To avoid being bitten off you need larger circle hooks but much thinner gauge. Ive been getting bonito on 4lb without too many bite offs. Just remember thinner gauge is crucial as setting the hooks on 4lb isnt easy when youve got a fat hook

[pjbink]

I have caught plenty around legal size on 4lb braid (jewies will often grab a bream lure) and with 8-9 lb leader. They will make a few runs then tire quickly. You could be in trouble landbased if there are obstruction or the fish has a strong current flow to assist it (or you hook a larger one). Why do you want to go from overkill to underkill? Why not 10lb braid and a 20lb leader?

[Guest no one]

Just to confirm - you're struggling to catch a meter+ Jew that your really desperate to get but you want to make the challenge harder by massively downgrading your gear?

I understand the challenge, I don't understand the logic...

100% possible, but I'd say the failure % will shoot up!

[Guest no one]

Why do you want to go from overkill to underkill? Why not 10lb braid and a 20lb leader?

Agree - the logic isn't right!

[AGP]

I had a session recently where we had a feeding school of Jew holding right next to the boat. We were landing fish in the 70cm range and I started throwing around a plastic on a Samaki Zing extreme 3-5kg and a 3000 reel running 8lb straight through. Low and behold a few casts later and I'm into a much larger fish.

I've caught enough big Jew to know when I am onto a serious fish and unfortunately the fish was between two moorings and heading closer to one with each drag screaming head shake.

After a couple mins I had no choice but to apply more pressure and try and turn its head. This resulted in the leader wearing through and it was all over.

You can catch Jew on very light gear, Just not near any structure.

Really big ones pull like all hell in shallow water and will bust you in structure no dramas.

The gear you are using is too heavy, I'd be halving that and you'll be fine.

Below is a photo of the smaller fish we were landing that day a few weeks back.

[guimaras]

Thanks everyone for the replies...

It's possible for sure. Key things would be to have enough line on your reel, first class knots and some luck that you don't get bitten off. Actually, the chances of getting bit off are high. Even the line rubbing on some sharp fins during the fight can break 4lb. You would have to be prepared to be disappointed a few times.

I'll be using a stradic fj 3000. With 4lb braid, it would have about 300 yds in it. Im hoping that would be enough. That's actually my main concern (getting spooled) since I really have no idea how far jewies can run on only a kilo of drag on them.

To avoid being bitten off you need larger circle hooks but much thinner gauge. Ive been getting bonito on 4lb without too many bite offs. Just remember thinner gauge is crucial as setting the hooks on 4lb isnt easy when youve got a fat hook

I always had bad luck with circles on jewies. For some reason, they keep spitting out the bait before the hook can set itself...but then again, I was using 7/0s so that could be the reason.

I have caught plenty around legal size on 4lb braid (jewies will often grab a bream lure) and with 8-9 lb leader. They will make a few runs then tire quickly. You could be in trouble landbased if there are obstruction or the fish has a strong current flow to assist it (or you hook a larger one). Why do you want to go from overkill to underkill? Why not 10lb braid and a 20lb leader?

It's because my current bream outfit has 4lbs already spooled on it. I could probably add a 3m 20-30lb leader using an FG knot. That would help a bit.

Just to confirm - you're struggling to catch a meter+ Jew that your really desperate to get but you want to make the challenge harder by massively downgrading your gear?

I understand the challenge, I don't understand the logic...

100% possible, but I'd say the failure % will shoot up!

Just look at it as a practice match for the big fight...simply because I have a feeling that when that big one comes along, my jewie gear would feel like a bream stick!

My misus couldn't also understand the logic of me spending hundreds of dollars on fishing gear...only to return home with a couple of bream (which she could have easily bought at the fish markets for $15). Ever since I started fishing, if seen a lot of craziness around which made me realize that logical thinking sometimes does not apply to fishing.

I had a session recently where we had a feeding school of Jew holding right next to the boat. We were landing fish in the 70cm range and I started throwing around a plastic on a Samaki Zing extreme 3-5kg and a 3000 reel running 8lb straight through. Low and behold a few casts later and I'm into a much larger fish.

I've caught enough big Jew to know when I am onto a serious fish and unfortunately the fish was between two moorings and heading closer to one with each drag screaming head shake.

After a couple mins I had no choice but to apply more pressure and try and turn its head. This resulted in the leader wearing through and it was all over.

You can catch Jew on very light gear, Just not near any structure.

Really big ones pull like all hell in shallow water and will bust you in structure no dramas.

The gear you are using is too heavy, I'd be halving that and you'll be fine.

Below is a photo of the smaller fish we were landing that day a few weeks back.

That's about the same size that Im usually catching. My go-to spot has heaps of them. So far, I can get them there around 90% of the time when I go there.Also, there are a few large structures where I normally fish them but not that close to the casting area(about 150m or so) so I think it would only be a matter of stopping it before it gets there.

[Guest]

So you are going from 40lb braid to 4lb braid when that metre fish comes along I cant wait to see your tiny little reel get ripped through your tiny little guides.

Do what other raiders have said and use at least 10lb braid and 16 to 20lb leader with an FG knot and a decent sized soft plastic and you will have every bit of fun with those tiny 89cm jewies.

[JohnDory]

"and anyone who goes after jewies know that they don't really fight hard for their size."

A meter Jew just floats to the boat. Hey Stewie. NOT.

Guimaras, Mate they can pull like a coal train.

JD

[Crossfire63]

"and anyone who goes after jewies know that they don't really fight hard for their size."

A meter Jew just floats to the boat. Hey Stewie. NOT.

Guimaras, Mate they can pull like a coal train.

JD

He must be catching the sick ones. I've been dragged into the surf until I was chest deep in water simply trying to keep line on the spool

That's on 30lb gear with a 60lb trace

Edited May 6, 2015 by Crossfire63

[brad_tate]

Just to confirm - you're struggling to catch a meter+ Jew that your really desperate to get but you want to make the challenge harder by massively downgrading your gear?

I understand the challenge, I don't understand the logic...

100% possible, but I'd say the failure % will shoot up!

Downgrading tackle to improve takers is a pretty reasonable way to improve hookup rates as far as I am concerned. Yes you reduce your chances of boating the fish but as long as structure is not too big a factor, it's your skill against their canniness.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Guest no one]

Oh completely agree tastee, that's not what I'm getting at, what I'm pointing out is the OP States he's pretty desperate to catch a Jew but is struggling, so he's planning on downgrading his gear strength by 90%, not by 30%... Or 50%... 90%!

Let me make an analogy of that, The Australian league team couldn't beat New Zealand last week, so next time they'll play a team of 5 year olds and expect a better result...

Now yes it's not an impossibility but why not go for 18 year olds and give yourself some hope!

[Nolongeramember]

I don't see what all the fuss is about here. The guy wants to catch a Jew over a meter but where he fishes they are always smaller and a maximum of 89cm or whatever. So to give himself a challenge he wants to try and get one on 4lb gear. I do agree that the "big one" will murder him on 4lb.

Also, when talking 4lb gear, I'm mainly referring to the leader more than anything else.

[fragmeister]

There is some evidence of course that catch and release survival rates are lower when fish are subject to very long fights as might be found when using super light tackle.

If this a concern perhaps it's another reason to avoid super light tackle.

[Yowie]

Years ago I caught schoolies in Port Hacking, from a boat, using a 5 foot rod and 3 pound mono on a small reel, and the jewies would fight for a long time before I could bring them to the surface. It was a bit of fun, BUT, they were difficult to control with the light line. They would swim wherever they wanted to, including around the anchor rope or around my mate's line.

As for fishing close to jetties, moorings, rocks, etc with light line, good luck.

Take a hanky, because you will need it to wipe away the tears when you keep getting busted off.

If you land such a big fish, then good luck, but in the fishing world, you cannot expect all of your wishes to happen!

[Guest]

Enough said...good luck on your quest