A few questions came out of my first attempt of using SPs. Ended up with a limit of snaps to 8 pound so no complaints there on day on. Most of them caught by mate using baits. I was determined to up skill on SPs. With the baits going off all the time I new the fish were there.

 

I cast out a nuclear chicken or the like and bounced along the bottom back to the boat. I was getting plenty of hits but not many hook ups?? I tried striking first bump, waiting till they were striking then striking back (pulling the hook). Had alot of fun all the same and I can see how this could be addictive.

 

The next day with alot of thought I experimented more.

Limited out again with 11 gurnard included (missus fav).

I would cast then let sit without movement and would sometimes get a hit. I would give it a few tiny pulls and let sit for 30 seconds. This worked the best. What was nearly as good was putting the rod in holder while drifting. Lots of hits.

Question tho...how do you prevent your tail been bitten off on the first cast. I went thru a lot of baits like this. Im thinking of putting a little trace on th main hook to a second smaller hook hiden in the tail and see how that works...ideas?.        

I am only commenting on what i do when chasing snapper in brisbane shallows so it may not necessarily apply to nz conditions.

 

The secret when soft plastic fishing is to have as light as possible jig head. That way when you throw up current of your drift, the plastic just floats down gradually. I then move the rod slowly with a few twitches and then let the it sink again.I then repeat this process until the plastic has drifted past the boat. It is usually on the downward sinking motion that a decent fish will strike.Most of my larger snapper that i have caught strike soon after the initial cast. The big ones seen to rise to the plastic normally mid water.A too heavy jig weight will limit the plastics movement and more than likely they will bounce along the bottom where alot of small fish are around. It is generally the smaller ones that pick at your bait and tear of the tail.

 

There is a lot of plastics on the market over here, some are a lot stronger than others. I find the Gulps have the most scent but the tails dont last long at all. We have a soft plastic brand called 'snapbacks', over here I havent had a lot of success with them but they are so tough i have never had a tail been bitter off yet. The other ones I use is the Manns hard nose they too are quite durable. Obviously there are different tails on the plastics, i note you were drifting with one out the back. I have had a fair bit of success using a gulp shaky shad in this manner.

 

I have recently started using a gamatsu stinger hooker that simply attaches to your main jig hook with a slip knot. They work well but I have been finding i have been catching a lot more smaller ones. You also have to be careful attaching an extra hook like a stinger as it can affect the tail action.

 

As i am new to this site i was going to post some pictures of the stinger and some of the plastics i use, but as i havent done 25 posts i have sort assistance from Shimma to put some of these photos on.

 

 

 

Keep with it, soft plastic fishing is addictive. Some colours work one day and others the next. It always pays to have a number of different plastics, both in colour and size as well as differnt size jig heads.

 

cheers

What a session. Satreday morning sitting just off Matarangi with two guys bait fishing. I explained to them the above but they didnt really see why i bother as bait does the trick anyway. I thought as soon as i start losing tails on my soft plastics I will do the stinger as above. First cast had a strike and landed a 4 pounder nice. that got the guys speed baiting to get down.  Next cast bang a 6 pounder what a fight on this little gear. 3rd cast bang an 8 pounder whih took me 5 mins to boat. At one stage I could just see colour when it decided the bottom was a better place to be and wwwhhhiiizzz. What a fight Im still buzzing thinking about it. 4th cast a nice panny it just went on and 25 casts later I had the quater for us three of snapper. Oh did I forget to mention the 10 pounder on say cast 19!! I am hooked. Its like I have finally go intuned or something. I could pick the weights of the fish I had on accuratly. I hooked up every strike. I didnt lose one fish I hooked and to top it all off and you wont believe it....I ONLY USED 4 SOFT PLASTIC BAITS ALL DAY!!!!!!! 

Th other guys caught a few gurnard a tereki and a travelly and were plagued by small fish. Suddenly the smirks wentand the "so how much did that kit all cost, what was that brand again"

 

I am hooked.

If I new how to I would add a phto of the fish in this report.  

Fantastic day for you and it serves me right for not comming down as I was planning to do to get a few scollies