Snuck down to batemans on Monday for a quick fish,

Launched around midday with a light nor westerly blowing and headed out to a reef that have had some success on.. Almost straight away my 3kg line with a floater in the trail went off, and i was spooled on 3kg, before the hook set itself free... Im guessing king, as there was no head shakes or anything, just a big long run..

After re rigging and sending a 6kg line a bit deeper in the trail I had a flick of the new viva Plastics that came with the shirts. they are bout a 5" job, so rigged with a jig i sent them down into the burley trail also and on the second cast had a massive run and fight, but no luck, just a big peice of the plastic missing.. Tis happened twice more, before the westerly started to get a bit nasty and it was time to head up river..

Upstream had a flick for some flatties on the sandbanks, with a few hits and no more... then moved to an oyster lease where i anchored and floated burley back towards the lease and some baits, which resulted in a flounder, but with the growing wind and change of the tide i decided to head home, just before the rain started coming down..

Been thinking about my missed hookups on the plastics, Is it my technique, or should i try a stinger hook? The plastics (flick baits?) i use have the hook right up near the head and a long tail.. Ive had more luck on the squidgies which aint so long? Any advice would be appriciated..

No pics this time sorry guys.. Had the camera, but didnt get anything worth snapping...

Next time!

When using flickbaits I wouldn't bother with stingers. They may impair the action of the lure. I also know that there are heaps of jigheads that suit flickbaits perfectly. Usually if you don't hook up the fish will have another shot at it. If the lure's being bitten off then I'd suspect tailor or jackets, you can guess by how hard the fish hits.

That big long run was probably a ray. Kings have headshakes and tail beats, whilst a ray has that kind of long action-less fight. A king would bust you off before it spooled you anyway.

at least you are having a go mate, by the way are you still lost

the prob. with plastics is you have to have a large asortment of jig heads to suit the sizes of plastics , and theres heaps eg. 1/4oz with no. 2 hook - no.3 hook no.4hook and so on. 1/8oz no.1 no.2 no.3 and so on .
heads with lonh hooks / wiyh short hooks get the idea.
putting stingers wont help the action , it might have been bad luck you didnt stay conected.
most fish will hit around the stomach area so a hook up front isnt wrong .
you may have hit him to soon and pulled out .

Seems to happen a bit. Fight for a good 30 seconds or more then drop the fish..

Here is a quick image of th type im using and the forward hook..

I had alot more luck on the squdgie slick rigs and shads..

Its prob more my techinque.. so any advice is appriciated..

I use 3 inch baits dont have a prob. maybe yours are a bit long try going smaller

Well the heading has nothing to do with the pool. Just to get your attention.

I am not able to watch the ashes (cricket) or even listen to the cricket with the work schedule but still want the Aussie's to win.

The Tour de France has been killing me, up until 1.30am every night since the start of it.

fed the ashes are on, why wast time with the bicycle riders, there just a bunch of drug cheats

Paul