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Gear Up for the Clear Up
By Jacob Iedema
As winter draws near and water temperatures decline, many fish species become more timid, wary and less aggressive. Crystal clear waters fill our bays and estuaries, in my home waters of South East Queensland, along with the seasonal predators that feast on the abundant small baitfish. Popular target species in winter include jewfish, snapper, tailor, and bream, however diamond trevally, golden trevally, queenfish and javelin fish are plentiful at this time of year and often go unnoticed. Getting a bite out of these fish in cold conditions can be a challenge, however by fishing light and using the right gear you can significantly increase your success in the winter months.
Making the clear water work in your favour can be easily achieved by fishing light and realistic presentations. Fish can rely more on sight when hunting in clear water, considerably more so than when hunting in the murky waters of big tides and summer rains. These clear conditions allow fish to see their prey from greater distances and a well-presented lure never goes unnoticed.
Soft Plastics
ZMan soft plastics are the most durable on the market, however they are also nothing short of realistic, with their soft and flexible material, and naturally buoyant construction. Soft plastics are by far my favourite style of lure and they excel in winter when the fish are slow and inactive.
Soft plastics are an incredibly versatile lure style, with the ability to rig them to fish the entire water column and are one of the most realistic presentations that you can cast. Small soft plastics often excel in winter conditions and my top five presentations are...
My Top Five Winter Soft Plastic Options
1. ZMan 2.5" Slim SwimZ
2. ZMan 2.5" GrubZ
3. ZMan 3" Slim SwimZ
4. ZMan 3.75" StreakZ
5. ZMan 2" CrusteaZ
This list includes baitfish and crustacean style presentations that are proven to be seductive and appealing to the wariest of fish.
Colour
When it comes to picking the colour of a lure for fishing in winter, choose the most subtle colours available and matching the colour of the bait in your local system is advantageous. Fish will then not look twice if interested, instead nailing the lure as it resembles other baitfish in the system being fished. Every angler has their favourites and finding the best colours, colours that you feel confident in, is the key to success.
Translucent colours are often the most effective in cold, clear water and they often match the bait that is present at this time of year. Colour is just as important as the style of lure and although every angler has their own preferences, my top five winter soft plastic colours are...
My Top Five Winter Soft Plastic Colour Options
1. Opening Night
2. Bad Shad
3. Baby Bass
4. Bloodworm
5. Blue Glimmer
Jighead Selection
It is vital that soft plastics are rigged as straight as achievable, while also finding the best suited jighead for each soft plastic and fishing application. The hook size of the jighead is relative to the soft plastic and selection guides can be found for each soft plastic in the ZMan range through the Rigging Guides section on tackletactics.com.au.
The optimal weight depends on the depth of water being fished and the amount of tidal movement. It is up to the angler to experiment and decide which weight is best for each situation, however 1/8oz to 1/4oz are great allrounders in the rivers and estuaries, giving you a lighter and heavier starting point.
TT Lures HeadlockZ HD (heavy wire hook) and Finesse (fine wire hook) jigheads are perfect basic jigheads for light tackle applications, however painted options such as the DemonZ range can add that extra bit of life to the lure by matching or contrasting colours. Another innovative product from the TT Lures range is the NedlcokZ, Ned Rig style of jighead. NedlockZ encourage a rapid stand up of the naturally buoyant ZMan soft plastic, creating a great representation of bottom dwelling worms and crustaceans.
Blades
Soft plastics are one of the most realistic lure types, however blades should have their place in every angler's tackle box throughout the cooler months. The TT Lures Switchblade is the perfect presentation, in 1/8oz and 1/4oz weights. Realistic colours are the most effective during winter, including Green Back, Green Slimy, Silver Minnow, Brown Mongrel and other natural colours.
The Switchblade comes rigged with a quick release clip and multiple attachment points to alter the lure's action and modify its vibration in the water. The various holes / attachment points on the top of the lure make it quick and easy to vary the lures action and vibration in the water to suit the mood of the fish on different days and across different seasons.
Blades are perfect for targeting jewfish, javelin fish, trevally and many more winter species, especially in deeper waters and off the beach. Switchblades cast like a bullet and demand the attention of fish, with their lifelike vibrations in the water.
Scent
Scent is often overlooked by many anglers, however it's a simple trick that can add that last touch of realism to any lure and can mean the difference between catching a fish and catching nothing. Pro-Cure scents are made with real crushed baits as well as bite stimulants and UV enhancement to attract fish and trigger strikes. Add scent to your lure and you never know what will eat it next.
Fishing Light
In winter, the biggest advantage you can have when fishing clear water is to fish light. Fishing light is all about presenting a subtle presentation that looks as realistic as possible. This is achieved by using a light spin outfit, running light lines and leaders, and using a realistic looking lure. For estuary situations a 1-3kg or 2-4kg setup is ideal, matched with 6-10lb braid and leader. This will give you a good chance of attracting rather than spooking fish, while stopping most fish that you come across in the winter months.
So, now it's time to gear up and hit the water for a winter of bent rods.
Cheers,
Jacob