Page 32 - BNB Fishing mag | May 2020

Nailing a quick session in Moreton Bay
* from P30
the wind was going to pick up early and
Z-Man 3” MinnowZ – had his rods rigged accordingly, with a few different colours.
we knew which area would hold bait and where to fish for the particular tide phase, in this case the last two hours of run down to low tide.
that we had just under two hours of run-out to low tide.
Once we arrived at our first spot, we dropped the electric and started working the edge.
The prawns at the boat ramp were a dead giveaway that crustacean patterns would be a safe bet. As far as choosing a pres- entation, a prawn pattern would have been a good option and more than likely would have worked well.
Perfect for us to hit a couple of favourite spots, with the only variable being the amount of fresh water in the system due to recent rain.
Along the way we heard the constant flick of small baitfish hitting the surface, so naturally we both started throwing around a baitfish presentation, hoping to tempt a bite.
Rocking down to the boat ramp there’s a sense of anticipation, not only to get the boat in the water but also to see what sort of bait’s holding.
Though the sounder looked promising and the bait heard on the surface, we didn’t win a trick. I looked into the water to check the clarity, as do most anglers.
However, based on recent sessions, I was confident the Z-Man 2.75” BugZ would get the attention. When possible, tune into what bait is holding in your local system, which will more than likely vary through the year.
Through the year my local jetty holds all sorts of bait, including small fish, squid and prawns. As we rolled the boat off the trailer, we noticed the entire boat ramp was covered in prawns.
With recent rain, there was still a reason- able amount of fresh about, which made the water dark brown. As we crept along the edge, I changed to the BugZ rigged on a 1/10oz TT NedlockZ jig head.
This was a great indicator of what sort of presentation should be thrown for the day. We ended up pushing the boat down the jetty and as far along the pontoon as possible.
This meant the plastic would sink slower, and on each pause when the plastic reached the bottom it would sit up due to the buoy- ancy of the Z-Man.
Nothing beats spending time on the water to create a milk-run of spots, and you do need to put the time in to build knowledge of which spots are going to work through the year. If you needed one, there’s your excuse to get on the water more.
Luckily, we got a couple of throws of the cast net in before any fellow anglers rocked up. While the majority of prawns were small, there were a few reasonably sized specimens. Not a bad way to kick off a quick session.
The plastic itself will still move around being influenced by the current and water movement, which is the advantage of using a TT NedlockZ jig head.
The only thing we changed on our trip was the type of retrieve when things slow- ing down, and we relied on the plastic moving about in the current to get the strike, instead of working it constantly.
From previous trips out I knew the Z-Man 2.75” TRD BugZ worked well, and I had these rigged on a rod for each of us.
From what I’ve seen watching this pres- entation in shallow water, it resembles a small crab just sitting up off the bottom.
So, the last hot tip for a successful quick session is to make small changes. If you know the fish are there, keep cycling through your presentations and retrieves until you find one that works.
I had a Z-Man 2.5” Slim SwimZ on my other rod, while Gavin – huge fan of the
After a quick squirt of Pro-Cure Super Gel scent I flicked the BugZ toward the bank, let it drop and settle on the bottom for a good 30 seconds before a few more hops along then another settle.
I hope you’ve been finding fish lately and if not, you may need to get out there for a quick session. In the tackle box is a list of my gear used on this quick session.
What followed was that addictive strike and screaming drag from a fish solidly inhaling.
Screaming drags.
Following a quick tussle, with some nice long runs, I landed a mid-30kg sweetlip.
I told Gavin I had a rod rigged ready to go for him. “Yeah, if you land another fish, I’ll grab it,” he said.
A TT NedlockZ jig head was used to nail this sweetlip.
The author with a mid-40cm flathead.
Page 32 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2020
My next cast produced a small emperor on a 1-3kg Okuma Helios SX combination, which was a heap of fun. Gavin grabbed the other rod and sent a cast in.
Tackle box
• Rod: Okuma Helios SX 7’, 1-3kg and 2-4kg
• Reel: Okuma Helios HSX-30
• Line: Platypus P8 Braid 8-10lb
• Leader: Platypus Stealth FC Leader 10lb
• Plastic: Z-Man 2.75” TRD BugZ (Hot Snakes & The Deal)
• Jig head: TT Lures NedlockZ 1/10oz (Or- ange & Green Pumpkin)
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He did the same thing with nice long pauses at the end of each drop and on his first cast was rewarded with a respectable mid-30kg bream.
At this point, the other rods were pushed to the side and we peppered the bank with the Z-Man 2.75” TRD BugZ.
For the last hour to low tide we continued to pull fish, including a mixed bag of tre- vally, flounder, flathead and bream – even more sweetlip hit the deck.
The rhythm remained until low tide, and then as soon as tide switched the fish turned off.
Though we tried a couple of other spots, we didn’t hook anything of note.
With a baked breakfast to prepare and caffeine levels lowering, we called it a day at about 8am. So, the key things that made this quick session successful were