Bang ..bang.. bang head.. smash lures .. gnash teeth

[TheChief]

Just unlucky. Happens all the time, you better get used to it.

[Camo88]

All the times I've tried singles, they just frustrated me more! Reduced my hook up rate considerably! Not to say it wouldn't work well for others though. The extra split ring works really well on larger lures, dog-x and dog-x jnr, sugapens and floating lures with larger gauge hooks. Just allows the treble to move more freely independently to the lure itself. So my thinking is on a small lure like a micro-vibe which doesn't have a huge amount of action and a smaller treble range of movement (as opposed to a slimline lure's rear treble) will have a "stiffer" hook. Extra split ring, longer lever arm, larger treble range and able to swing more freely.
Could be entirely wrong but it makes sense to me.

Camo

[vxcalais]

Originally Posted by Sloth

Yeah ... I'd read that too but I only had the 36s as replacements after the originals were destroyed. I've caught fish with the 36 equipped vibe so it still works ... hard to know if I miss fish though ... Probably need to get some lighter gauge 11s - only downside is they don't last long.

If going the ST-36 use the smaller size. As i have mentioned before, go the Decoy trebles or VMC red ones. Only use straight through fluoro on a stiffer rod. Otherwise use braid and leader fluoro. I have dropped many fish as such, and purely because striaght through fluoro and and soft tip = too much stretch. On a Crank bait, no probs, but on plastics and these lil things, you need to sink those trebles, especially in the harder mouth or a bigger bream. Also get a berkley knife/hook sharpener and touch those trebles up in between fish and snags.

Dont get hung up on the shimmy on the drop thing, i dont believe its important. Some may differ.

Originally Posted by Sloth

8lb super PE braid in this case - though I do sometimes fish them on 5lb fc straight-thru. Slightly lift your rod eh? Hmmm ... Was thinking on piscateurs comment earlier as well. Might need to tone my strike down a bit I think

Dont jerk the vibe. Watch the line on the drop. With sharp trebles and strong tip with no stretch, a small movement will sink the trebles, cause they will try to swim straight down with it. The key is then to not let the line go loose on them, too much slack line in the fight and their gone. Trebles only have a short gape. Sometimes though, if lucky they take it so hard that all 3 trebles are imbedded and twisted in their mouths. They never come off. Good luck !

[redfinfisho]

could also be the fact your using straight through flouro and not braid but it's just bad luck

[bonscottfan]

i've always used braid/leader with no worries at all,have found high rod tip and watching the line for any taps and just "feeling" the line what i mean is dont be too hasty and let the bream do its thing,it can be very easy to strike at the sudden tap you feel when its being enquired at-you'll suss it out mate and when you do the bream will do something completely different and keep you guessing and thats what we love about it lol

[Piscateur]

Talking specifically in the docks, mind you these are just my observations, they are in no way correct and will change from time to time

I haven't found much difference using the ST36 in size 16 for the micros. The UL would last 3 to 5 fish on average, sometimes one fish. So it get pretty frustrating continually changing trebles. Ive had a ST see out a 60 odd fish session

With using two split rings, although I haven't tried it, it may cause more hook catching on lure or line issues on the drop. Having not tried this I dunno about the hookup and staying connected rate, but ya never know unless you give it a go.

As to the timing of strike it varies with fish, but for bream in the docks if I feel a tick I will lift the rod immediately, by just lifting he rod. I believe the tick you feel is when the fish sucks the lure in, but that just me guessing. if the line stops on the drop fish has got it in it mouth so again strike immediately.

HTH

[Sloth]

I name this fish "Mojo" - he came back to me this morning.




Things I did differently - in one word - "calm".

Taken on the drop. The line stopped and I gave it a few seconds before just a small firm raise of the rod tip with my wrist. I'd also backed off my drag and given he was running to open water I let him take line, kept it tight but didn't overly pressure him. Played him a little more than normally would, nothing excessive but just took a little more time and care to ensure I landed him.

Based on comments above (thanks everyone) - and I know its hard to analyse something with so many factors - but I think yesterday was down to:

a) Inexperience - just too keen/vigorous on the strike.
b) I was fishing with barbless hooks, a tightish drag and a stiff telescopic rod. I think this combo was my undoing on the fish that got off with a case of vigorous head shakes.

I saw some decent fish again this morning. Follows but no takes. I switched to a hummer vibe with stingers.... had one near miss where a bream tried to take it near the surface but too be honest it drops out of the zone too quick and the bream seem shy of it. More of a bottom lure I think. It scares me looking at it so I can understand why they shy away


I'm going to do an experiment of one and add stingers to a micro and see what happens. Think I'm going to go with the ST36 in 16 over the ultralights as well. See if I can turn some of those close follows/inspections into hookups.

Otherwise I think I just need to keep logging the hours and learning the lessons

One of this big brutes has my name on it. I want one before the end of summer (I hope it’s not water magnification - lol).

[greggo_1]

Good work there mate. You've certainly come a long way in the last few weeks.

Dont beat yourself up over dropped or lost fish. There's good days and bad days. I've had sessions there on micro"s where landing/success rate is around 95%, only to drop to 15% the next day, using the same techniques. It will do your head in if you start doubting yourself. I know there's a few guys on here who have been witness to some of my 15% days, I'm probably the reason why they banned fishing there.

Cheers, Greggo

[vxcalais]

Originally Posted by Sloth

I name this fish "Mojo" - he came back to me this morning.




Things I did differently - in one word - "calm".

Taken on the drop. The line stopped and I gave it a few seconds before just a small firm raise of the rod tip with my wrist. I'd also backed off my drag and given he was running to open water I let him take line, kept it tight but didn't overly pressure him. Played him a little more than normally would, nothing excessive but just took a little more time and care to ensure I landed him.

Based on comments above (thanks everyone) - and I know its hard to analyse something with so many factors - but I think yesterday was down to:

a) Inexperience - just too keen/vigorous on the strike.
b) I was fishing with barbless hooks, a tightish drag and a stiff telescopic rod. I think this combo was my undoing on the fish that got off with a case of vigorous head shakes.

I saw some decent fish again this morning. Follows but no takes. I switched to a hummer vibe with stingers.... had one near miss where a bream tried to take it near the surface but too be honest it drops out of the zone too quick and the bream seem shy of it. More of a bottom lure I think. It scares me looking at it so I can understand why they shy away


I'm going to do an experiment of one and add stingers to a micro and see what happens. Think I'm going to go with the ST36 in 16 over the ultralights as well. See if I can turn some of those close follows/inspections into hookups.

Otherwise I think I just need to keep logging the hours and learning the lessons

One of this big brutes has my name on it. I want one before the end of summer (I hope it’s not water magnification - lol).

The hummer is a great lure, especially for searching the likes of the Nong etc. It will come into its own in the Docks when you fish in the Winter and they are sitting on the bottom.

Went to the opening of a new store of the Damiki Distributer today in Deer Park. Got some sinking Bully Boos and other goodies to try on these buggers.

[Sloth]

Originally Posted by greggo_1

Good work there mate. You've certainly come a long way in the last few weeks.

Dont beat yourself up over dropped or lost fish. There's good days and bad days. I've had sessions there on micro"s where landing/success rate is around 95%, only to drop to 15% the next day, using the same techniques. It will do your head in if you start doubting yourself. I know there's a few guys on here who have been witness to some of my 15% days, I'm probably the reason why they banned fishing there.

Cheers, Greggo

Cheers Greggo. I've definitely improved in finding them but too be honest that's mainly water clarity and walking. Lots if walking. Have half a dozen spots now where I'm confident I can present a lure to a bream. Some spots hold fish so consistently it's uncanny. Usually though I only get follows. I tried the micro with added stingers and a big bream went for it. I should have struck but didn't and he head shook and was off ... Next time.

Had a quick look after work for 30 mins and it was dead. Tried a vx35 but nothing so called it a day.

Would like to get one on something other than a micro as well. I picked up a new one in the city today. Lost it on 3rd cast. Must be a record ? not going to say how I lost it but let's just say I also have to tie a new leader tonight and leave it at that

[Sloth]

Originally Posted by vxcalais

The hummer is a great lure, especially for searching the likes of the Nong etc. It will come into its own in the Docks when you fish in the Winter and they are sitting on the bottom.

Went to the opening of a new store of the Damiki Distributer today in Deer Park. Got some sinking Bully Boos and other goodies to try on these buggers.

Yeah I have a couple of hummer and vx35s ready for when they go deep. The only thing that seems to work for me is the micros. I've tried medium and deep cranks as well as sinking sticks but not got much interest. I just sent a bunch of baby vibes and sticks off to geneo to give them the ju015tl treatment - will see if that makes a difference.

Good luck on the weekend - going to get hot again next week so I reckon it will fire up. My morning sessions during the heat wave were my most productive to date*


* productive for me which is double fish not double figures

[vxcalais]

Originally Posted by Sloth

Yeah I have a couple of hummer and vx35s ready for when they go deep. The only thing that seems to work for me is the micros. I've tried medium and deep cranks as well as sinking sticks but not got much interest. I just sent a bunch of baby vibes and sticks off to geneo to give them the ju015tl treatment - will see if that makes a difference.

Good luck on the weekend - going to get hot again next week so I reckon it will fire up. My morning sessions during the heat wave were my most productive to date*


* productive for me which is double fish not double figures

Yesterdays rain can either flush the Docks even clearer, or hopefully turn the water a bit more murky.

It's a confidence thing, and for a place like the Docks, for land based the micro is a great lure as you can put it where it needs to be and doesn't snag up on the bottom. At the area especially where you like to fish, as the base of those pylons are killer snags. No blade is coming out of there ! Everything in the water just g ets caught up in there and tangled.

Please post the pics to the pimped lures !

[BloodWorm]

Originally Posted by Piscateur

I haven't found much difference using the ST36 in size 16 for the micros. The UL would last 3 to 5 fish on average, sometimes one fish. So it get pretty frustrating continually changing trebles. Ive had a ST see out a 60 odd fish session

Thanks for that, I will have to give the ST36s a go. You don't get much mileage out of the UL.

[Sloth]

Originally Posted by vxcalais

Yesterdays rain can either flush the Docks even clearer, or hopefully turn the water a bit more murky.

It's a confidence thing, and for a place like the Docks, for land based the micro is a great lure as you can put it where it needs to be and doesn't snag up on the bottom. At the area especially where you like to fish, as the base of those pylons are killer snags. No blade is coming out of there ! Everything in the water just g ets caught up in there and tangled.

Please post the pics to the pimped lures !

Yep .. will post up the pimped ones. I think with the fish sitting high at the moment the great feature of the micro is its slow sink rate. Anything else flies past them too fast. I really should give an unweighted/lightly weighted plastic another go ... losing hardbodies can get a bit exxy and I've lost a few during the learning process....

One thing I noticed yesterday were spots where bubbles were coming up from the depths. Wasn't sure if that was a sign of bream grubbing around on the bottom or if it was just natural gases from decomposition or whatever ....

[Piscateur]

Originally Posted by BloodWorm

Thanks for that, I will have to give the ST36s a go. You don't get much mileage out of the UL.

this was very docks specific, so the ul may be more effective elsewhere. I'm thinking with such a pressurised system like the docks a slightly faster sink rate ( we're talking a very slightly) may get a better reaction bite with less time to react. theories, theories, theories, haha