Tackle Tactics » Tips-Techniques » Sweetwater-Impoundments-Brackish » The Whole Package

The Whole Package

By Ken Smith

Again, it was struck home to me the importance of having everything required to deliver an offering to a fish, whether it be lure, fly or bait. I was fishing amongst a group of bank anglers who were mostly throwing winged style lures that are so popular for trout, for the voracious trout out in front. Several kayakers were trolling hard bodied lures along the bank in front, for no luck, and the winged lure throwers were also coming up with donuts. I hooked a third trout and an audience soon gathered as I played it to the bank, where a young fella took much pleasure in holding the fish, before releasing it.

His dad opened his tackle box and asked me what should he use? I looked to see a tackle box full of winged lures and nothing else. I laughed and said to him that it would be like playing a round of golf with just one club. The lure that I was using was a ZMan 2” GrubZ in Bubble Gum colour, fished on a TT RevlockZ jighead, the brass blade smeared with Pro-Cure Super Gel Scent. I cut the plastic from the end of my line and handed it to the young fella to use, as well as offering the rest of the Bubble Gum GrubZ in the packet to other anglers… except one, which I would rig up again to be fished from the boat that I was soon to launch.

I watched in frustration as a few anglers tied the grubs on gear that was totally unsuitable for casting these lightweight offerings. The father of the young fella came over to me to thank me again and ask quite a few questions as he was new to the freshwater scene. I explained to him that he needed a balanced outfit that could cast these lightweight offerings out as far as where the trout were holding. I explained his beach rod set up was fine for the beach but not for this type of fishing.

I ran through my setup with him. The rod I was using was an Okuma Helios 7’0”, 1-3kg, matched with an Okuma Helios SX 20 reel, loaded with 10lb Platypus Bionic Braid, and running a rod length fluorocarbon leader, which was Platypus Stealth FC. The plastic setup was a three-way system, the first being a spinning blade on the TT Revlockz jighead, which mimics the characteristics of the famous Mepps or Celta type inline spinner lures. The second was the action of the curl tailed GrubZ which so many fish find irresistible and the third was the application of the Pro-Cure scent. This guy was so keen to learn that he took notes on the line and the leader and took a picture of the rod and reel as well as the GrubZ, rigged ready to fish.

The fishing for the rest of the day for me was amazing as numerous large trout up to 4kg fell to the setup I was fishing. I had now launched the boat and was fishing banks far away from the crowds on the bank near the boat ramp. Just drifting along with a gentle breeze or a touch of the electric motor, with the sounder turned off, saw me constantly hooking up to these magnificent trophy rainbow trout. Twice I caught two fish in two casts.

I called it a day as the sky darkened and the cold late winter breeze started to blow. On a later trip, back to the dam, I was very pleased to see most anglers were now fishing ZMan GrubZ from the bank and many advising others they were the go-to lure. It just reinforces to me that it’s not just only about having the right lure, you also need to be able to deliver the lure to the fish, in a manner that fools them into eating it.

So, my mental notes for that day were:

1. Have the right lure, fly, bait, plastic in the kit.
2. Have the right gear to deliver the offering to where the fish are - rod, reel, line, and leader.
3. Give yourself the most chances of catching - correct jigheads and enhancements such as scent or a bladed jighead like the TT RevlockZ. The colour of the plastic may also be very UV reactive, which itself could be a factor in why fish will readily take an offering.
4. Know how to fish / retrieve your offering, including how deep to let it sink before starting the correct speed retrieve, so that everything works to its best advantge.

Catching fish constantly is not just luck, it’s about giving yourself the very best chance you can, with both your preparation and selection of gear, along with the knowledge of how and where to use it. Stay tuned to future issues of the Inspire Newsletter and never stop learning.

Cheers, Ken