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Tips & Tricks To Catch
More Fish In Saltwater
Salt Water Fishing Tips
Drop a Dropper
When jigging tie on a salt water fly or soft plastic bait above the jig, using a dropper
loop. Some theorise that fish are competitive and the jig looks like a fish chasing a
smaller bait fish and dart in to steal the food.
Knotty Problems
Tying good knots is a skill all fishermen must master if they are to be successful in
catching fish. Two factors are important in tying good secure knots. The first is
practice, and plenty of it. The second is having a good knot guide or book to teach how to
tie the various knots needed when fishing.
Practice is something we cannot help you with, but knot books we can. Get hold of the
‘Little Red Knot Book’. This little pocket sized gem includes over 50 knots, all
clearly illustrated with excellent tying instructions.
Pretty In Pink
This next tip has no scientific basis that we know of. But what we do know is that using
pink balloons to hold up a live bait seems to attract more kingis to the bait.
When using a balloon as a live bait float remember to tie the balloon off to the rod end
of the swivel. If you tie it off to the bait end you can almost guarantee leader line
twist and tangles.
Light Up Puka Droppers
When rigging up puka droppers get hold of some lumo tubing and thread the dropper loop
through the lumo tube before tying on the hook. The lumo tube adds some light down in the
dark depths, and it adds extra stiffness to the dropper loop to help stop the loop
wrapping around the main line on the way down.
Sir Johnathan Dory
If John Dory is not the best eating fish in the ocean it must run a very close second. A
lazy way to catch these wonderful fish is to impale a small bait fish on a hook, on a loop
above a sinker or jig, and lower the rig to the bottom and then wind up a few turns to
hold the bait above the bottom. Leave the rod in the holder, and wait for dinner.
Deeper Tuna Tactics
Try one of the new in-line tuna trolling weights. These weights pull the lure just down
below the surface where many tuna like to feed. The weights come in a variety of weights
so you can quickly make adjustments to suit trolling speed and sea conditions.
If it wriggles, bite it.
When fishing in a current with a sinker rigged on the bottom of your terminal tackle, try
rigging one of the soft plastic baits on a hook above the baited hook. These soft plastic
baits very require very little movement to set up a very enticing wriggle.
Some of the newer soft plastic baits include fish attracting odours and some even include
real fish flesh in the plastic.
Trolling Going Nowhere
More on the fishing at anchor in a strong current theme. If the current is really strong
try rigging up a bibbed lure of the Rapala type on a spare rod, and letting it out about
20 metres or so behind the boat. Put the rod in the rod holder, the reel out of gear with
the ratchet on, and let the current do the work.
Lazy Man Jigging
If conditions are lumpy while you are sitting at anchor rig up a jig on a spare rod, put
the rod in a rod holder and lower the jig to the bottom. Lift the jig up a metre or so,
and then put the reel on the ratchet and let the lumpy sea do the jigging for you.
Lead head jigs rigged with a soft plastic bait are lethal using this method. Catch a lot
of John Dory this way.
Sideways is Better
If you must cut pilchards or any other whole fish baits into halves, do not cut straight
across the body. Cut at an angle from the head to tail.
This exposes more of the flesh oil and juices to attract fish.
Trolling Dead Bait Trick
Try pulling a lure skirt or small lure over the heads of your trolled live baits. The
skirt seems to add more movement to dead baits and the skirt really sets your bait apart
from other bait fish. This technique is routinely used in many other parts of the world
with great success.
Flash Sinkers
Fish do not feed by smell alone. They are also attracted by bright shiny things. Things
flashing under water may indicate prey to predator fish. So before you drop that dull
sinker over the side give it a scrape with the back of a knife or file to silver it up.
Every little bit helps.
Crispy Frozen Bait
Many fishers complain that they don’t like using pilchards as bait because they are
too soft and come off the hook too easily. Mostly this is because they are unfrozen before
use. After an hour or so sitting on the bait board they are only of any further use in the
berley pot.
Keep pillies chilled until you need them, and only take enough out of the chilly bin for
your immediate needs. The baits should be in crispy chilled condition, just enough to get
the hook through the flesh. Remember fish appear to have almost no ability to tell hot
from cold.
X Marks The Spot
Setting the boat in just the right spot to get the baits back onto fish can be a real pain
in a current or wind. Once you have marked the fish on the sounder, drop a sheet of
newspaper over the side to mark the spot. This does not move much, even in a strong wind.
Then anchor up and see how you lie in relationship to your paper marker.
A better idea is one of the new marker buoys designed to do this job for you. These buoys
stay firmly in place and make your job of getting in place a breeze.
As most of us know only too well, when it comes to anchoring sometimes even a few boat
lengths out of line means the difference between a fry-up or out with the frozen dinner.
Nothing Works Like A Good Spanking
There are days when kingis are all about in the berley trail but treating your live bait
with utter disdain. Sometimes kingis seem to need a bit of excitement, a bit of aggro to
turn them on. Give the water a good spanking with an oar or paddle. Try slashing a rod tip
in figure eights through the water beside the boat. Chucking a bucket of water or two in
an arc over the area also seems to help. If you have a strong hose down system give the
water round the boat a good spray.
Tie And Re-Tied
Nothing will succeed in losing a good fish like using yesterdays knots.
Knots put the line under tension, and mono under tension tries to recover its shape
placing the line under more tension. The longer time a knot is left the more the tension
builds up, the weaker the knot becomes.
Always un-rig a rod after a days fishing and re-tie your terminal rigs on the next day
out.
The better fishermen we know will even go to the trouble of re-tying traces and terminal
rigs after a good fish. They know that the fight of a good fish will terminally damage any
knot, and the next fish they hook may be that prized trophy fish.
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