Does size matter? 5 inches or 7 inches?

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    Posted: 25 Jan 2025 at 10:24pm
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They say its what you do with it that counts and that size doesn't matter.  5 inches is fine.  But recently I have been trying 7 inch SPs off Tutukaka.  Not a scientific study, but based on three or four trips i reckon:
- 7 inches gets the better fish and it seems more fish if they are on the bite
- 5 inches better when the bite is very slow
- just getting it wet is always good, 5 inches or 7 inches or even a 3 inch grub

Will try to repeat in the Rangi channel if I ever get that far

Anyone else have opinion on size?
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Keith C Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Jan 2025 at 10:20am
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I can't comment on going 7 inch, but I know in the Gulf I had to go down as far as 2 inch in the winter to get a feed. And not just any 2 inch, but a specific colour range too (reds and oranges and browns).
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Pcj Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Jan 2025 at 10:29am
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I have found,variety of colours, 4/5 inch get bitten in 1/2 presume small fish. Have some 7 inch and takes awhile to get a fish but I am not SB fisher .Just dangle and hope but works most of the time.
"Times up"
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Kandrew Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Jan 2025 at 11:34am
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Good post mate, no doubt when they are not hungry like in winter Ive had more success with smaller jigs and plastics and in the spring when they will eat anything larger jigs do better.

I think about it this way, if you go to a steakhouse and you super hungry do you choose the larger steak or the smaller one.

Easy if you’re hungry you eat more and bigger the better.

What brand and colour are you using?
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote brmbrm Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Jan 2025 at 2:34pm
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I've been fishing SPs and not jigs/microjigs for a while since I just enjoy it now.  Originally using mostly Zman 5 inch Smelt.  Worked jerk shads were doing well, dragged (grubs etc, various colours) not really.  Now using Zman 5 and 7 inch, 7 inch in Smoky Shad and Mulletron (similar colours), but also new penny and midnight oil worked in 7 inch, but poor in 5 inch.

Who knows - another day it will all be different
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Kandrew Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Jan 2025 at 8:53pm
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Been mainly fishing with micro jigs for the last few years and even find with these the larger jigs are better in the warmer months.

Only fished 7in a couple of times but keen to give them another crack when this crap weather moves on.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote MB Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Jan 2025 at 11:19pm
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Microjigs are THE fish catcher for me in shallow water, typical depths where you would use a softbait, but I've caught snapper on all sizes of softbait, even 10 inch which I was using for kingfish. I've had a lot of success lately with 3 inch paddle tails, mainly kahawai and trevally, but some snapper in the far north. 
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote brmbrm Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 Jan 2025 at 11:33am
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OK, so the warm, summer 7 incher turns into a 2 inch grub on a cold winter morning for Keith C....  I might try some more controlled experiments next time I am out (although no idea when that might be) but more likely i will give the microjigs a go again.

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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote kimber7wsm Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 Feb 2025 at 6:03am
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My reasoning for using 5 inch, is simple. You get more in the pot for the same money. So I'm not qualified to comment on the 5 vs 7, because I've never tried them. Maybe I'm missing out.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (1) Likes(1)   Quote The Tamure Kid Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07 Feb 2025 at 9:33pm
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Hard to join this chat without sounding like an episode of The Office - "that's what she said"! Big smile

Anyway, my theory is to use a lure that suits the size of the fish, and the type of feeding going on. I'm mostly talking snapper, and the various common bycatch.

I don't bother to use a 7" softbait over the summer feeding flats in the Auckland region, I use a 4" Z Man grub or a 5" Crazy Legs/Squid Vicious (Gulp). But I'm only realistically fishing for pannies, and up to 10lb at the upper end. Same with the shallow fishing over sand up in Northland. The prey is usually smaller baitfish, crabs, shellfish, prawns etc. So I can't see the point in using a 7" bait, even though the small fish will also attack them, you're more likely to get tail grabbers in my opinion. A good way to rip through a lot of big Gulps for little return.

And with the anchovy run, they are matched to a 3-4 inch softbait in natural baitfish colours. I'm sure the success of Kerry and MB with their small jigs is, in part, what the fish are feeding on in the area. I guess you could use a 7" or 10" and imitate the jack mackerel which are also feeding on the anchovies (and taken by kingies), but the fish chasing the anchovies are more tuned in on small bait.

But if I'm fishing off Kawau or the bigger fish spots in Northland, hoping for a donkey, I'll start with a 7" jerk shad, or a 6.5" Z Man Doormatadorz (which has incredible action in the water - and which is actually much longer if stretched out). The Gulp Nemesis (6") is another bait with a good profile and action, and accounted for my giant (77cm) trevally up in the Far North. There's always a chance of a fish up into the 75cm + class in those places - fish which are feeding on baitfish of various descriptions. And I've had bycatch of reasonable kingies for softbait gear. So it's a bit of a 'match the hatch' situation. One of my favourite Z Man colours - Midnight Oil - only comes in baits up to the 5" curly Tailz (as far as I know), so sometimes I put that on regardless of it not being the biggest bait in my bag. Something about the colour in the water, and the action, is just deadly.

I know there's a theory about going small in winter because the fish's metabolism slows down, and they are happy eating small prey. But going big when targeting big fish is the recommendation of Mark Kitteridge, and other such as Andre Kassal, who seem like pretty good experts to base my systems on. So I usually don't stray far from their approach.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote MB Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 Feb 2025 at 9:03am
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Agree about the action of the Doormatadorz. For deep, vertical fishing, I put one on my wife or son's rod with a 1.5 or 2oz jig head which is a perfect fit. Just tell them to drop it to the bottom and wind up slowly. The Kidstix gets a real workout. Good little rods!  
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