Tackle Tactics » Tips-Techniques » Pro-Lure-Fishing-Tips » Fishing, Exploring and Learning
Related Products...
Fishing, Exploring and Learning
By Ryan Fogg
Every angler loves to explore new river systems and impoundments, along with the challenge of catching new species that often accompanies the adventure. I had the pleasure of sharing the water recently with good mate Sean Bekkers as we explored some new water in the search of multiple species. We planned a weekend where we could dedicate plenty of time to exploring a river system that had the promise of everything from flathead and bream to grunter and mangrove jack. We talked at length about the kind of structure we were likely to encounter, maps were downloaded, and a plan of attack was put into place. Whilst we had fished in this region before, we planned to take a lot of what we had learned from our local systems and apply it to the new water.
Rising well before the sun, we filled our bellies with bacon and egg rolls, coffee, and loaded enough snacks in the hatches of our respective yaks to fish until the sun was well and truly set. Rod and reel combos consisted of 1-3kg spin, 2-4kg spin and some heavier spin and baitcaster combos for when we moved from the flats into the heavy timber structure, chasing mangrove jack and other timber dwellers. With the same methodology we applied to rod and reel combos, we packed plenty of ZMan goodness, including the recently released ZMan 2.5” PrawnZ and the new ZMan 2.5” ST GrubZ.
Launching from a new location always gets the hair standing up on the back of my neck and pushing into the dark on this glassed out morning was no different. Our eyes were glued to our electronics as we scanned for bait and underwater structure that was hidden even on the last of the run-out tide. Exploring at low tide is a great way to understand what type of hidden treasures are around and you can make mental notes to revisit areas when the tide has turned and is pushing back in.
We both noted that there were large amounts of prawns and crustaceans skipping in the shallow drains and on the edges. I usually fish a 1/6oz TT DemonZ jighead on the flats at home, as this allows me to cover plenty of ground, while also keeping my presentation in contact with the bottom. Sean, on the other hand, has been fishing lighter jigheads on similar plastics with great success.
With the bottom of the tide approaching, we continued to work both edges and focused on the drains and feeder creeks in the hope that they would produce fish. I was flicking a ZMan 2.5” PrawnZ in Laguna Shrimp colour, which has become a confidence colour for me, while Sean started with the Opening Night colour in the PrawnZ, rigged on a TT 1/16oz 1L TT HeadlockZ Finesse jighead.
We were both fishing 1-3kg spin combos, consisting of 7’ long rods and 1000 size spin reels. The TT Red Belly 1-3kg rod, paired up with an Okuma Ceymar HD spin reel, is super light in the hand, allowing you to cast all day. This combo was spooled with Platypus Pulse X8 Braid in white colour, allowing for superb visibility in low light conditions. We were also using Platypus Hard Armour Supple monofilament leader in 10lb, giving plenty of protection in case we came across any extra toothy critters.
As we worked upstream, I landed a few fish. Nothing huge, however I noted that Sean’s catch rate was a lot higher than mine. Knowing that we were both fishing around some similar elements, I was eager to find out if there was anything he may have been doing that was getting him the extra nibbles. This is the great thing about fishing with mates. Whilst the banter is nonstop there are no secrets as the aim is always to maximize the number of fish caught.
Water quality is always a deciding factor when rigging up any plastic and this has been covered in many articles and videos. I had swapped from Laguna Shrimp colour to a more natural colour in Slam Shady, in the same 2.5” PrawnZ profile. This had improved my catch rate some, however I felt as though it could still be improved. The day turned into a beautiful sunny day, with little cloud cover and even as the tide was creeping in the water quality was still very good.
I experimented with some different colours in the ZMan PrawnZ, including Sexy Penny and Blood Oil, hoping to unlock the code, but they didn’t seem to make a huge difference. As the sun was getting lower in the sky, we headed back toward the launch spot to come up with a game plan for day two, Sunday. During the day’s debrief, whilst washing down the yaks, I caught a glimpse of some of the plastics that Sean had rigged up. This gave me plenty of ideas as to the direction with which I would start the Sunday morning session. With new leaders tied on and plastics rigged, I hit the swag as an early start was fast approaching.
With the yaks launched, we headed out toward some jetties and bridges in search of the morning’s first fish. The largest take away from last night’s debrief was that I was probably fishing too heavy in terms of jigheads. In my local system we don’t have large variations in tides, while this estuary on the other hand was very different. This had meant that the way that I had approached edges and set up drifts was quite different, whether drifting with the tide or holding position into the current.
I found myself closer to the drain or edge and therefore didn’t need the extra weight for casting distance. I switched most of my jigheads to 1/12oz TT HeadlockZ Finesse jigheads and after a few casts found that this was enough weight to place the cast, while giving the plastic a more natural sink rate. I had also changed the colour of my ZMan PrawnZ to Opening Night, as this was the closest colour to match the bait that we were finding flicking around.
From the first few casts, it was evident that the changes I had made overnight had an instant impact. These small tweaks, with the added time to allow my lighter presentation to reach the bottom, resulted in a better catch rate. With this extra confidence gained from my gear changes, I even tied a ZMan 2.5” ST GrubZ in Opening Night colour on the same weight jighead. After a quick check to make sure that it was swimming correctly, I applied some Pro-Cure Super Gel Scent and pitched the presentation deep into the mouth of a great looking drain. Fish on!
Over the two days fishing and exploring, I had gone from what I knew worked in my local estuary to adapting these techniques to suit the new surroundings. I have now had the opportunity to fish in my local estuary system using the new techniques learned during these two sessions. Accuracy of casting and allowing enough time for your chosen plastic to reach the desired depth are the two biggest takeaways from that weekend.
Whilst the systems are many kilometers apart, much of the food source for the target species remains the same. Crustaceans, including prawns and crabs, along with small baitfish, form a major part of many fish species diets and as the saying goes ‘match the hatch’.
Hope this helps you next time you are out on the water in your local system or exploring a creek located hours from home.
Bent rods and taut lines,
Foggy
Gearing Up:
TT Red Belly Spin Rods – RBS701L 7’ 1-3kg
Okuma Ceymar HD Spin Reels – CHD-1000HA
Platypus Pulse X8 Braid – 6lb
Platypus Stealth FC Leader – 10lb
ZMan 2.5” PrawnZ
ZMan 2.5” ST GrubZ
TT DemonZ Jigheads – 1/6oz 1
TT HeadlockZ Finesse Jigheads – 1/12oz 1
Pro-Cure Super Gel Scent