Aussie_fisher Posted December 17, 2023 Share Posted December 17, 2023 Gday guys recently been getting a lot into soft plastics fishing and got a new daiwa graphite rod today. I know that graphite rods are almost in all aspects better for lure fishing but seeing a lot of reviews and videos on how easily they break scares me as it is quite an expensive rod. What I’ve taken away from looking at countless vids is that you shouldn’t lift your rod too high and put pressure on the tip. So what soft plastic techniques can I use? Can I use like the double hop technique for example which involves quickly striking the rod upwards or would that put pressure on the tip? Also what if my hook gets stuck in a snag? How do I yank it out without a snapped tip? Completely new to this always used fibreglass before so Would a fisho who uses graphite rods be able to help? Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little_Flatty Posted December 17, 2023 Share Posted December 17, 2023 41 minutes ago, Aussie_fisher said: What I’ve taken away from looking at countless vids is that you shouldn’t lift your rod too high and put pressure on the tip. Yes, when fighting a fish, avoid pointing the rod up high in the air and also drop the rod if it pulls the line under the boat/wharf. 41 minutes ago, Aussie_fisher said: Can I use like the double hop technique for example which involves quickly striking the rod upwards or would that put pressure on the tip? If you are putting too much pressure on the rod tip, then your actions are far too extreme, your lure too heavy (read the gram ratings on the rod) or both. 41 minutes ago, Aussie_fisher said: Also what if my hook gets stuck in a snag? How do I yank it out without a snapped tip? Point the rod at the snag, hold the spool and break the line. Or grab the line outside of the rod tip and pull the line directly (using gloves or a towel around the hand if required). 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirvin21 Posted December 17, 2023 Share Posted December 17, 2023 The only time you're likeky to have an issue is holding your rod pointing upwards when you have a fish or a snag beneath you and a sudden jerk of pressure is applied Soft plastic retrieves, fight fish from a distance are fine It's usually in a boat or kayak that issues with high sticking occur 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
big Neil Posted December 17, 2023 Share Posted December 17, 2023 Good advice in those replies Aussie fisher. Just be aware not to load up the rod top third and have your drag set so that line will pull through when you're fighting the fish/ Never deadlift a fish with a graphite rod. Good luck bn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DerekD Posted December 17, 2023 Share Posted December 17, 2023 (edited) Hi @Aussie_fisher Taken from one of my previous articles: Graphite conducts electricity. Keep away from power cables and thunderstorms. Graphite bruises. If it is going to be a boat rod and banging up against the gunnels or other metal surfaces in time the points of impacts will develop minor cracking which will likely bite you when fighting a fish sometime in the future. People think the rod is faulty when it breaks due to previous poor handling. It is not as robust as a fibreglass rod. If you have ever seen the classic Australian movie “The Castle” there is a scene where they bend over a Shakespeare Ugly Stick rod back on itself. You don’t do that with a graphite rod and you don’t need to either. It is referred to as high sticking when fighting a fish and it is a bad habit. Now some additional points. First thing is (from Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy) "Don't Panic"! Graphite rods are not as fragile as you think but a little care goes a long way. They will handle a 90 degree bend (rod tip angle to rod handle angle) but you shouldn't need to. Try to use a curvature in the rod when fighting a fish like the upper arc of the harbour bridge. In other words a relatively smooth arc. The rod tip section is your shock absorber with the base section taking the load of the fight. If snagged then point the rod down the line and load up directly from the reel. I select my lures based on the lure rating written on the rod. If you fish within rod ratings you will have to work super hard to try and damage a tip. You put even more load on the rod when casting or fighting a decent fish. I've got graphite rods I've been fishing for over a decade. Regards, Derek Edited December 17, 2023 by DerekD 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aussie_fisher Posted December 17, 2023 Author Share Posted December 17, 2023 Thanks all for the advice 👍 I will keep it in mind so hopefully the fishing runs smoothly. Really tryna get into soft plastics fishing so I think graphite will be quite good for that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DerekD Posted December 17, 2023 Share Posted December 17, 2023 43 minutes ago, Aussie_fisher said: Thanks all for the advice 👍 I will keep it in mind so hopefully the fishing runs smoothly. Really tryna get into soft plastics fishing so I think graphite will be quite good for that There will be a pretty big learning curve but my enjoyment of fishing increased exponentially since I got into plastics and other lures. I found I was far more engaged. Where are you located? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aussie_fisher Posted December 17, 2023 Author Share Posted December 17, 2023 Ye. I always did bait fishing but got fed up of small pickers and the bait flying off and other problems plus lures are way more engaging. I’m located around silver water Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DerekD Posted December 18, 2023 Share Posted December 18, 2023 (edited) Hi @Aussie_fisher, A suggestion for you. I've promised to help one of the other Fishraiders ( @Kirelda ) over the coming weeks with light lure outfits as he has hit a wall in his learning and successes. I find if I teach one or two people then it is about the same amount of effort for me but having two people changes the learning dynamic for the people I help. You can see where other people struggle or succeed and learn from that as you both grow. The three way conversation is a bit more fun as it has a tendency to spark good questions. Likely location for the lesson will be lower north shore and most likely Mosman. I'm off from the 22nd of December to the 8th of January. Lesson will likely be in the new year as I have overseas family in town till the 2nd of Jan. I'm also really keen to take Jason (aka @FishingFables ) on his really generous offer to go fly fishing for mullet on Narrabeen lakes with @Little_Flatty. It will be more beneficial for your growth if you try it for yourself first but if you are struggling and interested then you are welcome to join in on that session. We will be covering plastics, squid jigs, slices, blades and topwater and light outfit lure fishing in general. Typically 8 to 10 hours but I've also had 12 hour sessions when both parties still had some drive in the tank. Your thoughts? Regards, Derek PS as per site guidelines I assume you are over 18. Do you have transport. Edited December 18, 2023 by DerekD 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aussie_fisher Posted December 18, 2023 Author Share Posted December 18, 2023 That would be really helpful thanks a lot for the offer but I’m actually only 15. Usually my dad takes me when I want to go out for a fish. I would really like to attend the session but I think my dad would have to come with if that’s possible I’m not sure Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DerekD Posted December 18, 2023 Share Posted December 18, 2023 7 minutes ago, Aussie_fisher said: That would be really helpful thanks a lot for the offer but I’m actually only 15. Usually my dad takes me when I want to go out for a fish. I would really like to attend the session but I think my dad would have to come with if that’s possible I’m not sure More than happy for you to bring your dad - the site guidelines are for both your protection and my protection. Discuss it with him and happy to include him in the lesson as it something you can do together. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aussie_fisher Posted December 18, 2023 Author Share Posted December 18, 2023 Yes he’s happy to come. Thanks heaps. I assume you’ll pm details later on right Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BaitDropper Posted December 18, 2023 Share Posted December 18, 2023 Wow Derek D, your a Legion !!! I sit here pondering about my youth, self learning the art of fishing, mainly trout ( as an 8-9 year old ) It wasn't till I was well into my early teens, that a bloke with 4 daughters who took tourists out trout fishing, took me under his wings as a kind of surrogate son he never had. The learning curve was huge and I valued every hour he spent with me. It would be well worth the effort Aussie-fisher to take up Derek's offer, goodluck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aussie_fisher Posted December 18, 2023 Author Share Posted December 18, 2023 Ye it really helps to have a mentor I’m sure. Even just a few good tips from someone experienced could take you a long way. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DerekD Posted December 18, 2023 Share Posted December 18, 2023 Hi @Aussie_fisher It depends a lot on the availability of @Kirelda but how about we look at the 3rd or 4th of January. We can monitor the weather in the days before. Light rain is not an issue but heavy rain takes the fun out of it. Probably Mosman bay at 8am. Can you give me a bit more information about your rod (length, line and lure rating), your reel size and the braid you have selected. If you haven't got the braid yet then we should discuss before you buy it. Regards, Derek 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aussie_fisher Posted December 18, 2023 Author Share Posted December 18, 2023 Unfortunately until 4th Jan I’m in tassie and 13th Jan I’m going on a charter. All other dates I’m available. I’ll pm you details about gear Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DerekD Posted December 19, 2023 Share Posted December 19, 2023 Then we can look at Friday the 5th (my preference) or Saturday the 6th. I'll respond to your gear question privately. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aussie_fisher Posted December 19, 2023 Author Share Posted December 19, 2023 6th would be my preference but both work 👍 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirelda Posted December 20, 2023 Share Posted December 20, 2023 Any day is fine for me. Just pm me when you guys decide and I’ll grab my stuff and head out. Cheers 👍 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DerekD Posted December 20, 2023 Share Posted December 20, 2023 3 hours ago, Kirelda said: Any day is fine for me. Just pm me when you guys decide and I’ll grab my stuff and head out. Cheers 👍 In that case we should aim for Friday the 5th of January with the Saturday as the fall back if the weather isn't playing nice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirelda Posted December 21, 2023 Share Posted December 21, 2023 10 hours ago, DerekD said: In that case we should aim for Friday the 5th of January with the Saturday as the fall back if the weather isn't playing nice. Yeah absolutely. Sounds good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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