Prawn Tail Flick.

[bluefin]

I posted a video ages ago on how prawns swim forward, and how realistic the Holt swim prawn is at mimicking this.

But a fleeing prawn Flicks backwards!  How do we mimic that ? 

I tried a hidden weight hook, Possible. but the hook I had was too small for the 3" prawn.  Z man prawn.

[Little_Flatty]

Love it @bluefin!

Maybe try threading the leader through the tail with a needle.

Are those TT hooks?

[bluefin]

Yes Chin Lock.  Having the hook eye in front of the tail allows the tail free movement to "flick",  Im Flicking  the prawn backwards.

Edited February 12, 2023 by bluefin

[Yowie]

Yes, prawns swim forward, but only slowly, however, when under threat, they flick backwards at a greater speed and distance, and at times will head to the surface and bounce along for a few leaps.

I see how you have hooked up the prawn. Have you tried hooking it the other way - the hook entering from underneath the popping out under the prawn? You would not be able to do this with a weighted hook like you have in the photo - by trying this, no weighted  hook, casting distance would be compromised.

[bessell1955]

Good advice, Yowie.

[bluefin]

The whole idea is to work it backwards so the tail flicks down like a fleeing prawn ?

[Little_Flatty]

Howard, you know what? It might not be such a bad thing that the hook isn't long enough. I suspect that the trailing tail will force the tail to flick down.

Thinking a little out of the square, have you thought about 'wacky' rigging it? i.e. having a single hook and just  putting the hook once through the back so the whole SP folds then straightens out when worked?

2 hours ago, Yowie said:

You would not be able to do this with a weighted hook like you have in the photo - by trying this, no weighted  hook, casting distance would be compromised.

Only trouble fishing unweighted with the Z-mans is that they float! Hence a bit of weight is required.

[Yowie]

38 minutes ago, Little_Flatty said:

Howard, you know what? It might not be such a bad thing that the hook isn't long enough. I suspect that the trailing tail will force the tail to flick down.

Thinking a little out of the square, have you thought about 'wacky' rigging it? i.e. having a single hook and just  putting the hook once through the back so the whole SP folds then straightens out when worked?

Only trouble fishing unweighted with the Z-mans is that they float! Hence a bit of weight is required.

Is was worth a thought, though I don't go throwing SP's in the water to see if they float.  My bait does not float. 😂

Looking at the way the prawn plastic is hooked from the top, on a retrieval the tail will take the prawn down, whereas what I suggested by hooking the prawn from underneath the tail would suggest the prawn was flicking away in reverse, and the hook and line underneath would lift the prawn off the bottom, as some prawns head to the surface to flee a predator, and I have seen many prawns skipping along the surface with a hungry critter cracking the surface trying to grab the prawn.

As you mention the Z-man will float, so some weight would be needed to sink it. Maybe a small 00 ball sinker directly above the hook will assist. It will require experimentation.  

Edited February 12, 2023 by Yowie

[Green Hornet]

Great idea, but I think the way you’ve rigged the prawn is going to make it spin horribly. 
I reckon forget about the tail flick, move your jig head more towards tail and fish it like a normal prawn, only backwards. 
 

[bluefin]

This is what happens when I dont go fishing , I think too much !   I will try it out soon. I had thought of it spinning.   Ah its worth a try. Must be a reason others aren't doing it. Could only be retrieved in short hops !

 

[Green Hornet]

33 minutes ago, bluefin said:

This is what happens when I dont go fishing , I think too much !   I will try it out soon. I had thought of it spinning.   Ah its worth a try. Must be a reason others aren't doing it. Could only be retrieved in short hops !

 

Won’t know unless you give it a go and hopefully it works. Do you remember the old Prawn Star lure? It was similar in that it had a flicking tail, but still swam head first. I caught my PB, 98cm flatty on one many years ago.

[Rebel]

Experiment.

I do it all the time.

The new ZMan lures work. Sometimes.

[bluefin]

Have ordered some Hidden Weight System Jig heads in 5/0 1/8th   May be a better shape to rif Backward Prawns on seeing the tow point if halfway down the back.   

In water test next.   I will keep you all informed !

 

[Mike Sydney]

Could you tie a light Jighead on with a long tag end, feed that tag end through the tail with a needle or something (I.e. along the hook ) and then tie more leader onto that?

that way when you retrieve, you’re jerking from underneath the tail backwards with the tow point right at the base. 

[bluefin]

Look what has just been released !!!!!!!!!!   A better Flick prawn !!!!!

PVC Material Definitely needs scent  Holt Prawn Juice, Excellent ! or Sax Scent Prawn or  Crab !!!!!    Tow point at the Back !!!!!

Edited February 13, 2023 by bluefin

[Yowie]

Maybe just go to bait. Much simplier.  😂

 

Cut off a strip of mullet from a fillet, about 8cm long and 1.5cm wide. Make a cut for about half way along the strip, in the centre of the strip. Place a hook at the uncut end, point out of the flesh side. A small ball sinker directly above the hook, then flick it out and bounce it along the bottom in flattie territory.

At times I have tried SP's for nothing, then tried the mullet strip for hookups in the same area.

The cut along the centre of the strip produces a tail like action which:

reduces the spinning effect of the bait,

makes the cut section flutter like the tail of a small fish.

[bluefin]

What? Go to the Dark Side ! Never !!🤪

[Jiggy]

You could try putting a small sinker onto the connecting loop knot. That will give you some casting weight and allow the lure to sink. You'll have to experiment on what size to use, you don't want it to sink like lead balloon, but a slow descent. You can then either work it along the top fast or slower along the bottom. It shouldn't effect the action, but you'd need to test that too.

Oh and I really like these science experiments.

[bluefin]

On 2/13/2023 at 7:17 PM, Mike Sydney said:

Could you tie a light Jighead on with a long tag end, feed that tag end through the tail with a needle or something (I.e. along the hook ) and then tie more leader onto that?

that way when you retrieve, you’re jerking from underneath the tail backwards with the tow point right at the base. 

Na, I want the tail free to flick under the lure like a prawn flicking not swimming.

[bluefin]

9 hours ago, Jiggy said:

You could try putting a small sinker onto the connecting loop knot. That will give you some casting weight and allow the lure to sink. You'll have to experiment on what size to use, you don't want it to sink like lead balloon, but a slow descent. You can then either work it along the top fast or slower along the bottom. It shouldn't effect the action, but you'd need to test that too.

Oh and I really like these science experiments.

Interesting !

Im hoping the weedless weight will sink it horizontally, and stop it spinning ?   Im fishing Thursday, Could be a total failure ?? 

But I tried!

[bluefin]

TOTAL FAILURE.   Didn't flick the tail.   Re rigged it head first weedless and caught bream and flathead with it today !!

[Green Hornet]

34 minutes ago, bluefin said:

TOTAL FAILURE.   Didn't flick the tail.   Re rigged it head first weedless and caught bream and flathead with it today !!

There you go and it was well worth a try. You’ve just answered my question in your other post.