Soft bait novice

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    Posted: 26 Apr 2018 at 7:46pm
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Help please.   I know it seems really simple, but I'm having no luck what's so ever on the soft bait. I'm using z man with secret sauce.

I don't understand the cast ahead of your drift that I was told to do. I casted from the back of the boat whilst anchored and drifting. No success.

My question is as per the picture. Should I cast towards the front of the boat or back of the boat if I'm anchored?

Thanks heaps:)
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote MB Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Apr 2018 at 9:20pm
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Love the picture! Do you mean anchor or sea anchor/drogue?
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote smudge Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Apr 2018 at 9:37pm
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you cast so that you drift over your lure. The goal is to get the lure directly below your rod tip. once you have a big angle on your line it is best to retrieve and cast again.Firstly and most importantly you need to fish where the fish are
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Hagrid7 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Apr 2018 at 9:41pm
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Haha thanks. It's anchored to see floor.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Hagrid7 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Apr 2018 at 9:44pm
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Originally posted by smudge smudge wrote:

you cast so that you drift over your lure. The goal is to get the lure directly below your rod tip. once you have a big angle on your line it is best to retrieve and cast again.Firstly and most importantly you need to fish where the fish are


Thanks for that. When I watch you tube clips online. They always cast far away from boat and then wind in and when remotely close to boat recast out. So I figured I could get the same result when being anchored?

Tried the same technic whilst drifting too. Both times casting from the back of the boat.   

When drifting I do drift closer to my soft bait
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (1) Likes(1)   Quote smudge Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Apr 2018 at 10:04pm
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Yes you want to drift closer to your softbait so that eventually you are directly over your softbait. Once you drift significantly past that point it is time to wind up and do it again. While you can softbait from a stationary boat you will generally have a better result from drifting
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Originally posted by Hagrid7 Hagrid7 wrote:

Haha thanks. It's anchored to see floor.

OK, that's the first thing to think about. Although you can catch fish from an anchored boat on softies, it's not the best way of doing things. If the boat drifts, you cover a lot more ground. A sea anchor is used to slow the drift when there's even a little wind. Yes, cast in the direction of the drift, left the softie sink to the bottom and work it back to you, letting it sink to the bottom every now and then. When the boat is right over the softie, or the softie is behind the boat, it's time to wind up and start again. I hope that makes sense, the reality is simpler than my explanation!
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Originally posted by MightyBoosh MightyBoosh wrote:

Originally posted by Hagrid7 Hagrid7 wrote:

Haha thanks. It's anchored to see floor.


OK, that's the first thing to think about. Although you can catch fish from an anchored boat on softies, it's not the best way of doing things. If the boat drifts, you cover a lot more ground. A sea anchor is used to slow the drift when there's even a little wind. Yes, cast in the direction of the drift, left the softie sink to the bottom and work it back to you, letting it sink to the bottom every now and then. When the boat is right over the softie, or the softie is behind the boat, it's time to wind up and start again. I hope that makes sense, the reality is simpler than my explanation!



Thanks heaps for the reply. The part that confuses me is the cast in to the drift direction.
But I think I have it now. Perhaps it's because my weight on soft bait was not enough. I'm using 3/8ths. With flurocarbon
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote kaveman Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 Apr 2018 at 6:11am
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Use jigheads that you know will get to the bottom first until you become more proficient and then you may try lighter jigheads. Try 5/8 oz or even 3/4oz
Do not use an anchor and when starting , try places in close under 20m, fish are in close at present, even in 5m depth. good luck
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote The Tamure Kid Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 Apr 2018 at 10:50am
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Watch this:

Very useful summary of tips covering most of soft baiting essentials.

The one complicating factor which I struggle with a little is the advice about casting "down current" rather than simply the direction of the boat drift. Normally the boat is pushed by the wind, and sometimes that's in the same direction as the current, but often not. Which is where a 'sea anchor', not an anchor to the bottom, comes into the picture. It helps to pull you with the current, fighting the effect of the wind.

A few experts have made this point re "down current" - including Muppet and PJ off this forum, and author Mark Kitteridge.

So you may be better to cast at an angle other than the exact direction you're drifting. Say 45 degree angle to the wind direction (if not both in the same direction).

In shallower water, I think it's important to have the lure well away from the boat, but in deeper water, often bites come below the boat.


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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Jiggy Jig Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 Apr 2018 at 2:18pm
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Originally posted by Hagrid7 Hagrid7 wrote:

Haha thanks. It's anchored to see floor.

If you are fishing while anchored cast ahead of your boat (but away from the anchor warp), and let the soft bait drift down with the current, pass below the bot and out astern - wind up your fish, and repeat the exercise.
If it is calm enough drift without an anchor.
Invest in a drogue (sea anchor) as soon as you can - I never anchor now and drift fish all the time.
Good luck JJ Wink

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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote The Tamure Kid Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 Apr 2018 at 3:11pm
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Or if you have a decent berley trail going from an anchored boat, cast out into the trail, as far as you can, let the soft bait sink to the bottom and retrieve up the trail.
Can result in a few pleasant surprises.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Muppet Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 Apr 2018 at 3:46pm
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No matter what you do line control and watching it at all times is important. Your line tells you everything when you cast lay it as straight as possible like a fly line it makes as huge difference I find.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Hagrid7 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Apr 2018 at 7:08pm
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Thanks for all the help everyone . I will try again when the weather is better :)
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote smudge Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Apr 2018 at 7:47pm
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I have had the pleasure of fishing alongside some great soft bait fishermen. Some things I see them doing is that they are very particular about line weight, leader weight, head weight and staying in touch with their line.
Best gurnard fisherman in my street
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