Hi Guys Fished the high tide at Blue Lagoon yes

ignoblis

Senior Member
Hi Guys

Fished the high tide at Blue Lagoon yesterday arvo. I could see the Kingies chasing the bait but every time they would turn off at the last second. I tried all sorts of colours and size baits and jigheads, different retrieves but no success. Very frustrating does anyone have any tips?

ignoblis

PS I did however catch last week end a lovely Ignoblis in the 1 - 1.5 Kg range.
 

Reefman

Sealiner
Iggy... I've seen this happen... the way to trigger a strike is not to slow down the retrieve, but to actually speed up. Guys often make the mistake when they see the fish close to the lure and then slow down so that the fish can "catch it". Somehow this turns them off and they lose interest. Speeding up somehow gets to a gamefish's instincts - it works with Garrick too. Also try flick the tip of the rod as you retrieve to simulate how a fleeing bait fish would dart around and swim (erratically).

Another trick I learnt is to try spin the lure into foamy water... the Kingie will chase the lure through clean water and as it enters into the foamy stuff... wham!

Hopefully Nepptune will give us the benefit of his great experience in this field...
 

ignoblis

Senior Member
Thank Reefman

the more frustrating thing was that during all of this I got a call from my wife stating she was locked out the house and I had to leave early.

ignoblis
 
My 2c worth......The reason gamefish do not hit a lure when you slow down your retrieve is that you are actually affording it an opportunity to get a better look at what it is chasing, firstly, and it realises that it is 'fake', and secondly, what baitfish in it's right mind slows down when trouble is looming???!!!

The reason for the strikes in the foamy water is that just as the gamefish is about to lose sight of the little morsel, it strikes almost instinctively in fear of losing out on a tasty treat......a case of shoot first and ask questions afterwards.

It is always best to speed up your retrieval when you spot a chase and don't worry about outrunning the fish..........these buggers are not afraid of the shallows and will even chase baitfish onto rocks or the beach! If you  miss the first time you will usually get chased again as you've raised an interest!

If you aren't having much success with all the 'bait' methods try a small chisel nose plug in white and red (you can get these down to about 1 ounce and even smaller if you lucky) and a few quick retrieves on the surface will almost guarantee you a strike. Tightlines and bent rods!!
 

Torpedo Jack

Senior Member
Iggy,

What rig are you using? Braid or mono? If braid, are you using a fluorocarbon leader of around one metre? I've heard that the strike rate drops off if the leader is too short.

Just a thought, hope it works.

Mike

 
 

Nepptune

Sealiner
Reefer - Thanks for sending me the link to this, and for the vote of confidence in my theories... misplaced as they may be!! :)

I gotta say that I can't add anything to Reefman's post which is all brilliant advice...
I juist want to add that you will never be able to pull a plug/lure away from a Kingie if it wants to eat it, so don't worry about retrieving too fast if you get a follow....

Kings and other Gamefish like Shad and Leeries will use the foam as cover to Ambush their prey too, which is why the foamy water is always such a good place to fish... its generally pretty churned up too, hence the foam, so this also puts the predators at an advantage with their superior swimming abilities and eyesight etc... add the fact that it offers them cover for ambush and its prime fishing water...

If you get a follow, but no hit, speed up your retrieve.... and if still no joy, change over to a plug or surface slider, and zing it out there....
 

Andz

Senior Member
i dont know if its a bad thing or not

but my leader i jis over to 2m, its 1 wrap round the spool & all the way out to the lure

i found for like the places like blue lagoon...u need that extra picking the fish out the water

not sure if it has any implications on results
 

Reefman

Sealiner
Andz, I use 4m Fluoro leader as standard on all my dropshot traces....

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Andz

Senior Member
reefman thanx man.....thats wot i thought as well

most of the guys i fished wit used the 1m leader length,
which didnt look to well with me

im gonna def be trying the swivel next & the FC hook snoot
 

MIC

New member
hey guys.. i see now why i got no strikes while fishing with ignobilis in umhlanga not too long ago...i wasnt using a fluoro leader.

Hey Iggy..was great meeting you. I didnt manage to see you fishing with a fluoro leader on that day at the lighthouse.. did u use a leader? i cant seem to get my bimini-twist knot going with braid one end and mono at the other.

how was that shark attack on that surfer? lucky oke hey!

MIC (ighsaan)
 

ignoblis

Senior Member
MIC

I always use a fluoro leader. It was berkley vanish that looks brownish out the water but goes invisible in the water.

And Ja flippin lucky oke.

ignoblis
 
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