Mike89 Posted January 30, 2017 Share Posted January 30, 2017 (edited) I've been trying to get into soft plastics this summer, mixing up blackie or kingy sessions with targeting flathead with plastics. A couple of weeks ago I caught my first fish (tailor) on plastics, which was some encouragement, but still no flatty! Decided on an easy session this morning at Balmoral as I was heading south on my way home and it looked like a nice morning. The tide was up, the water clear and brimming with signs of life: little schools of tailor glimmering in the sunshine just below the surface. Caught a nice bait-sized pike off the bat which gave me some encouragement. The tailor were tearing my plastics to shreds though; I must have gone through a whole packet by the time I packed up! Somehow I also managed to hook a baby coffin ray, which gave me a little shock through the towel as I unhooked it. The ray was released and swam off with gusto. A little later I was slow-hopping a minnow across the bottom when bang! With a loose drag on a little 1000 reel, this thing zoomed off. As the little drag system whizzed and whirred I wondered if it actually was a flathead or something else. A short and very satisfying wrestle later, I had on deck my first flatty caught on plastics. Stoked! Went about 45cm and will make a very nice barbecue this evening. I'll tell you what. Catching a table-sized flatty on 6lb leader, a 1-4kg rod and a little Sedona 1000 reel is FUN. Now I know what this finesse plastics stuff is all about. Will do it again soon! Edited January 30, 2017 by Mike89 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattGb1989 Posted January 30, 2017 Share Posted January 30, 2017 Nicely done pal. I'm yet to master the sp's waiting till I can buy a good rig for it. What sp did u use?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rah Posted January 30, 2017 Share Posted January 30, 2017 Well done Mike, you will start to knock some different species off the list now with the SP's. Cheers Tara Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mauricio Posted January 30, 2017 Share Posted January 30, 2017 great catch and very nice report Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryder Posted January 30, 2017 Share Posted January 30, 2017 Congratulations, keep it up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NBFisho Posted January 30, 2017 Share Posted January 30, 2017 6 hours ago, Mike89 said: Catching a table-sized flatty on 6lb leader, a 1-4kg rod and a little Sedona 1000 reel is FUN. Now I know what this finesse plastics stuff is all about. Will do it again soon! Well done Mike, its addictive catching a good size fish super light. Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
finin Posted January 30, 2017 Share Posted January 30, 2017 Well done m8 keep at it soft plastics are rewarding, great offshore too, still find our bigger fish come in on plastics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike89 Posted January 31, 2017 Author Share Posted January 31, 2017 23 hours ago, MattGb1989 said: Nicely done pal. I'm yet to master the sp's waiting till I can buy a good rig for it. What sp did u use?? Cheers. I've been using Berkely Gulp 3" in minnow and prawn shapes. A lot of people have said that Z-man are better. Do you have any recommendations? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattGb1989 Posted January 31, 2017 Share Posted January 31, 2017 43 minutes ago, Mike89 said: Cheers. I've been using Berkely Gulp 3" in minnow and prawn shapes. A lot of people have said that Z-man are better. Do you have any recommendations? Not as yet IV only used a cheap brand as I still am learning how to set them on the jigs but have been doing some research and I'm liking the look of the Zman ez shrimpz soft plastic 3.5 inch. I need to buy a better rod n reel I think before I'll be able to really get into the sp's as I'm just using a generic Jarvis walker ATM. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chakka Posted January 31, 2017 Share Posted January 31, 2017 Great report, still to catch one myself on plastics. But it's my aim to get one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Green Hornet Posted January 31, 2017 Share Posted January 31, 2017 Great catch Mike and a perfect size for the plate. 2 reasons I'm a big fan of Z-man plastics is firstly they are as tough and will stand up to the tailor as good as any plastic going around. Secondly they float and on the pause with the right weight jighead they will sit on the bottom with their tail up waving in the current, kind of like something feeding in the sand just begging to be eaten. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike89 Posted February 1, 2017 Author Share Posted February 1, 2017 I'll pick up some Z-man on my next trip to the tackle store and give them a go. Cheers for the tips! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mdevitt88 Posted February 1, 2017 Share Posted February 1, 2017 Good Catch man! Yeah I'm a fan of the Z-Mans myself, got sick of the gulps getting chewed up. Only thing is that you have to super glue them to the jig head to stop them sliding down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mii11x Posted February 1, 2017 Share Posted February 1, 2017 well done mate, you always remember your first Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnDory Posted February 1, 2017 Share Posted February 1, 2017 Mike89 VVNice 45 is great start on SP and congrats! Now 50+ 60+ 70+ or like Mrs Swordie the other day 80+ Is fishing addictive? JD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
papafish Posted February 1, 2017 Share Posted February 1, 2017 nice one mike!!! you got ur flatty of sp finally!~~~ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike89 Posted February 1, 2017 Author Share Posted February 1, 2017 10 hours ago, mdevitt88 said: Good Catch man! Yeah I'm a fan of the Z-Mans myself, got sick of the gulps getting chewed up. Only thing is that you have to super glue them to the jig head to stop them sliding down. Cheers Dev. Will have to add a tube of super glue to the fishing arsenal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
damos Posted February 2, 2017 Share Posted February 2, 2017 Nice one Mike, congrats on the first flatty on plastic. I also like the Z-mans as they are super tough, but using the Gulp minnow smelt colour (looks like a little poddy mullet) always seems to get a flatty in the estuaries. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwicraig Posted February 2, 2017 Share Posted February 2, 2017 On 30/01/2017 at 1:23 PM, Mike89 said: I'll tell you what. Catching a table-sized flatty on 6lb leader, a 1-4kg rod and a little Sedona 1000 reel is FUN. Now I know what this finesse plastics stuff is all about. Will do it again soon! And ambitious - I tend to go a little heavier on the leader when I am targeting flatties. 8lb or even 15lb. I find my hookup rate is still good, but I don't get chewed off as often. When the flatties really engulf the plastic their abrasive teeth will sheer you off pretty easily on 6lb when they headshake, so unless you get a nice clean lip hookup you run the risk of getting chewed. A big flattie will be off in no time. Always a trade-off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nutsaboutfishing Posted February 2, 2017 Share Posted February 2, 2017 Well done Mike, I recommend you pick up some blades/vibes lures. I usually switch to them when the tailor are chewing through the plastics. rich Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike89 Posted February 2, 2017 Author Share Posted February 2, 2017 2 hours ago, kiwicraig said: And ambitious - I tend to go a little heavier on the leader when I am targeting flatties. 8lb or even 15lb. I find my hookup rate is still good, but I don't get chewed off as often. When the flatties really engulf the plastic their abrasive teeth will sheer you off pretty easily on 6lb when they headshake, so unless you get a nice clean lip hookup you run the risk of getting chewed. A big flattie will be off in no time. Always a trade-off. Yes you certainly are right there. One little side roll and the leader would have snapped on the spikes! I've got some 12lb I might join on when targeting flatties in the future. Cheers for the tip Craig! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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