[greg powell]

Right, I've started to try and catch Australian fish on SPs - probably not LRF but very light compared to what I was doing in the UK, typically 1/16 & 1/32 oz jig heads, 6lb FC leader.

My question is this - I'm losing alot of jigs - snagged on the bottom. :-( Is this part and parcel of it? Should I just try a different spot? Or am I doing something wrong to keep getting snagged?

 

[trev richardson]

Greg,
I think you're going through the stage we all do when starting LRF mate. The more you use it the less gear you lose, it's just a case of learning to feel the plastic and understanding the feeling that comes back through the rod. You should be able to fish even the roughest ground okay but you will still lose gear mate it goes with the territory.........:-D:-D

 

[greg powell]

Greg,
I think you're going through the stage we all do when starting LRF mate. The more you use it the less gear you lose, it's just a case of learning to feel the plastic and understanding the feeling that comes back through the rod. You should be able to fish even the roughest ground okay but you will still lose gear mate it goes with the territory.........:-D:-D

The way I'm going through jig head it would be cheaper to fly to Jersey for a leason...

 

[trev richardson]

Sound's like you're having a mare...You've not been set up by one of our Aussie cousins by any chance and have been pointed towards Aussie's most snaggy area.....:-D:-D


Still we are thrashing them at cricket....

 

[Tim Murphy]

Lighter, more sensitive rods help Greg, you can feel your way along.

 

[Dave Irving]

Greg,
Use the lightest jighead that will work, that seems to help. What sort of SP/ and ground are fishing-Let us know and I am sure one of the more experienced members might be able to offer some helpful advice.

 

[Mike Sullivan]

I am fishing the roughest ground i have found of late mate. for hrf i have been using the 4 inch slugos and has issues with distance increased the length to 6 inches adding weight.
This helps. From this i have been fishing them weedless mate. Though again a mark i fished this morning even more snaggy and loses are unavoidable though again i fished them weedless with little issue when i wanted the diatnce i needed i fish it with a carolina style rig.
Using a 1/4 bullet weight and bead as a shock asborber for the cast and again weedless rigged, once i was doing this i only lost one sp for rest of the session. Aswell as this i was fishing deeper mark the other week and fished it drop shotting giving distance and depth in the current using weak link on the bottom to the weight i only lost the occassional weight and kept the rest of the rig intact again the sp was rigged weedless.
There are more experienced people than myself here though this has been working for me of late.

 

[Mike Kennard]

Greg, try using a slightly bulkier tail to mask the hook slightly, or rig them weedless if possible. A lighter head will take longer to drop so will give more time above the snags. Do you know what you are losing your lures on? It may be just time to try another area, refine your techniques and then revisit. Lots of Sydney Harbour has rocks covered in oysters which are not only snaggy but very sharp too.

 

[Adrian]

Right, I've started to try and catch Australian fish on SPs - probably not LRF but very light compared to what I was doing in the UK, typically 1/16 & 1/32 oz jig heads, 6lb FC leader.

My question is this - I'm losing alot of jigs - snagged on the bottom. :-( Is this part and parcel of it? Should I just try a different spot? Or am I doing something wrong to keep getting snagged?

What sort of bottom (ooh er missus) is it? Is it coral reef?

 

[Paul Gunning]

After losing some of those pricey jig heads, I now but single hooks and use cone head weights. Works out much cheaper, and I don't mind fishing closer to the snaggy stuff. I get my weights from AGM, super cheap. Also allows you to use a wide range of hook sizes and styles.

 

[Mike Sullivan]

Paul what percentage of losses have you saved since changeing the style of fishing i.e jigs versus carolina style. I would say that i have saved 80% of the breakages i would have suffered with standard jig heads in the snagiest of grounds.
How have you found the Agm cone heads i have been considering buying a couple of packs to try them out.

 

[Paul Gunning]

Paul what percentage of losses have you saved since changeing the style of fishing i.e jigs versus carolina style. I would say that i have saved 80% of the breakages i would have suffered with standard jig heads in the snagiest of grounds.
How have you found the Agm cone heads i have been considering buying a couple of packs to try them out.

Not sure on percentages, but if you can get 10+ weights for £2 or less, 10+ hooks for around £2-3, I have rigs for at least 10 lures, which is around +/- 50p lure at the higher end.

 

[Mike Sullivan]

thanks mate, i was drop shotting at distance the other day and decreased tackle losses dramticly when wrasseing. i have had a look through and just orded around 50 different weight and a load of hooks to keep me going too.

 

[greg powell]

Lots of Sydney Harbour has rocks covered in oysters which are not only snaggy but very sharp too.[/QUOTE]

All along the forshore the rocks are covered with old oyster shells which are sharp as hell - might be the culprits. The tide never really goes out far enough to see so it might be time for a swim. Water in the harbour is currently around 21!!

Typically using 2-3 inch plastics - mainly Gulp sandworms / minnows etc - they are pretty cheap over here. Using a 2-4kg rated rod - a Pflueger Trion with a Stradic 2500, 6lb Fins braid and 8lb FC leader which is all much lighter than I have been used to using in the UK - Rodbar 270 Twin Power 4000 et al.

Guys thanks for all the input.

The other thing to mention is that I have taken to practising in our pool! Water is warmer and no snags! Some very odd looks form the folks next door - I just don't think they get it. Bugger all fish yet but it is enlightening to see how the SPs work. Will also gives the HBs a run when they arrive, a perfect WTD school me thinks!

 

[Dave Irving]

Private lure training pool-Very Very Nice Greg!!