Jack gear

[nissan200mu]

Hi fellows

With all the reports flooding in of all the jacks being caught, Im really busting to catch my first.

I hear they are very strong fish and are notorious for stealing lures. I have my setup ready and hope that the jack gurus out there can be of assistance. Here is my setup:

Rod - nitro baby viper 7ft 3-6kg

Reel - stradic 5000fj

Braid - 30lb tuf line

Leader - 50lb black magic

Lures - see pic. Collected a few over the years. Most are classic lures f18s but there are also tilsan barras, flatz rat, killalure terminator, gold bombers, etc. And most of them dive to 10-15ft. Is that a good depth or do i need to go 20ft?

Location - landbased gold coast canals, pontoons and bridges fishing dusk

Time - around the high tide

Cheers

Josh

[Shane69]

What you tryna drag them out their hole.

Nice set up though itl be perfect for bay mackerel

I use certate 3500 20lb braid 30lb leader does the work. Landed few this season.

I havnt caught 1 on lure yet but have had some insane bust offs.

Lure of choice zman swimmers. Natural colours in day dark colours at night.

Use live mullet, mullet flesg n silver biddies youl get heaps of jacks lol around tide change.

[nissan200mu]

Cheers Shane. I heard that 50lb leader and 30lb braid is sometimes not even enough to stop the big fish. Got zman swimmerz and other placcies also just in case the hardbodies dont work. Got to love the surface action. Happy new year bro

[Woggie]

Mate it all depends who you talk to but I have caught Jacks up to 50cm on 10lb braid and 20lb leader. I have caught Jacks up to 43cm on 6lb braid, 10lb leader, 2-4kg stick and and a stradic 2500Ci4. Despite using this light gear, I have very seldom been busted up. I definitely think a 5000 size reel is overkill and would max it out at a 3000. A 3000 stradic for example maxes out at 7kg of drag which is ample. I wouldnt use 30lb braid either. If u still wanted to go a heavier braid than what I have mentioned, I would max out at 20lb.

I have had a great deal of success using 3 and 4 inch atomic prong soft plastics especially rigged weedless with a Gamakatsu Worm Hook. That way you choose your depth. Double hop them off the bottom and the unique shape of this hook see's 90% of fish hooked in the corner of the mouth

[Keen-as-fisho]

You definitely do not need heavy barra style gear to chase jacks, the one attached came on 8LB braid and 12LB leader went 52.5cm and on a Bream sized popper. I also like the Zman 4 inch swimmers and really loving the new 5 inch flash J's rigged on a 5/0 TT Jighead 1/6 and 1/4 sizes. The jack at the bottom was by catch chasing Bream down the Tweed river on 4LB braid and 4LB leader off the surface on a Bushies top dog :evil: So basically don't get carried away using big gear, try an array of lures and SP's or bait if that's your thing.

[nissan200mu]

Mate it all depends who you talk to but I have caught Jacks up to 50cm on 10lb braid and 20lb leader. I have caught Jacks up to 43cm on 6lb braid, 10lb leader, 2-4kg stick and and a stradic 2500Ci4. Despite using this light gear, I have very seldom been busted up. I definitely think a 5000 size reel is overkill and would max it out at a 3000. A 3000 stradic for example maxes out at 7kg of drag which is ample. I wouldnt use 30lb braid either. If u still wanted to go a heavier braid than what I have mentioned, I would max out at 20lb.

I have had a great deal of success using 3 and 4 inch atomic prong soft plastics especially rigged weedless with a Gamakatsu Worm Hook. That way you choose your depth. Double hop them off the bottom and the unique shape of this hook see's 90% of fish hooked in the corner of the mouth

Thanks woggie. Might downgrade to 20lb braid

[RUSSIAN]

I have had a great deal of success using 3 and 4 inch atomic prong soft plastics especially rigged weedless with a Gamakatsu Worm Hook.

Hey mate, just a quick ques due to my inexperience with weedless plastics- When you rig these plastics 'weedless' do you add any extra weight to them or just fish them with the worm style hook and the plastic itself?

Cheers

Anthony

[nissan200mu]

You definitely do not need heavy barra style gear to chase jacks, the one attached came on 8LB braid and 12LB leader went 52.5cm and on a Bream sized popper. I also like the Zman 4 inch swimmers and really loving the new 5 inch flash J's rigged on a 5/0 TT Jighead 1/6 and 1/4 sizes. The jack at the bottom was by catch chasing Bream down the Tweed river on 4LB braid and 4LB leader off the surface on a Bushies top dog :evil: So basically don't get carried away using big gear, try an array of lures and SP's or bait if that's your thing.

[attachment=59263]PA210400_2012-12-31.JPG[/attachment]

[attachment=59264]PB200333.JPG[/attachment]

Thanks mate..looks like i might chase these jacks using my medium estuary outfit instead. Lox yoshi 2-5kg, stradic 3000, 6lb fireline, 12lb vanish, locked drag.

Did the jack destroy your bream popper? Just not sure if the hooks on them are strong enough for the jacks.

[Woggie]

I have had a great deal of success using 3 and 4 inch atomic prong soft plastics especially rigged weedless with a Gamakatsu Worm Hook.

Hey mate, just a quick ques due to my inexperience with weedless plastics- When you rig these plastics 'weedless' do you add any extra weight to them or just fish them with the worm style hook and the plastic itself?

Cheers

Anthony

Hey Anthony yeh thats cool mate...and correct, I add a small ball sinker to the bottom of my loop knot. I always tie a loop knot to give the plastic more mobility and natural action in the water and to get it down to the bottom, I always add a small ball sinker to the loop knot. It all depends on the current/depth etc but at a few of my spots, I like to use a size 00 size ball sinker with the 3inch atomic prong (on a 3/0 Gamakatsu Worm Hook) and a 0 size ball sibnker on the 4 inch prong (with a 5/0 Gamakatsu Worm Hook.

Weedless is my most preferred method of rigging plastics over the last 4 or 5 years and is pretty much the only way I fish these days as it allows your plastic to be work in hard core sturcture and dance it over rocks, tree's mangorves etc with minimal snagups. I also use this method in the impoundments through the weed for barra. An awesome way to fish.

Also, when using prongs and applying the ball sinker, I find that when I double hop my plastic off the bottom, I find that the sinker clinks up into the eye of the hook and gives off a noise similar to a real prawn as it flicks through the water

[RUSSIAN]

I have had a great deal of success using 3 and 4 inch atomic prong soft plastics especially rigged weedless with a Gamakatsu Worm Hook.

Hey mate, just a quick ques due to my inexperience with weedless plastics- When you rig these plastics 'weedless' do you add any extra weight to them or just fish them with the worm style hook and the plastic itself?

Cheers

Anthony

Hey Anthony yeh thats cool mate...and correct, I add a small ball sinker to the bottom of my loop knot. I always tie a loop knot to give the plastic more mobility and natural action in the water and to get it down to the bottom, I always add a small ball sinker to the loop knot. It all depends on the current/depth etc but at a few of my spots, I like to use a size 00 size ball sinker with the 3inch atomic prong (on a 3/0 Gamakatsu Worm Hook) and a 0 size ball sibnker on the 4 inch prong (with a 5/0 Gamakatsu Worm Hook.

Weedless is my most preferred method of rigging plastics over the last 4 or 5 years and is pretty much the only way I fish these days as it allows your plastic to be work in hard core sturcture and dance it over rocks, tree's mangorves etc with minimal snagups. I also use this method in the impoundments through the weed for barra. An awesome way to fish.

Also, when using prongs and applying the ball sinker, I find that when I double hop my plastic off the bottom, I find that the sinker clinks up into the eye of the hook and gives off a noise similar to a real prawn as it flicks through the water

Thanks man-appriciate it

BCF here I come :whistle:

[Gloomy Samurai]

I have had a great deal of success using 3 and 4 inch atomic prong soft plastics especially rigged weedless with a Gamakatsu Worm Hook.

Hey mate, just a quick ques due to my inexperience with weedless plastics- When you rig these plastics 'weedless' do you add any extra weight to them or just fish them with the worm style hook and the plastic itself?

Cheers

Anthony

Hi Anthony

A lot of the weedless hooks come with weights attached. TT Snakeheads are a popular type of jighead to use with the weights already attached.

Andrew

[Keen-as-fisho]

Thanks mate..looks like i might chase these jacks using my medium estuary outfit instead. Lox yoshi 2-5kg, stradic 3000, 6lb fireline, 12lb vanish, locked drag.

Did the jack destroy your bream popper? Just not sure if the hooks on them are strong enough for the jacks.

No, I tend to upgrade most trebles from standard, lately I have been using the Gama wide gap trebles. But having said that those couple above where just standard owners that came with the lure. Your medium combo sounds spot on, don't 'lock' the drag you'll pull the hooks just keep it firm. Good luck

[nissan200mu]

Thanks mate..looks like i might chase these jacks using my medium estuary outfit instead. Lox yoshi 2-5kg, stradic 3000, 6lb fireline, 12lb vanish, locked drag.

Did the jack destroy your bream popper? Just not sure if the hooks on them are strong enough for the jacks.

No, I tend to upgrade most trebles from standard, lately I have been using the Gama wide gap trebles. But having said that those couple above where just standard owners that came with the lure. Your medium combo sounds spot on, don't 'lock' the drag you'll pull the hooks just keep it firm. Good luck

Sweet as. Thanks buddy

[PlasticFantastic]

Gear required for jacks depends more on where you're trying to catch them, personally 20lb braid and 20lb leader is usually sufficient but if you're casting in between a lot of poles or structure then heavier gear could be required. They don't really fight all that hard until they get up over 50cm and then it's a different game. So I'd be going for 20 and 20lb combo.

Cheers

Mark

[nissan200mu]

I intend on targeting them at night with big lures in heavy structure so big fish is on my mind. I will have both my combos with me just to be on the safe side. Cheers Mark

[Doobsy]

Wouldn't go heavier than 20lb with lures.

They're as fickle as bream...

[Woggie]

I have had a great deal of success using 3 and 4 inch atomic prong soft plastics especially rigged weedless with a Gamakatsu Worm Hook.

Hey mate, just a quick ques due to my inexperience with weedless plastics- When you rig these plastics 'weedless' do you add any extra weight to them or just fish them with the worm style hook and the plastic itself?

Cheers

Anthony

Hi Anthony

A lot of the weedless hooks come with weights attached. TT Snakeheads are a popular type of jighead to use with the weights already attached.

Andrew