Flatty/Jewies Tackle Tips For Soft Plastics

[Peter K]

Evening all,

Recently bought a packet of Daiwa BaitJunkie Jerkshads 5". I was wondering if anybody could advice what would be a good all round rigging method, jighead, EWG, stinger rig etc?

What weight sinker/jighead to use, also, what hook size would be needed for a 5" lure, this is well out of my range were I typically only use finesse fishing plastics in the 2-3" range. I'd be fishing in the middle range area of the Georges River, perhaps in flatty drop off off sand flats, or in deeper jewy holes/bridges. 

Any tips or guidance for rigging such plastics is greatly appreciated, additionally, what would be the ideal way to work the plastic to maximise a good action from a jerkshad.

Cheers, 

Peter

[Green Hornet]

I like this style of 5 inch lure for my flatty fishing as the smaller, undersize fish tend to leave them alone.

I rig them on a 4/0 jig head weighing anywhere between 4.7 to 10g, depending on depth, current and drift. Don’t bother with a stinger or any other modification because the larger fish have no trouble finding the single hook.

My preferred retrieve is to let them sink to the bottom then give them 3 short, sharp lifts about 30cm each with the rod before letting them settle back on the bottom and repeat. Try to allow a little slack line between the lifts to emphasize the darting action. Flatties tend to like a lure that’s worked quite aggressively, but if jew are your target, try toning it down a bit.

With the larger jig heads you’ll find you can cast and work the lure better with a slightly heavier rod than usual. Something with an extra fast taper and-rated around 3-5kg is the go.

[Peter K]

2 hours ago, Green Hornet said:

I like this style of 5 inch lure for my flatty fishing as the smaller, undersize fish tend to leave them alone.

I rig them on a 4/0 jig head weighing anywhere between 4.7 to 10g, depending on depth, current and drift. Don’t bother with a stinger or any other modification because the larger fish have no trouble finding the single hook.

My preferred retrieve is to let them sink to the bottom then give them 3 short, sharp lifts about 30cm each with the rod before letting them settle back on the bottom and repeat. Try to allow a little slack line between the lifts to emphasize the darting action. Flatties tend to like a lure that’s worked quite aggressively, but if jew are your target, try toning it down a bit.

With the larger jig heads you’ll find you can cast and work the lure better with a slightly heavier rod than usual. Something with an extra fast taper and-rated around 3-5kg is the go.

Thanks for the tips @Green Hornet. Was hoping to target dusky with it, and if a jew happened to be around, it would also willingly take it. 

With the part where you said, "Try to allow a little slack line between the lifts to emphasize the darting action". Does that mean after each 30cm lift, i need to just pause for a second or two and let the lure sink slightly to create the fleeing fish action?

Thanks for your reply, has helped a lot.

Cheers, Peter

[Green Hornet]

39 minutes ago, Peter K said:

Thanks for the tips @Green Hornet. Was hoping to target dusky with it, and if a jew happened to be around, it would also willingly take it. 

With the part where you said, "Try to allow a little slack line between the lifts to emphasize the darting action". Does that mean after each 30cm lift, i need to just pause for a second or two and let the lure sink slightly to create the fleeing fish action?

Thanks for your reply, has helped a lot.

Cheers, Peter

No. I meant after each lift, just drop the rod tip forward a little to allow a small amount of slack line before immediately lifting again. I guess overall the 3 lifts take about 1 second.

What I’m trying to do is lift the plastic off the bottom with the first lift, then make it “dart” twice with the next two, before letting it sink back to the bottom and repeating. Those short, quick movements really seem to attract a flathead’s attention.

Thinking about it, my first lift would be more like 60cm and the second and third about 30.

Its kind of like how guys “whip” the rod twice when fishing paddle tailed plastics, but with those two shorter lifts at the end. 

[Peter K]

Thanks GH, that cleared things up for me, Im familiar with the double twitch/lift, so a 3rd shouldn't be that different. 

20 minutes ago, Green Hornet said:

What I’m trying to do is lift the plastic off the bottom with the first lift, then make it “dart” twice with the next two, before letting it sink back to the bottom and repeating. Those short, quick movements really seem to attract a flathead’s attention.

The way you put it there sounds like it would totally bring on the bites, thanks heaps for the guidance.

Pete.