Throwing plastics from shore - Rod?

[walugi]

Hi guys,

I want to catch fish from shore (mostly rocks) with plastics. I've got a light snapper raider currently but can't ever catch anything. I think the reason is because the minimum weight its rated to cast is 7g. That's 1/4oz which i can cast a reasonable distance (for 7g) but it sinks too fast and doesnt look natural to the fish.

If I get a finesse type rod with a lower line rating (mine is currently 4 - 7kg or thereabouts) will it help? Will the flexibility of the rod mean i can cast a lighter jighead further?

I don't cast into the wash, i cast out from the rocks where there should be fish (as you can catch them with bait).

For my snapper rod the weight its rated for is 7 - 21g. What should I be using this for as I dont have a boat its hard to get access to water where i'd need a 1/4oz jighead. Should i use it to cast metals and spin for fish from the rocks?

[tailorboi99]

Hi mate,

if you do happen to purchase a lighter rod in the 2-4KG range and a whippy tip you will be able to cast lighter jigheads (Anything from 1/24 to 1/8) quite far. I am currently using a Wilson LCS Ultra Light Bream which is a casting special and can throw 1/32 jigheads quite a distance, even with a slight wind.

Regarding to spinning with the Snapper Raider, I would use it for that sort of fishing. You can also throw plastics at Pelagics if that is what you are wanting to use the stick for. Use it for larger species like Tuna and Mackeral off the rocks.

Thanks Tom

[Horse]

The Snapper Raider will cast a 1/8 Ok as the weight of the plastic helps the cast. Around the rocks I would be throwing some metal or even a popper

[walugi]

cheers guys.

Yeah i found poppers cast pretty well. Are they any good if there isnt surface activity? I used to have a rapala i picked up for $2, i lost it after a session but all it attracted was this squid haha

[tailorboi99]

Walugi,

have a look at the Surecatch poppers in the larger sizes. They look the goods, another few poppers to look at are the Halco Roosters and the River2Sea Halco Dumbells.

Thanks Tom

[NIZ180]

Checkout some of the japanese sea bass rods

[walugi]

Walugi,

have a look at the Surecatch poppers in the larger sizes. They look the goods, another few poppers to look at are the Halco Roosters and the River2Sea Halco Dumbells.

Thanks Tom

Cheers. You think its worth it to work these when the water doesnt have any surface activity? I think only certain species of fish will attack something on the surface?


Checkout some of the japanese sea bass rods

Yeah had a look. Interesting rods, all quite long with similiar specs to what mine has now. By that i mean they cast a similiar weight range (although their range is usually bigger)

[Noelm]

you say you don't cast into the wash, most species will be in the wash or very close to it for a variety of reason, fish like (say) Tailor will use it to ambush their prey, small baitfish will use it for cover (to hide from the Tailor) all sorts of fish inhabit the wash areas of the Coast, depending on where you are as to what species they will be.

[walugi]

The spot i regularly fish with my dad doesn't really have a wash unless theres some wind fanning the swell. If i'm fishing a spot with wash then i usually just drift a bait with a small sinker so that's not a problem.

Would a high wash area be suitable for plastics? I don't think it would be cos the plastic is designed to be towed by the line. In the wash it's get blown around anywhere... I guess worms and stuff would work though

[johnlikes2fish]

HI I have had this problem for a few years now too as you need a little extra length around the rocks and also on the beach not just for casting butu for control of the fish and to avoid snagging so I purchased two American Steelhead rods one a Reddington and the other a Loomis IMX they are around 9'6" the prices were $65 and $800 the Loomis is better but not $735 better, shop around big tackle stores hold them.
I love fishing sp's from the rocks hooking up to good fish on 6-10lb mono tests you, I have caught Tailor, Trevally, Jew etc etc on these rigs and it is the best fun ever. Flick baits or stick baits whatever you call them and shads are dynamite the baits being tumbled isnt a problem as predators are looking for startled fish that have been hammered by a wave. I wouldnt use the gulps look for tougher sp's the fish are generally hunting by sight not taste/smell

[walugi]

HI I have had this problem for a few years now too as you need a little extra length around the rocks and also on the beach not just for casting butu for control of the fish and to avoid snagging so I purchased two American Steelhead rods one a Reddington and the other a Loomis IMX they are around 9'6" the prices were $65 and $800 the Loomis is better but not $735 better, shop around big tackle stores hold them.
I love fishing sp's from the rocks hooking up to good fish on 6-10lb mono tests you, I have caught Tailor, Trevally, Jew etc etc on these rigs and it is the best fun ever.

finally, a man who shares my pain!

What jigheads do you use for yours? Do you toss yours into the wash or out as far as you can?

Any reason you don't use braid instead? Mono is more abrasion resistant i guess

[johnlikes2fish]

Check my last post I edited it a little, I like monos abrasion resistance compared to braid arou9nd the rocks and also I am not a big braid fan in general for most fishing situations.
The size jighead is condition dependent I will use down to 1/8 but bigger swell and wind requires more weight, with the flickbaits I find that size is not that important shads the slower sink rate can help but if the fish are there they dont mess around and with structure i dont like to hit the bottom too much or I lose a lot of gear. I like to use large size plastics/jigheads in general although I am not averse to throwing little sp's if theer are pike or long tom around. I use TT and Nitro jigheads whatever is cheaper that day.
Hooking 40-50cm long toms on an sp or tiny popper on 6lb around the rocks is like marlin fishing for poor people.

[johnlikes2fish]

Where do I cast everywhere till I find fish the wash is good but past or over submerged rocks is also good. I cast out as well as along the rocks I fish.

[walugi]

I wouldnt use the gulps look for tougher sp's the fish are generally hunting by sight not taste/smell

Is this for in the wash only or a general rule for fishing around rocks? Like i said before, the spot i fish doesnt have a particularly big wash.

Thanks for your other two posts they're great :D

Poor person? Don't you have a $800 rod ;)

[johnlikes2fish]

I generally find the softer sp's get hammered and in a pack of 5" gulps the pack is gone in 5 casts whereas snapbacks or squidgies can be used over and over teh species I target are generally tailor trevally etc and they attack on sight rather than smell but they would work a treat, yes I bought the Loomis rod glad I did it is nice to use. Another solution is to use a fly rod blank which come in the right lengths and have similar actions (thanks the people at Jones's Tackle)

[walugi]

ah yeah good idea. I'm not up to the build-your-own-rod stage yet :)

yeah i lose a lot of gulps to pickers and jackets... and god damn toadfish. I'll try the squidgies then, cheers again :)

[tailorboi99]

Cheers. You think its worth it to work these when the water doesnt have any surface activity? I think only certain species of fish will attack something on the surface?

I don't know much about poppering off rocks, if anything, but I do know that sight casting them into schools or even lone fish can be exciting and are the most common ways of using them obviously. If you can't see any schools/lone fish still try them but I would be leaning towards flicking plastics when the surface action isn't there.

Thanks Tom