hard body basics!

[breamdude]

hey all, I fish regulary with softs for bream but have been snagging up frequently on rocky bottoms. ive come to the conclusion that bibbed floating/diving lures are the solution.

i no that these things "dive" because they have bibs, but do they really get down enough. i had a play with a mini crawdad that only seemed to swim 30-50cm below surface when i pulled the rod tip vertically down. - is this enough for bream? -do other lures dive deeper? -are there refined methods for working hardbodies? - what ones to use?

ive heard of retrieves like the "buhsy technique" and the "aggrivated twitch" and that you have to tie special loop knots to the lures for better swimming action..

*any help would be appreciated

thanks, MP

[Craig_S]

Breamdude, you raise a number of things there for sure:)

Firstly, dont write off your plastics because of a few snags. You can go with the weedless rig which should help out a fair bit.

In terms of diving depth of hardbodies, almost any depth could be appropriate depending upon where you are fishing. Lure depths are going to range from almost nothing (like the Yozuri snap shad) down to the 2.5-3m deep divers like the big scorps. I think the more common varieties like the Oargees are going to be in the 1m range.

The loop knot you are referring too is also very handy. How to tie one has been described in these forums somewhere although its much easier to demonstrate than describe. Basically the knot is intended to allow a more free swimming action to your lure without adding weight by using a clip.

In terms of action most of the guys I've seen are going with a very slow retrieve with very small, if any, twitches as the lure is worked back. The "aggrivated twitch" you refer to is a term used in one of the Breamin vids to describe a jiggy type retrieve. It worked pretty well in that circumstance but its more a matter of finding out what works best in your own spot rather than copying something else.

Whew, thats a long one for me:D

[breamdude]

thanks mate, good to see atleast 1 reply out of 32 views!

[Craig_S]

Breamdude, this is probably silly - but whats the UASB fishing Club?

[Bear]

Dude,
It all depends on the lure.

I've also found that rather than the twitch, a slow retrieve with small pauses is the best effect. This is a method our state champ, Geoff Spads, uses to great effect.

[SWANK-E]

1 reply out of 32 views... hmm, sounds like breaming!
1 hit out of 32 casts and follows....

[Stuie_02]

hey Bream dude

Why not use the SP but instead of using the regular round heads using a head with the majority of the plastic riding above the head. This will cause the SP to ride with the hook point faceing upwards. this should redeuce a lot of snags.

Also you could attach some foam (closed cell) either hang it futher up the line than the plsatic. Or attach a lead weight on the bottom and above say 40cm have a dropper and the soft plastic with no weight on it.

You can also use the traditional method of using the hook like mustad worm hooks the ones with a dos leg near the eye. Dont punch the plastic through have point sitting nearly coming out.

Am i correct in saying that the majority of snags are from below or are youcasting right into a jungle?

If your casting into a jungle i would much rather loose a cheap ruber and a jig than a $12 odd lure. i saw on bream'n 1 they changed from plastic to floating lures as they wher casting acoss the oyster racks and allowing it to float over the top.


Cheers
Stuie

Loads of follows and only a couple of bites, so be it.
Loads of people on my tram only a couple get off at my stop

[breamdude]

no jungle, just huge rocks on bottom

[Stuie_02]

Dude

Why are the bream dont the very bottom?
Usually they are middle or are a structure type fish

Floating lures would be ideal in this situation as you cast and then it comes up cant get much easier than that.

Whats with the UASB?

Cheers
Stuie