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The Search for Mangrove Jack
By Brad Brigg
Since writing my last article in June of this year, about my first catch using ZMan soft plastics, I’ve been getting out to fish every chance I get. My adventures have continued, walking the rivers, estuaries, and sand flats. My main focus has been landing flathead and I have been fairly successful in my pursuit, with not many sessions unsuccessful. There have been a few good sessions with the odd catch of trevally and cod, which has kept the chase interesting.
Since starting in the soft plastic game, I have continued to learn a lot from the very informative Tackle Tactics website and articles. I’ve upgraded some of my gear, purchasing two Okuma Jaw 30 spinning reels, upon which I have spooled one with 8lb Platypus Pulse X4 braid and the other with 10lb Pulse X4. I normally run these reels on my 2-4kg rods, allowing me to have them rigged up with different jigheads and plastics.
Speaking of plastics, my best sessions have come using the 2.5” Slim SwimZ and 3” MinnowZ. My go-to colours are Midnight Oil, Purple Death and Pearl, with the occasional change to a new colour. I rig these on TT HeadlockZ HD or DemonZ jigheads. I have also had some success walking the sand flats, flicking ZMan 2.5” TRD CrawZ, rigged on a TT NedlockZ jighead.
As my fishing had started to progress into a real love for the sport, I decided to broaden my horizons. My goal was to secure a mangrove jack, so I rigged up my older and heavier combo with some 30lb Platypus Pulse X4 Braid and I started just walking into areas where I thought I would find some jacks.
In my search I found myself struggling through mud and mangroves, for no reward. I was also really struggling with snags and losing my jigheads and plastics. There had to be a better way. I researched some options, watched a LOT of YouTube videos on kayak fishing and decided it would be something that I would love to do.
I am now the proud owner of a Viking Profish 35, purchased from my local tackle store and I gave it the maiden voyage on the river the same day that I got it… it was perfect.
Google Earth was my port of call to find what looked like a good system to try and I was eager to get out there ASAP. The weather forecast wasn’t great, but I didn’t care. The scheduled day arrived… and it was pouring… however nothing was going to stop me. On my way I stopped in and bought some TT SnakelockZ weedless jigheads to combat the snags that I would encounter.
Arriving at my destination, I put the kayak in, loaded it up with my gear and was on my way down the creek. I didn’t do much fishing to start with as I was looking for snags that I thought would be good hiding spots for red dogs. Reaching the mouth of the creek, that joins onto a lake, I headed down the mangrove lined river.
This was a good learning curve for me as the wind started blowing up behind my back and I still had to paddle back. I quickly turned around and paddled back into the wind and against the tide, finally making it back to the calm creek. Here, I went back to some snags that I liked the look of and started fishing. I fished these snags for some time before catching my first fish in the kayak, a small cod.
With that being the only action up the creek, I headed back to the mouth and started fishing the edges. Here I caught a 51cm flathead. The weather started coming in more heavily, so I paddled back and headed home. I didn’t get the jack that I was after, however I was still happy with my first outing in the yak.
A week later, on my next day off, I headed down to the Bay to fish a creek that I liked the look of. The wind was blowing again and there were some showers around, however I managed to find a bit of shelter up the creek and started flicking my 3” MinnowZ in around the mangroves, fishing the tide out. I managed to land two more undersize cod and that was the extent of it. I went home from this trip empty handed but still determined as ever to catch my first jack.
Another opportunity came around and I was keen to head down to that same creek and try again. This time I headed down at the crack of dawn and fished the tide in. I started at the same drop off as I fished last time and once again, I caught a small cod. Moving up the creek further, I found another nice lot of snags.
Here I was flicking into the snag and retrieving. This is when my lure was nailed… and this is when I started getting excited. This was a run that I had never felt before. I fought the fish in, got a glimpse of colour and sure enough it was the elusive mangrove jack that I had been chasing. Although it was an undersized fish, I was still stoked that I had finally caught my first red dog. This has fired up the need to fish again and again. More fishing adventures are what I am here for and hopefully with some better weather.
Cheers,
Brad
Gearing Up:
Okuma JAW Spin Reel - JAW-30
Platypus Pulse X4 Braid - 8lb & 10lb
ZMan 3" MinnowZ
ZMan 2.5" Slim SwimZ
ZMan 2.5" TRD CrawZ
TT Lures HeadlockZ HD Jigheads
TT Lures DemonZ Jigheads
TT Lures NedlockZ Jigheads
TT Lures SnakelockZ Jigheads