# Plastics, HB Lures or Bait



## Neal013 (Dec 19, 2012)

Gday everyone

Over the xmas break yakfishing in my old home town (Forster) i noticed alot of people fishing with bait out of kayaks. This got me thinking as i only use plastics and HB lures.

Do alot of you guys use Bait or more so stick with the plastics and HB lures?


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## spork (Jan 21, 2012)

I seldom use bait. Not saying I always catch more fish on lures, but I enjoy that style of fishing more.
Having said that, last time I went fishing I caught a couple of squid - one to eat and one for a livebait.
Pickers were biting the tails off my SP's as fast as I could re-rig, so I ended up using bits of tentacle to replace the tails and did catch a few fish, even if they were only wrasse.


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## GcNinja (Dec 29, 2012)

Hi mate,

I'm a soft plastics man myself, have been hell bent on perfecting the art of soft plastics and lures to catch fish.
Its somewhat a personal vendetta(my family are die hard bait fisherman), to get really good with them to 
prove to my family they are much more effective. So far i think im catching a few more than they are.

Cheers,
Chris


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## Cresta57 (Oct 30, 2011)

I tend to troll lures & drift soft plastics. Rarely I'll pump some nippers if the wife fancies a feed of whiting. Usually though I only take a flathead or two, just enough to feed the two of us. I'd rather eat nice fresh fish than fill my freezer.


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## Jeffen (Jan 18, 2011)

I was predominantly a bait fisho until I started kayak fishing.

Kayaking prompted me to seriously try soft plastics, and I'm more than happy with the results. 
I also use metal slugs, and a few hardbodies depending on the location, but it has certainly converted my to the ease and simplicity of plastics.

What I hated about plastics in the past was Tailor. They destroy them. I recently (as a test) went through an old packet of gulps in about 15 minutes,
they are attractive to fish, but every hit ruins them. Since I found the near indestructable Zman plastics, I haven't looked back.

In the right place, for a targeted species, I would still use bait, but for most estuary species, I find plastics are the go.


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## Dodge (Oct 12, 2005)

Jeffen said:


> What I hated about plastics in the past was Tailor. They destroy them. I recently (as a test) went through an old packet of gulps in about 15 minutes,


Jeffen get hold of some *Snapbacks* as they will cope with the tailor OK

http://www.lureworld.com.au/products.php?category=874


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## Neal013 (Dec 19, 2012)

havnt had alot to do with Zman plastics. been meaning to get a pack and give them a go. anycolour or type work well on the GC for you guys?


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## Jeffen (Jan 18, 2011)

Dodge said:


> Jeffen said:
> 
> 
> > What I hated about plastics in the past was Tailor. They destroy them. I recently (as a test) went through an old packet of gulps in about 15 minutes,
> ...


I've heard that Snapbacks are actually the same as Zmans - possibly same company.


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## Guest (Jan 3, 2013)

Comment removed


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## Dodge (Oct 12, 2005)

Jeffen said:


> I've heard that Snapbacks are actually the same as Zmans - possibly same company.


That could well be correct as they are as soft as Zmans to the touch, and from the states.


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## straydog (Jan 1, 2013)

Ok so am only new to kayaking , went for my first paddle the other day and trolled a few hard bodied lures out the back with no luck . they picked up weed , spent more time skipping across the surface than swimming beneath . Am not much of a fisho but am keen to learn . I found if i slowed my paddling down they stayed under water . If trolling how fast do you paddle ? Want to try soft plastics but never used them before , what is the technique ? can you drift in the current with them ? or do you cast and retrieve ? any advise is welcome . Need to bring a fish home for the dinner table !!!! location would be tweed , brunswick , ballina and evans rivers . Cheers


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## spork (Jan 21, 2012)

hey stray.
If you keep getting weed you are: 
- too shallow.
- lures dive too deep.
Try along the edge of weedbeds, or using shallow running lures over weedbeds, or sand-flats. Soft plastics rigged "weedless" can be dynamite.

Skipping across the surface:
-you are trolling too fast for that particular lure (unless it's a popper!)
-line may be fouled on the (usually front) trebble.
Get a lure that suits a fast retrieve (most metal slices, some bibless minnows, possible some SP's). Paddle slower. You may want to replace trebles with singles.

How fast do you paddle? - Depends on the lure and the depth you want to work it as well as the species you are targeting.

Soft plastics - these are great! Cheap (compared to HB's - unless toads or tailor are nipping the tails off) and super versatile. You can fish the rigged weedless. You can troll them (I use a fairly heavy jig-head for trolling them) you can cast and retrieve them or you can (I find this is particularly effective) just "deadstick" them, ie: drop them to the bottom or just above, stick rod in holder, wait for fish! This works best while drifting, but have caught fish when anchored up also, as the motion of the waves tends to move the 'yak, which jigs the lure up and down. Try this while casting with a 2nd rod.

Without knowing your area I'll make some other suggestions that should help you to catch something:
Smaller lures tend to get more bites than big ones. Elephants eat peanuts, but not all bream will eat a 6" pilchard.
Small hooks catch more fish than big hooks. I've had two hooks straighten and one break in my life. Have caught heaps of fish land based while people around me struggled to catch a thing. Often small fish, but I'd sooner go home with a feed of garfish than a donut!
Don't use heavier line than you need. I find 6lb braid with a 6 - 12lb leader plenty for most of my bay and estuary fishing.

Good luck, look forward to you trip reports with fish pics!


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## straydog (Jan 1, 2013)

Excellent response , now to put it into practice . will defiantly keep up posts of progress and trip reports . thanks to all who have responded to my questions . much better getting advise from here than the the bloke selling the product . Cheers and thanks again


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## straydog (Jan 1, 2013)

PS ....... i like the part about the "Deadstick " sounds like my type of fishing .


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## Neal013 (Dec 19, 2012)

hey straya

check out you tube for techniques and how to rig your soft plastics. it does take alot of practice to get it right but once you get there it is well worth it.


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## scoman (Oct 4, 2010)

Have gone back to using a bit of bait again. Been experimenting with some gourmet prawns.

Just do what you want. Lures and hardbodies are fun and take a heap of practice. But there is no shame in bait.


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