Stick baits
Printed From: The Fishing Website
Category: Saltwater Fishing
Forum Name: Popper and Topwater Fishing
Forum Description: If you're into a bit of action on top, this is the forum for you
URL: https://www.fishing.net.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=63376
Printed Date: 06 Jun 2026 at 5:13pm
Topic: Stick baits
Posted By: Millkman
Subject: Stick baits
Date Posted: 22 Feb 2011 at 11:46am
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How the heck do you fish a stick bait?
I always thought they were something that worked in the US, but didn't work with our fish down here, but perhaps i missed it as there seems to be an explosion of the things out there on the market here.....do you perhaps drag them along the surface like a popper or something, in a work up maybe?? |
Replies:
Posted By: swordfishsteve
Date Posted: 24 Feb 2011 at 6:55am
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Hey best to talk to Tony or John at Yeehaa Fishing Tackle, Panmure, see web link on these pages or call in for a chat, they will help you for sure, also to empty your wallet as well, cheers Steve ------------- REEL REPAIR GUY - Swordfishsteve, That Is Who I Am and That is What I Do : See More At :www.reelrepairguy.co.nz |
Posted By: ReelAppealLures
Date Posted: 24 Feb 2011 at 8:49am
Hi Milkman, what we know of "stickbaiting" in NZ is very small, but lure fishing is catching on here from plastics to jigs it is becoming everyday tackle box items.
Stickbaits in thier original form are more commonly called "Spooks" in the USA and are a topwater lure to be cast out and retrieved in a walk the dog style...zig zagging, side to side movement.
The original wooden lure ( Zaragossa 6500 ) was replaced in 1939 when Heddon started making a plastic version called a Zara spook 9260.
 What has happened is this style of lure has moved over from the freshwater scene and into the bluewater scene. Stickbaiting has really taken off here in NZ but has been big in wider bluewater fishing scene around the world for quite a few years now... Alot of lures from the striped bass scene would make good lures for our kingfish.
The style of "stickbait" determines the action. The key thing with stickbaits is they should swim, mimicing the action of a paniced, injured bait fish. Most pelagics will feel the lure with thier lateral line before they see the lure so the swimming action creates the vibes to bring the fish in for a look.
Heavilly tail weigthed stickbaits like the Carpenter Gamma series rely on timing for the action... All of this is much easier to be explained in person with actual lures to show how and what you should be doing to make the lure swim...
Pop in and see Tony at Yeehaa... There is a good range of different style stickbaits and he can give you the advice you need... ------------- http://www.facebook.com/pages/Reel-Appeal-Lures/300309486704362 |
Millkman wrote:Posted By: CBF-Whk
Date Posted: 25 Feb 2011 at 1:29pm
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Hi all
Can anyone put me onto some video were they show how to work stick baits. Have found lots of the bent rods- fish in arms- big smiles type thing but not much on the nuts an bolts of how to get the lures to work?.
"Heavilly tail weigthed stickbaits like the Carpenter Gamma series rely on timing for the action..."
RealAppealLures would you be able to expand on this it sounds like I am missing something?
But some video showing how stickbaits are ment to be swimming would be best you never know I may be fishing them right just not where the fish are?
Thanks
CBF
Whk.
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Posted By: 621
Date Posted: 25 Feb 2011 at 1:53pm
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Some previous vids posted by others on this forum, you can see the stickbaits working well. Gamma vid allows angler to be seen too. http://www.fishing.net.nz/asp_forums/killer-stick-bait-in-action_topic56471.html - http://www.fishing.net.nz/asp_forums/killer-stick-bait-in-action_topic56471.html
http://www.fishing.net.nz/asp_forums/carpenter-gamma-in-action-link_topic56211.html - http://www.fishing.net.nz/asp_forums/carpenter-gamma-in-action-link_topic56211.html
There are a number of instructional vids about the "sweep" / timing, will post links as I get a moment to re-discover these.
Also very good instruction to be had by visiting and chatting to or chartering - better than watching the vids, 30mins and you'll be capable of enticing a strike.
Yeehaa Fishing, Panmure Auckland - Tony/John/Sato
Extreme Sportsfishing Adventures, Tauranga - Mark
Epic Adventures, Tairua - Carl
------------- "Luck is when opportunity and preparation coincide" |
Posted By: 621
Date Posted: 25 Feb 2011 at 2:57pm
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Another showing the angler
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WdMoYbQc8jE - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WdMoYbQc8jE
This one will provide some instruction post hook-up (reads "how not to do it")
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7pHK5gMo-A - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7pHK5gMo-A
------------- "Luck is when opportunity and preparation coincide" |
Posted By: CBF-Whk
Date Posted: 25 Feb 2011 at 4:20pm
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Ok thks 621
Just got back from the river the lure I am trying is a gillies 20cm stickbait. Try as I mite it would not dive just planed along on top of the water even putting the rod tip under the water didn,t work. Until I put a small ball sinker on its nose then it was a whole new ball game it ducked and dived and looked like the ones on the videos.
So is there anything I can do to tune the lure? before I drill a hole in it fill it with lead an glass it back up?
Thanks
CBF
Whk.
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Posted By: sid fishus
Date Posted: 25 Feb 2011 at 4:37pm
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Haven't used those lures but they look fairly standard. Did you have hooks on the lure when trying it out? They dont swim too good without hooks usually. ------------- I always tell the truth about things that never happened |
Posted By: letsgetem
Date Posted: 26 Feb 2011 at 7:43pm
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I used a River2 sea stickbait, for the first time. I was surprised that it insisted on staying on the surface, like a popper but with less splash. Anyway, for several retrieves, kingies went ape over it. Then, one tried two times and missed, got even madder, made a huge lunge amd swallowed it. Caught a nice 18 kg kingie. The stick was down its throat.
The triple hooks, made it very difficult to remove - and it died, unfortunately, as I intended to release it. Now on, I am changing all hooks from triples to singles. As well as reducing the unnecessary killing of fish, this reduces the danger of getting yourself caught on a hook.
Question - can you get stickbaits that sink - I think I would prefer that - running just below the surface would attract plenty of attention.
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Posted By: ReelAppealLures
Date Posted: 26 Feb 2011 at 9:00pm
Try barbless trebles or crush the barbs down first, with most lures singles won't cut the mustard as the lure is built around the treble hook design... Single hooks may ruin or tame a lures action also there is the hooks weight to consider.
You can buy surface,sub-surface and sinking stickbaits...
Sounds like you had a wide open bite and those kingies would have smashed your bait with singles or trebles...Wicked  ------------- http://www.facebook.com/pages/Reel-Appeal-Lures/300309486704362 |
Posted By: Capt Asparagus
Date Posted: 26 Feb 2011 at 9:39pm
| Which stickbait did you use, the doggie or the wide glide? The wideglide is a subsurface one, and does indeed look so very edible! :-) |
Posted By: CBF-Whk
Date Posted: 26 Feb 2011 at 9:42pm
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Hi all
Yes Sid it was straight out of the packet with what look like good strong trebles on it.
Hi Letsgetem I have a River2sea "Dogy" stickbait and it sinks like a stone.
Hmmm seems I have surface and sinking covered. Can anyone recomend a mass market subsurface stickbait?? Can,t justify an expensive model YET.
Thks
CBF
Whk
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Posted By: laidbackdood
Date Posted: 26 Feb 2011 at 10:28pm
what model did you use mate? was it a doggy,rover 230 or a wide glide? I used a rover 230 the other day with a treble undeneath and a single off the back.....They are a surface lure(rover)...I also tried a wide glide and i was disappointed with its action.....i watched a vid on how to fish it too(might need time to experiment) but i found a great way to fish the rover 230...Didnt get any hits but had a great action on it....Did yours have ratlles inside or not? what colour? I have found a treble underneath helps to balance the lure but a single off the back is good or put a half ounce sinker(swivel attached) on the back eye to balance the lure and just fish the one treble. p.s i sell stick baits on trade me that go sub surface....Good stuff http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=356510453 - http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=356510453 ------------- Once the idiots turn up..Im outta here...No time for Drama Queens. |
Posted By: Capt Asparagus
Date Posted: 27 Feb 2011 at 8:45am
Another nice lure that may not be too expensive right now would be the StrikePro Big Bandit.... ...I quite like the way that one flashes under the water, very juicy looking. |
Posted By: letsgetem
Date Posted: 27 Feb 2011 at 7:48pm
| Ah - which is the lure, exactly. That's not regulation fishing garb. |
Posted By: hookerpuka
Date Posted: 28 Feb 2011 at 11:31am
Having used the Gillies myself I have found that if your stroke is to strong it will plane across the surface. I tend to use a small pre pull then main stroke. the short pull dives the nose and then a slow acceleration makes these lure work superbly (its not about speed). What leader are you running on your outfit ? are you sweeping or just winding ?
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Posted By: HULK
Date Posted: 01 Mar 2011 at 5:48pm
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I found that when starting out stick baiting I thought it was a rip off paying big bucks for the real deal japanese stickbaits. So bought lots of the cheaper ones that have been mentioned. Then I used a good one and couldnt beleive the difference. they really do work a whole lot better and they catch fish. Occasionally they will eat anything and the cheap ones will work but then as most of them are foam they break one a good fish. One good wooden lure that is probably the best value for money in IMO is the mangrove studio volador. Theres one on trade me. These are all sold out in the shops but you wont regret buying a good one and it'll outlast a couple of cheap ones anyway so in the long run it wont cost more but will catch more. http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=356997065 - http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=356997065
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Posted By: CBF-Whk
Date Posted: 16 Mar 2011 at 8:56am
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Hi all
Figured a good way to figure them out was to try making some here is my latest attempts now to swim them.
They are not clear coated yet as I have a car painter next door and he is going to clear coat them in block batches. An a couple still need eyes but its a start lol.
 CBF
Whk.
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Posted By: ReelAppealLures
Date Posted: 16 Mar 2011 at 9:04am
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Nice work  Ballast, position, hook size etc... will all play a major part in your stick baits "action". Let us know how you get on and how they swim. If you get stuck for eyes give me a shout.
------------- http://www.facebook.com/pages/Reel-Appeal-Lures/300309486704362 |
Posted By: kaveman
Date Posted: 18 Mar 2011 at 10:19am
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RealAppealLures. did you put up a stickbait in the 360tuna challenge?(i just voted)
-------------  www.kavemantackle.co.nz
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Posted By: ReelAppealLures
Date Posted: 18 Mar 2011 at 12:29pm
I did make one but I lost it to a kingy last Sunday (Dodgy knot). I put a photo up before I added wings/eyes but didn't make the cut off time due to 1. Losing it 2. Not enough time to make another. Next time! ------------- http://www.facebook.com/pages/Reel-Appeal-Lures/300309486704362 |
Posted By: kaveman
Date Posted: 18 Mar 2011 at 12:42pm
Better luck on the next one yours are right up there with the 7 on 360tuna ------------- www.kavemantackle.co.nz
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