JamoDamo Posted August 20, 2020 Share Posted August 20, 2020 Hey Raiders, Yet another help thread, I've recently gotten into lure fishing! Finally after ages and ages of borrowing my mates lures and rods I bought my own lures and rod and jigheads! I have $38 left to buy some stuff with I am a real noob with hook and lure sizes so I thought i'd come here and ask you guys about your thoughts on what I should get. I was thinking either zman or squidgy in 100mm and 3 inch sizes. My main target species will be flathead as they are my favourite species to target as they are available to anyone and they take basically anything you put in front of them. Thank you all again. Cheers, JamoDamo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kingie chaser Posted August 20, 2020 Share Posted August 20, 2020 (edited) I tend to use Berkley nitro's or saltwater pro's but the tackle tactics jigheads are as good if not better but are just a tadmore expensive. Usually fish anything from 1/4 to 1/2oz in 2/0 or 3/0 usually, sometimes from the boat I will go heavier in a strong drift or current. I have a big mixed bag of plastics & seem to do well with 3 to 5 inch Gulp jerkshads in neuclear chicken but I have been moving over to the Zmans lately due to them not having to be kept in the alive liquid. Almost any SP will catch them, squidgy wrigglers, zman paddle tails, wrigglers etc. That last big girl I dropped out of the net that was nudging 1mtr was caught on a 3" Gulp minnow in pilchard but the water was that dirty it could have been any colour or style I recon. I've also caught 15cm flatties on 7" Gulps as well. When they are aggresive they will try anything that passes by, if you do go to big on the plastic though you end up bringing up a lut of plastic with the back half missing. Good luck JD. Edited August 20, 2020 by kingie chaser 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirvin21 Posted August 20, 2020 Share Posted August 20, 2020 Weight depends on how deep you want to fish, tge zman 2.5inch slim swimz on a TT HD #2 hook, between a 1/8th and a 1/16th you'll by catch bream and whiting 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamoDamo Posted August 20, 2020 Author Share Posted August 20, 2020 Going to be fishing depths from 1-3m most of the time Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamoDamo Posted August 20, 2020 Author Share Posted August 20, 2020 I'll buy some minnowz and slim swimz most likely, I just need to know what jighead hook sizes I need to match them with Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirvin21 Posted August 20, 2020 Share Posted August 20, 2020 15 minutes ago, JamoDamo said: Going to be fishing depths from 1-3m most of the time 1/12th would be fine, hook size #2 or #1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamoDamo Posted August 20, 2020 Author Share Posted August 20, 2020 (edited) I've bought 1/8th 1/12th and 1/16th sizes 1-2# Edited August 20, 2020 by JamoDamo 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DerekD Posted August 20, 2020 Share Posted August 20, 2020 3 minutes ago, JamoDamo said: I've bought 1/8th 1/12th and 1/16th sizes 1-2# Just be careful going ultralight as you might find yourself getting more birdsnests. Going slightly heavier on your jigs heads helps the line wind on to the spool just that little bit tighter. I usually run 1/8, 1/6 and 1/4 (the last for the extra casting range when I want to cover ground). 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamoDamo Posted August 20, 2020 Author Share Posted August 20, 2020 (edited) Nevermind! That budget has now pushed up to $88 now we are cooking! Edited August 20, 2020 by JamoDamo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamoDamo Posted August 20, 2020 Author Share Posted August 20, 2020 5 minutes ago, DerekD said: Just be careful going ultralight as you might find yourself getting more birdsnests. Going slightly heavier on your jigs heads helps the line wind on to the spool just that little bit tighter. I usually run 1/8, 1/6 and 1/4 (the last for the extra casting range when I want to cover ground). I have quite a few 1/8th! I bought heaps Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kingie chaser Posted August 20, 2020 Share Posted August 20, 2020 As usual the variables will determine jighead size. Sure if your fishing shallow then the lighter the better but throwing 1/8 into the wind won't get you far either & even moderate tidal flow will mean you won't keep in near the bottom. Can't say I use 1/8th very often myself. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamoDamo Posted August 20, 2020 Author Share Posted August 20, 2020 More concerned about the hook size to match the plastic although weight obviously matters but all my spots are quite shallow anyways and I usually don't fish anywhere else. Would a 1/0 headlockz match zman minnowz 3"? I am going to get slim swimz and minnowz and maybe some squidgy fish or wrigglers maybe even some more grubz. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DerekD Posted August 20, 2020 Share Posted August 20, 2020 (edited) 14 hours ago, JamoDamo said: More concerned about the hook size to match the plastic although weight obviously matters but all my spots are quite shallow anyways and I usually don't fish anywhere else. Would a 1/0 headlockz match zman minnowz 3"? I am going to get slim swimz and minnowz and maybe some squidgy fish or wrigglers maybe even some more grubz. Hi JD, For my 2" grubs I like a gamakatsu ball head 211 1/8oz with #1 or #2 hook For my 3" minnows as per picture below I use a TT 1/4 or 1/6 or 1/8 and preferably with a size 1H (I pick up the odd king on this so I prefer the Heavier hooks). I've worked out a retrieve which gets a sub surface walk the dog action which has been very effective on the pelagics in the past but I have to use the bullet head jig. I struggle to do it as effectively with the darter type jig heads. For my 4" minnows I prefer a 1/0H hook and most often with a 1/4oz. Hold the jigjhead alongside the plastic of choice and see where the hook comes out. I like to have it coming out where I would consider the shoulder of the fish to be and not at the lower back. Regards. Derek PS. When I started the mantra was fish as light a jig head as possible. I started off with some really light jig heads which were a pain. My advice these days is to fish as light a jig head as you can which will do what you need it to do. If I want range with the bream gear I will start with a 1/4oz or even a 9gram on a 3" minnow. My theory is the flathead don't care. Once I've worked an area then I reduce jig head size and work the area again then reduce jig head size once more for the more subtle retrieves. I believe the ultralight jig heads come into their own when targeting species such as bream but they will also take a heavier jig head. Edited August 21, 2020 by DerekD 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirvin21 Posted August 20, 2020 Share Posted August 20, 2020 2 hours ago, JamoDamo said: More concerned about the hook size to match the plastic although weight obviously matters but all my spots are quite shallow anyways and I usually don't fish anywhere else. Would a 1/0 headlockz match zman minnowz 3"? I am going to get slim swimz and minnowz and maybe some squidgy fish or wrigglers maybe even some more grubz. this might help http://tackletactics.com.au/Rigging-Guides/Selecting-a-HeadlockZ-jighead-for-your-ZMan-plastic 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebel Posted August 20, 2020 Share Posted August 20, 2020 Jamo, When I bought my first lures I had no idea what I needed.I went to a well known tackle shop, told the guy what I was fishing for. He picked the lures and jig heads and fitted them for me.There were different brands, but over time I have found Zman the stand out. I found I like casting metals at the beach.I seem to get better results and I don't have to worry about SP'S and jig heads. There is a Zman website that is very good. Cheers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebel Posted August 21, 2020 Share Posted August 21, 2020 Jamo, Join the Zman and Berkley websites.Full of good info and they keep you up to date with all the new products. Cheers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrsswordfisherman Posted August 22, 2020 Share Posted August 22, 2020 52 minutes ago, Rebel said: Jamo, Join the Zman and Berkley websites.Full of good info and they keep you up to date with all the new products. Cheers. Such a great way to suck fishos in and you will get emails urging you to buy buy buy Pushing your $88 budget up even further 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebel Posted August 22, 2020 Share Posted August 22, 2020 I disagree. I have had great info off Zman and their lures catch fish. Ask anyone.You have to spend to win. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozzybass Posted September 6, 2020 Share Posted September 6, 2020 (edited) On the hook size question - if specifically targeting flathead, I use 3/0 size hook. This gives good hook clearance and also is nothing to a flatty's gob. Of course I have caught flatties with smaller plastix and hook sizes but usually as bycatch when bream fishing. Certainly if targeting flathead on foot, I would go no lighter than qtr ounce (7g) for casting distance and the 3/0 hook size means I can comfortably use Zman 3" MinnowZ, 4" Streakz and even 5" Jerk shads. However, I must say, I prefer to use a worm hook for the 5" Jerk shads. Edited September 6, 2020 by Ozzybass Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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