Losing more lures then i like

[faker]

So was chasing pelagics today but it was so quiet today it was ridiculous. i started fishing from around Quaker Hat Bay all the way to pearl bay reserve and donutted.

Got some practice with my 11ft shore jigging shimano nessa rod but still need some actual guidance in getting good at using it. BUT i did catch a PB grinner of 40 cm So not sure if it counted as donuts.

I was using my 2-6kg rod with 10lb braid and the shore jigging set up of 20 lb. What I did notice was quite a few massive bream in pearl bay but also plague proportions of chinaman leather jacket which can keep up with my retrieves and destroyed 2 paddle tails. There was no way, i can send out a grub safely( i know it was sub-optimal my rod is rated for 4-14g cast weight and a grub on light jighead is only 3G on a 1/12th) 

Now that i think of it, I should have sent a zx40 or chucked a surface lure, but I am not sure IF i can walk the dog on a heavier rod on a 4g surface lure but i was kind of focused on perlagics with paddle tail and jerkshads and if nothing was working. i would go back to flathead catching

A couple of questions.

• At what point should i go back to my finesse fishing when perlagics aren't around?
• And What is a more adaptable set up would you take to actually hunt pelagics? If you were just bringing two rods so i can at least catch something?

Here is my list of inventory

• UL set up 1-3 kg veritas on 6lb 2-8g cast weight
• Medium 2-6kg on 6 or 10 lb  line class with  4-14 g
• Heavy 4-8kg 10-48g set up with 15lb braid
• Daiwa shore jigging x PE 3 for my rock fishing 20-80gram jig weight
• shimano nessa BB PE 1.5 for my in harbour shore jigging/beach spinning 48 g max jig

 

Not a total lost

I found a pretty decent place for shore jigging. I am guessing on a low tide tge oysters rocks are exposed to air. This allows me to cast jigs into the deepest part of middle harbour and intersection of multiple currents

 

 

Edited December 2, 2023 by faker

[dirvin21]

Mate you're overthinking it, a lot of fishing is using your instinct which you build by trial and error. I change tactics when it feels futile this could be after 1 cast or 50 or sometimes no casts, you learn to just know

Pelagics from shore are difficult mostly because you need to he where they are I don't even bother unless there's a bust up, if I think they're likely to be around I'll carry a couple of metal slugs or if highly likely have one rigged up on a second rod

The lure weight rating on your rods are guides the only way to know is to test each lure and see if the rod works it effectively 

 

[bessell1955]

What is the fish you caught?

[faker]

59 minutes ago, bessell1955 said:

What is the fish you caught?

Grinner a big one at that

[Little_Flatty]

7 minutes ago, faker said:

Grinner a big one at that

Did you get a pic with a measure? Could be a Raider record!

So not a donut…

[faker]

11 minutes ago, Little_Flatty said:

Did you get a pic with a measure? Could be a Raider record!

So not a donut…

Not with a measurement mat. Tape measure was a 39 cm to 40 cm. Never seen one this big.

But thing was being spastic and would not stay still or straight.

Just tilted as the day i am not looking for bream, you end up seeing all of them

Have you tried surface lures on your 3-5kg rod on 4g? I do have a slippery dog that could make it work on 8g but not sure how a stiff taper effect walk the dog

 

Edited December 2, 2023 by faker

[Little_Flatty]

20 minutes ago, faker said:

Have you tried surface lures on your 3-5kg rod on 4g? I do have a slippery dog that could make it work on 8g but not sure how a stiff taper effect walk the dog

I don’t own any lures with ‘dog’ in the name, so the answer is no!

I can cast 1/8oz jigheads 25m+ with my 3-5kg flathead raider so I believe it can be done.

That said, I have read and listened widely that many bream and whiting have occasionally been caught on bigger surface lures 100mm+. So if you really want to use your 3-5kg outfit, you can probably cast a bigger surface lure with more weight and still have some chance of a fish. Slightly crazy idea, but worth a try if you don’t want to downsize your gear.

The reason this works - I’ve been led to believe - is that these fish don’t always seek to engulf a whole prawn or fish; they are happy picking pieces off it. For the same reason, plenty of bream have been caught on whole pillies.

[faker]

3 hours ago, Little_Flatty said:

I don’t own any lures with ‘dog’ in the name, so the answer is no!

I can cast 1/8oz jigheads 25m+ with my 3-5kg flathead raider so I believe it can be done.

That said, I have read and listened widely that many bream and whiting have occasionally been caught on bigger surface lures 100mm+. So if you really want to use your 3-5kg outfit, you can probably cast a bigger surface lure with more weight and still have some chance of a fish. Slightly crazy idea, but worth a try if you don’t want to downsize your gear.

The reason this works - I’ve been led to believe - is that these fish don’t always seek to engulf a whole prawn or fish; they are happy picking pieces off it. For the same reason, plenty of bream have been caught on whole pillies.

Not concerned about cast weight since 8g on the 2-6kg is fine. More concerned with working lure