Monduran-Stiffys,S-factor..success!

[Steve B]

Guys,

It has been fairly well documented by myself that I have been having a substandard summer post Xmas on the barra scene here at Monduran. There have been many factors creating this dilemma, mostly revolving around work, family and confidence.

So when I recieved a PM recently from Jas W regard a session on my dam, with him I was quite nervous. My form has been poor, and his results speak for themselves. Just to rub the salt in, we were going to use lures which I haven't really given a great deal of attention too in the past. I have Stiffies, but haven't really given them a good run. I am the first bloke to put up my hand and admit I stick to 'tried and true' method....and that has been one of my downfalls in the past...not this year.

11 am..We get on the water in Jas's skeeter..what a rocket. 38 seconds later sporting a free facelift and hairdo, we are in B arm poking around. Plenty of boats...no action. Jas dropped the DO probe into the water and we agreed it looked good. ( the abundant bait sort of gave that away anyway...no big secret there). Stiffies were flying, covered in S factor by Jas. I switched from one old favorite to the other. I spent most of this time absorbing the wealth quality info Jas was supplying whilst concentrating heavily on observing Jas working his lure..It was very different to any action I have seen or used at Monduran.

Basically for the first 3 hours we chatted, compared theories sussed out the 'right zones/pattern' ....we lacked a bit of serious concentration....result in 6 hookups/strikes on the stiffy for Jas... none landed. Nil for this duck....true to form.
'Switch to the stiffy steve' was Jas's reply. So I did. And its time we got serious. The missed fish were starting to not be funny anymore!! More swirls half strikes and dropped fish for Jas. Jas suggested I upsize the front trebble ( create a suspending stiffy) and add a little S factor. The action of the lure instantly looked better and I felt I had mastered a retrieve which gave an awesome action. I was right, half a dozen casts later..whack...the Egrell Bear 8-6 bent over as the line peeled around a tree..Gently gently manouvered into open water including some great air action. A relatively short fight later, saw a hefty 108cm on the deck. Few photos taken after the big girl got cranky resulting in a big gash in my arm where the spine tore into my forearm and came out a bit further up. No pain due to excitement (hurts like crap now).

We up stumps short time later returning to the first zone fished. Jas was keen on this spot earlier as we spooked several big fish there. This time we snuck in at a different angle. Electric down, I began wiping some S factor on my now favorite stiffy...look up to see a monster barra leap over a 3 ft high snag sticking out of the water!!...with Jas in hot pursuit on the electric. this thing didn't want to stop, nor come near the boat. Lucky we were in relatively clear water...landed in at 114cm!! Few photos later...no trauma to fish or anglers an away she went.

in the nutshell, We fished a dam which has been on the quiet side fishing wise for for some time now. In a short 4 hours or so (during the middle of the day) we raised 8-10 hookups and genuine strikes from big fish (swirls the size of spa baths) landing 2 big fish, on lures which I had been a bit 'oh yeah' about in the past. I now believe genuinely the S factor works, as do the Stiffies. I am not here to say 'get out and buy these lures' but they definatley have added a much needed 'confidence' lure to my faithful collection. The more you have the more options you possess. Like any lure, getting the correct action and working the lure to its full potential, will ultimately increase it's performance factor...no matter what the brand. That is pretty much my point here. As for the S factor, the interest/hits/swipes experienced by Jas using it, and the lack of by me not, sort of had me convinced of its worth. When I applied it and a solid hookup folllowed soon after....that was the clincher for me. Again its another positive option/tactic which makes a difference when times are tough.

So thanks Jas for the day. I have landed one or more fish on so many occassions in the past that have never really rated a report. This one fish and one short session along with a session I had with Eric Grell some time back, have completley redesigned my approach, thinking and dedication to future sessions...at any dam.

Sorry to waffle on....mabey its the septicemia in my arm talking .... but I finally had a good day again at Monduran;D

cheers Steve

[eotbmg]

Steve you may need a paramedic to look at that gash!!!
Well done guys, exciting fishing there, great shots also.
Cheers
Ben
PS did you upgrade to a 1/0 owner on the front????

[Brad Clark]

Good report Steve. The smile on your face says it all. Two questions that I hope you will share with us. What size treble did you put on the front to make it suspending and does the X factor only come in the small packets with the slick rigs or is it sold separately?

You should be proud of that wound mate. The scar will remind you of the experience forever.

[Peter4]

Nice tale Steve.

Your 'bad' season was always going to improve with some quality time on the water.

Throw JW into the mix and the odds were looking much better.

I think I would prefer a gash on the arm to a treble in the thumb!;D

Was it a double-ringed #1 Owner ST-66 on the front of the Stiffy to make it suspend?

Regs

Pete

[Barraboss]

Steve,

It's great to see someone else converted to the Boney Breams and not just me :) I find I get more hookups using the S-Factor as well in Tinaroo. If the fish gets in the "wake" behind the lure when worked hard with S-Factor, I am normally guaranteed of a hookup (even if only to be jumped off).

I would be thinking you were making the lures dart erradically and then suspending them for moments at a time????

Am interested to see what retrieve works for you down there.

Thanks for the report, am looking forward to getting down that way for a fish

Cheers
Matt

[McCod]

Steve' Great update mate! Also good to see your out of the doldrums..... Yeah the Stiffs are a great hard bait! Do you really think that the S-Factor contributed to your success rate? Its funny how a lot of emphasis is on scent these days. Last trip to Awoonga a bit over a week ago seen all our fish caught on Slick Rigs rubbed up with S-factor "Peanut Butter";D

Cheers Les

[Steve B]

Thanks fellas for the replys

ben and brad and peter,
yeah 1/0 ST66 owner, I am also thinking of doing Les's double splitring thing.

matt and Les, I reckon the lure adjustment (suspending) did the trick for me + the S factor. However, i couldn't overlook the fact Jas had 7-8 strikes/hookups to nil using it. If it doesn't work.....well..... then it certainly does no harm IMHO. I am usually a bit of a skeptic with new stuff like this. I read the thread in the SW section regarding S factor...must admit the science/ field testing factor combined with ACTUAL water test for me has me convinced. Pretty good for peanut butter;D I wont be rubbing it on my sanger!!! I read that too!!

Brad, I am not sure what the plans are to sell it seperatley...I honestly hope they do at some stage. Mate, my arm is caining today!!......Sarah tells me chicks dig scars anyway!!;D

cheers steve
thanks again fellas cheers steve

[Roo]

glad the drought has broken for you steve. I'll have to try the peanut butter next time.

Cheers Roo.

[Big_Ren]

Awesome Steve...and a battle scar to keep reminding you;) Some trophy fish alright, and nothing like having JW down at Mondy to get you out of your doldrums....imagine the facelift you would have received if Jas still had the big Yammie on the bum of the Skeet.....I think he has repowered down now to sneak up on the fish these days;D ;D

Top report mate.

Cheers
Paul

[Roo]

Guys,

...I have Stiffies, but haven't really given them a good run....

...I began wiping some S factor on my now favorite stiffy...

...I now believe genuinely the S factor works, as do the Stiffies...




Ok its been 24hrs since fist posted......fair game.....;D ;D

Being a medical kind fella steve i thought you might use the correct term "erectile dysfunction" and in which case i guess "s factor" can help you to play like sniff and stiff, i just dont get the Piercings tho'


Was it a double-ringed #1 Owner ST-66 on the front of the Stiffy to make it suspend?

Ouch!:o

;) ;D ;D

[the_matrix]

I have Stiffies, but haven't really given them a good run. I am the first bloke to put up my hand and admit I stick to 'tried and true' method....
cheers Steve
Now Im really interested, what method was utilised to conceive your kids Steve?;D Roo thats your fault;D
Thanks for a great day mate, I had an absolute ball. Its nice to fish elsewhere and apply what you know.
Thank you for showing me around the dam, Im going to try and get down there more often.
Cheers
Jas

[McCod]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve B http://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/images/buttons/viewpost.gif (http://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/showthread.php?p=807131#post807131)
Guys,

...I have Stiffies, but haven't really given them a good run....

...I began wiping some S factor on my now favorite stiffy...

...I now believe genuinely the S factor works, as do the Stiffies...




quote=Roo;807344]Ok its been 24hrs since fist posted......fair game.....;D ;D

Being a medical kind fella steve i thought you might use the correct term "erectile dysfunction" and in which case i guess "s factor" can help you to play like sniff and stiff, i just dont get the Piercings tho'



Ouch!:o

;) ;D ;D[/quote]


Roo' you & Jas cracked me ;D ...... bloody near choked on me cuppa' cough cough snort:o LOL. Wonder if the S-Factor needs some more pheromones ;D could help in the morning maybe? as all i usually get is ggggout:-X


Cheers Les

[NAGG]

Gee after reading that ....... I'm going to refer to the lure as "Bushy's boney bream" .......;D

Well done Steve .... I was wondering when you were going to come good;) .....

I'ts always good fishing with someone else ( you often pick up something new) .... Even better when its from a pro:)

Nagg

PS .... My first Mondy barra came on one of "Those lures" ..... I put a 1/0 Decoy on the back end & turned it into a slow sinker8-)

[Big_Ren]

Wonder if the S-Factor needs some more pheromones ;D could help in the morning maybe? as all i usually get is ggggout:-X


Cheers Les


Les you surprise me mate............the crack of dawn is the best time to go chasing 'em;D Thought you'd be up for it....pardon the pun;)

Cheers
Paul

[McCod]

Les you surprise me mate............the crack of dawn is the best time to go chasing 'em;D Thought you'd be up for it....pardon the pun;)

Cheers
Paul


But' But i am i am!:D
You would think i bloke would learn though after 24 years:-/ ;D


Cheers Les

[Steve B]

Roo, Les, Big Ren, chris .....

Didn't take yous long;D I re read the post after some bagging from foxie about my stiffy experience.

I was going to explain how to hold your rod with a stiffy......but I wont now:P ;D ;D ;D ha ha ha Steve

[Dick Pasfield]

Sorry fellas, I live under a rock. Whats sort of lure is a stiffy and S Factor has me stumped as well???

[Whitto]

Im definatedly not making any comment what so ever, but I must say I thought for a moment Steve was on the turn, then I thought Nahhhhhh! Whitto:D

[Roo]

Roo, Les, Big Ren, chris .....

Didn't take yous long;D I re read the post after some bagging from foxie about my stiffy experience.

I was going to explain how to hold your rod with a stiffy......but I wont now:P ;D ;D ;D ha ha ha Steve

;D thats not hard to figure out....but how to pee sitting down with a boney bream is a talent:o

[NAGG]

Roo, Les, Big Ren, chris .....

Didn't take yous long;D I re read the post after some bagging from foxie about my stiffy experience.

I was going to explain how to hold your rod with a stiffy......but I wont now:P ;D ;D ;D ha ha ha Steve

Mate .... we're all UP for some new rod technique:2vrolijk_08: I found that I need two hands with " Those lures!" .... just too much pressure on my wrist.;D

[McCod]

Sorry fellas, I live under a rock. Whats sort of lure is a stiffy and S Factor has me stumped as well???

A few different types of lures mate.... but this is the one in mention called a Boney.
The S-factor is a scent that comes in small packets or containers with the Squidgy Pro range of Soft plastics.


Cheers Les8-)

http://www.squidgies.com.au/

http://www.stiffylures.com.au/boney.asp

[Steve B]

A few different types of lures mate.... but this is the one in mention called a Boney.
The S-factor is a scent that comes in small packets or containers with the Squidgy Pro range of Soft plastics.


Cheers Les8-)

http://www.squidgies.com.au/

http://www.stiffylures.com.au/boney.asp

thanks for that Les. Have you done the double split ring thing with a 'boney bream'..if so how does it go??? Serious question!!!(no comments from you other deviants;D:P)

Dick, they run about a foot deep and can be worked eratically, slow fast...whatever you want. Very good in shallow water. I reckon they would be good up your way as the tide moves up onto the shallow sand flats and mangroves as the barra hunt the bait into the shallows.
cheers steve.

Nagg, two hands eyy.....skite;D

Whitto, hadn't heard from you for ages, I am orgainising a shift swap for the Sat 3rd. I will shout you a beer at the M&G. I have my daughters 2nd birthday party in the morning. As soon as Hi 5 and the wiggles are over......I am out a there to Monduran.

cheers steve

Roo, bit like the opening scene from 40yr old virgin...we have all been there!!!!;D;D

[BR65]

great to see mate, big fish, new technique, awesome stuff.
Knew it was only a matter of time till the planets lined up right for you again.
Fishing gentlemans hours too, doesnt get any better than that
congrats

cheers
brian

[Tropicaltrout]

Good report Steve nice to see some really nice fish play the game for you, and Jas its really good to fish with other guys who enjoy the same passion.

I am looking forward to a few cast with whitto m&g weekend so will hopefully get to meet you aswell.

Cheers Nath

[Steve B]

Thanks Nath, we will catch up at M&G!! Hope you blokes have name tags on!!!;D

Steve

[Dick Pasfield]

Dick, they run about a foot deep and can be worked eratically, slow fast...whatever you want. Very good in shallow water. I reckon they would be good up your way as the tide moves up onto the shallow sand flats and mangroves as the barra hunt the bait into the shallows.
cheers steve.




Thanks fellas was thinking the edge of weed banks, do they float or sink?

[Barraboss]

Right about now I wish I didn't live so far north. I would have liked to attend the M&G to meet some of you larikins, but do not need any two handed demonstrations about "lures" thanks :) ...
Great to see some light hearted chat about (IMHO) a very great lure.....
Chers
Matt

[Whitto]

thanks for that Les. Have you done the double split ring thing with a 'boney bream'..if so how does it go??? Serious question!!!(no comments from you other deviants;D:P)

Dick, they run about a foot deep and can be worked eratically, slow fast...whatever you want. Very good in shallow water. I reckon they would be good up your way as the tide moves up onto the shallow sand flats and mangroves as the barra hunt the bait into the shallows.
cheers steve.

Nagg, two hands eyy.....skite;D

Whitto, hadn't heard from you for ages, I am orgainising a shift swap for the Sat 3rd. I will shout you a beer at the M&G. I have my daughters 2nd birthday party in the morning. As soon as Hi 5 and the wiggles are over......I am out a there to Monduran.

cheers steve

Roo, bit like the opening scene from 40yr old virgin...we have all been there!!!!;D;D
Steve, Nath Nipsta and I will be at Mondy on the Friday, after a quick call in to Foxie to pickup a shirt, cause u Gin Gin blokes don't fool me for a moment, if u don't have a Barra Havoc shirt on u have no chance;D. I reckon all this talk about Stiffys is just to put us off the scent (must check to see if my Bony Breams are in the tackle box)::), Cheers Whitto

[Little grey men]

Nice one Steve......Hows that Skeeter.YEEEEEEHAAAAA!!!!:o It sure is amazing when someone like Jas offers his time and years of experience to genuinely help out another angler.
They sure are some monster sized fish.

[McCod]

[quote=Steve B;807657]thanks for that Les. Have you done the double split ring thing with a 'boney bream'..if so how does it go???

Yeah mate I've only rigged one like that and only the front treble with the standard #2 hook and it went great'..... mucked around a bit with sticky weight on a few and one is rigged with a #1 on the belly. I am yet to find 2 lures that have the same buoyancy so 2 lures can be very different. Some sink straight out of the packet while most others float. Not that it's a big deal as almost all mass produced lures vary a bit. Had some awesome sessions @ Monduran in spring 07 on em with one Boney so beat up it started taking on water. Will try amd get up for the M&G next week- end!

Cheers Les8-)

http://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/attachment.php?attachmentid=12116&d=1188623479
http://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/attachment.php?attachmentid=12118&d=1188623669

[NAGG]

Right about now I wish I didn't live so far north. I would have liked to attend the M&G to meet some of you larikins, but do not need any two handed demonstrations about "lures" thanks :) ...
Great to see some light hearted chat about (IMHO) a very great lure.....
Chers
Matt


Or South!:'( ...... Sounds like a good time will be had!8-)

cheers

Nagg

[SQUIDDA]

gday steve.it is always good to sail out of the doldrums after a quiet period.it is always good to fish with other like minded anglers.there is always something new to learn.could i ask what was so different about the action you and jas were using with the Bony Breams.i have just started playing with this lure in the last couple of months.seems to need alot of angler help to make it do anything?i think it would be a hard lure for new comers to work out.any info on how anyone has been fishing this lure would be interesting.

[Steve B]

gday steve.it is always good to sail out of the doldrums after a quiet period.it is always good to fish with other like minded anglers.there is always something new to learn.could i ask what was so different about the action you and jas were using with the Bony Breams.i have just started playing with this lure in the last couple of months.seems to need alot of angler help to make it do anything?i think it would be a hard lure for new comers to work out.any info on how anyone has been fishing this lure would be interesting.

Sqidda. It is sort of hard to explain, but just a twitch, twitch pause..let it suspend a bit so on and so on. As I said, I have rarely used them..so its a learning curve for me too. They are a lure which could be worked any speed, rapid/slow twitching or not....its really up to the person on the day...and the fish too!! Get into a swimming pool where you can easily see the action and try a few...you will see what retrieve looks good and what not. I know I have certain favorite lures which I use for different speeds and actions etc. EG when I want a very very slow retrieve I use B52, because their action is awesome dead slow, where as the Xrap's (not the jointed ones) dont swim very well slow IMHO, but have a great action med/fast. Just a few basic points that I can think of. But it depends on the fish on the day, feeding bite or reaction bite.

cheers steve

[BR65]

good hint on the swimming pool, gives a whole new perspective on what your retrieves look like under the water

cheers
brian

[SQUIDDA]

thanks steve.had some good sessions at Awoonga last week using Stiffys.twitch pause retrieve.just interested to see if you were doing something totally different.always keen to learn something new.we found the stiffys to be good on inactive fish.(reaction bites)thanks again for the info.

[Whitto]

thanks for that Les. Have you done the double split ring thing with a 'boney bream'..if so how does it go??? Serious question!!!(no comments from you other deviants;D:P)

Dick, they run about a foot deep and can be worked eratically, slow fast...whatever you want. Very good in shallow water. I reckon they would be good up your way as the tide moves up onto the shallow sand flats and mangroves as the barra hunt the bait into the shallows.
cheers steve.

Nagg, two hands eyy.....skite;D

Whitto, hadn't heard from you for ages, I am orgainising a shift swap for the Sat 3rd. I will shout you a beer at the M&G. I have my daughters 2nd birthday party in the morning. As soon as Hi 5 and the wiggles are over......I am out a there to Monduran.

cheers steve

Roo, bit like the opening scene from 40yr old virgin...we have all been there!!!!;D;DSteve Nath and I will be at Mondy on Friday after terrorising Foxies, See u Saturday, Cheers Whitto8-)