Bream on Plastics River Jewfish Redfin on Blades Shallow Water Snapper Snake Heads & Snags Twitchin Trevally Blading the Surf AFTA Part 2

Bream on Plastics River Jewfish Redfin on Blades Shallow Water Snapper Snake Heads & Snags Twitchin Trevally Blading the Surf AFTA Part 2

The Rigging Bench NEW It hasn t taken long for the new ZMan 4 ShrimpZ to start producing the goods! Shaun Taylor sent us in these pics from a session in beautiful Hervey Bay. He said he went out to give the 4 ShrimpZ a try after getting his hands on a few packets. The results, a metre plus giant herring and a solid golden trevally. Thanks to Shaun for sending in these great pics, it s awesome to see this larger profile prawn imitation producing the goods. It is sure to be dynamite on everything from flathead, mulloway and barramundi in the estuaries to snapper and sweetlip offshore and barra and cod in the impoundments. 4 ShrimpZ are currently available in 6 colours - Natural, Rootbeer / Gold, New Penny, Glow, Electric Chicken and Holographic. What happens when you cast a 5 ZMan Scented Jerk ShadZ into the surf on Fraser Island? Click PLAY to find out!!?

THE BRAGMAT We have seen some fantastic photos of fish taken on ZMan and TT Lures of late and thought it would be great to make some space in the E-Mag for readers to send in their photos of their adventures and fish taken on Zman and TT Gear. Send your photos to justin@ttlures.com.au over to you Dean Mather with a cracker flathead taken on a ZMan 3 ShrimpZ Stewie Dowie-Bridges with a nice bass taken on a ZMan Chatterbait Isaac Fenech with a thumper Sooty Grunter taken on a TT Lures Vortex Spinnerbait Jason Milne showing us that the TT Lures 1oz Switchblade is even deadly in NZ Send your TT Lures and Zman photos to: justin@ttlures.com.au

River Jewfish By Guy Struthers Chasing jewies / mulloway in creeks and rivers is great fun. They are an apex predator that eats lures, pulls hard and is good on the table if you are chasing a feed. We release most fish we catch so they can keep on breeding and fill our local systems with potential trophy size fish. When targeting jewfish we have had most success fishing structure such as rock walls, drop offs and ledges in 3-8m of water. Targeting the base of bridge pylons on the slack tide has also produced quality fish. Night fishing seems to produce best results as there is less traffic and pressure on the water and it also allows you to fish heavier leaders without putting the fish off. Not all jewies are caught at night though, if you fish slow and deep through holes and along ledges during the day, you re a chance of hooking up. We had a run in with a 60cm jew on 2lb braid and 3lb leader while working structure from the kayak what an epic battle! We generally concentrate our efforts around the last of the run out and change of the tide. The jewie is a relatively lazy hunter that often waits for slack water to feed. Less run also allows you to work your lures slow and deep. Most fish we catch are in the 55-85cm range and there s plenty of quality by-catch to be had including cod, bream, trevally, flathead and tailor. When targeting jewies gear choice comes down to what your confident using. Some anglers prefer baitcast tackle, while others opt for a 2500-4000 size spinning reel and rods of around the 4-6kg will do the job on larger fish. Depending on gear selection braid of around 12-30lb and fluorocarbon leader of 20-50lb is ideal. Fluorocarbon leader has a few advantages; it sinks to help the lure get down and help you stay in touch as the lure sinks, has less stretch for added bite detection and is more abrasion resistant than monofilament to better withstand the mouths of fish and also structure. Fluoro is also virtually invisible in water, but this is less of an advantage when night fishing.

The gun lure for us has been the ZMan 4 SwimmerZ in Pearl. This swim bait has a realistic poddy mullet profile and a deadly action. The buoyancy of the ElaZtech material creates action in the tail even at super slow retrieve speeds and it s 10X tough construction allows the SwimmerZ to stand up to fish after fish. On one trip we landed about 20 tailor and 3 jewies on a single ZMan SwimmerZ. We fish the 4 SwimmerZ on a TT Lures Tournament jig head in 5/0H 1/4oz or 3/8oz, depending on water depth and tidal flow. Cast the lure into the shallows and work it down the ledge or rock wall and into the hole. Alternatively fish parallel to the ledge or rock wall targeting fish that are feeding along the base of the ledge or wall. The retrieve we use is a super-slow roll and most times we ensure that we are staying in touch with the bottom. When targeting jewies around this type of structure I also carry a few TT Switchblades with me that I tie on if the fishing gets a bit quiet on the plastics. My preferred sizes are 1/4, 3/8 and 1/2oz Switchies, depending on depth and current. I fish these along the drop offs and ledges using a slow lift and drop retrieve. It s important to stay in touch with the lure on the drop as most takes will be in the form of a twitch or the blade will stop prematurely, so set the hooks!

Are you Reddy?! It s that time again, the weather is warming it s time to gear up and get reddy! Redfin are available in many southern regions of Australia, they eat lures, are feisty fighters and they school, so often when you locate them you can catch them in large numbers Last season saw some massive redfin landed and from early captures it s looking like it s going to be another cracker season. A couple of lures that came into their own last season, quickly becoming redfin favourites for many anglers, were the TT Lures Ghostblade and Switchblade. Image Courtesy of WILDCOAST SA FISHING Magazine

The 1/12oz polycarbonate Ghostblade is perfect for finesse fishing the edges as it can be slow rolled through the shallows and over weed growth. The range of translucent colours imitate natural prey species and redfin love that subtle vibration. Switchblades are available in a range of sizes from 1/8oz through to 1/2oz and HD versions from 1oz to 2oz. When chasing redfin the 1/8, 1/6 and 1/4oz have been extremely popular for fishing the edges and targeting schools of smaller or shutdown fish. The 1/2oz was popular last season for fishing deeper water and schooled fish, but word on the street this year is that the relatively new 3/8oz Switchblade is the perfect profile and weight for chasing schooled redfin, as well as an ideal profile for bass and yellowbelly. Many anglers believe it s the action of the Switchblade that makes them so effective, with colour being less of a concern. Others believe colour is important, with popular options including Aussie Green & Gold, Red Nightmare, Brown Mongrel and the range of gold s. All of the Ghostblade colours are popular with Aussie Ghost, Green Spook, Brown Spook and Golden Ghost being a good starting point. Effective retrieves include a slow roll, slow roll and pause allowing the lure to sink, or a vertical lift and drop. The range of sizes and variety of effective retrieves make the Ghostblade and Switchblade extremely versatile options when chasing redfin. Multiple tow points allow you to change tow points for different retrieves and instructions on using the various tow points are included on the pack. Switchblade redfin Shane Murton with a solid redfin that couldn t resist the vibration of the Ghostblade. Image Courtesy of WILDCOAST SA FISJING Magazine

Chasing Shallow Water Snapper on Plastics By Andy Gunn Being based on the Sunshine Coast, I do a lot of my reef fishing on the shallow reefs around Old Woman Island and Point Cartwright, through to Murphies Reef. The depths on these natural coral reefs can vary from 6m down to about 30m. The principle is the same for fishing these areas and can be applied when fishing other shallow reefs as well. First you find the structure that you want to fish, and then you drift over it casting the plastic up drift, so the boat is drifting towards the plastic. This will allow you to fish all of the water column; it is important to cover as much of the water column as possible as you will catch snapper from mid water through to the bottom. If you find your boat is drifting too quickly it can be useful to use a sea anchor.

Spangled emperor are just one of the by-catch species you will encounter when targeting shallow reef snapper Now that s keen, this small coronation trout engulfed a 5 ZMan One thing that I have found has helped me over time when fishing new areas or old areas but finding fish in different locations, is to mark them on your GPS when you hook up. This will give you a reference to either drift back over again or next time you fish that area you have a record of where you have hooked fish. The other alternative is to anchor your boat near the structure you are going to fish and work your plastics back through the current. When using this method it is also possible for you to use berley if you wish. Berley can also improve your chances of catching more fish. The author with a solid cod on a plastic The species that you will come across will also vary; don t just expect to catch snapper. On a recent trip I did out to Murphies reef, I not only caught snapper but I also caught a nice cod, spangled emperor and small trout. I was using ZMan plastics in 5 rigged on a TT Lures Tournament 3/8 ounce jig head with a 5/0H hook. I find it helps to have a heavy duty hook on when you need to put some hurt on a fish to keep them from getting you back into the reef. The advantage that you will find when fishing any of the ZMan plastics is their 10X Tough ElaZtech formulation. This allows you to catch numerous fish off the one plastic and saves the down time associated with having to re-rig your plastic after catching a fish, ZMan plastics are ready to use straight from the packet.

Twitchin Trevs! By Matt Stott The author with a solid trevally taken on a 5 ZMan StreakZ in Bubble Gum on a TT Lures Tournament jig head Trevally are a cool fish; they look good, smash lures and pull hard. We re lucky enough to have reasonable populations of trevally that inhabit the mouths of many of our local rivers. Trevally, of one form or another, are available around Australia though and no matter where you find them, or what type of tevally, they can t resist a twitched plastic. Downsize your gear and plastics for smaller trevally or upsize for the big fish or you ll soon find yourself smoked! Troy with a nice trevally twitched from a show on the sounder We work the mouths of the rivers and creeks using the sounder, locate the fish and then motor back up and drift over the shows on the sounder. Then it s just a matter of getting that plastic to the bottom and twitching and jigging it erratically to the surface.

We commonly encounter trevally in the 55-70cm range so we fish 7 10-20lb spin rods and 3000 size reels loaded with 15lb braid and 20-40lb leader. Quality rods, like the G Loomis NRX 6-12lb that I am currently using, allow you to go lighter and have a bit of fun, while still being able to put the hurt on the fish when you need to keep it from finding structure. The standout lure is definitely the ZMan 5 StreakZ and our preferred colours are Bubble Gum or Pearl. The StreakZ has a pin tail which allows it to sink quickly and when twitched, even the smallest amount, the pin tail dances seductively. Retrieve it quicker and with a few twitches of the rod tip and it has an erratic darting action that predatory species find irresistible. Depending on the depth and current we rig the StreakZ on TT Tournament head in 3/8, 1/2 or 5/8oz with a 6/0H hook. There is often quite a bit of current and water movement around the river mouths, so we tend to target the slack tide around low. Remember the key though is to locate the fish on the sounder and then work the area in which they are holding. On our first trip we fished light line and 20lb leader which saw us smoked as some solid fish rubbed us off on structure. We suspected there were some kingies among the fish we were seeing on the sounder. By stepping up our gear a bit we have managed to land a few different species including solid trevally and mulloway. Although as light as possible is always a good way to fish, go a little heavier and you land the bigger fish you are seeing on the sounder and those that smoke you you might be surprised what lives in your local river. Matt with a solid trevally Multiple hook ups can be common when chasing trevally and when it happens it s pandemonium!

Twitchin trevs will also see you hooked up to range of other species and on a recent trip, right on sunrise, we had a double hook up on jewfish, or mulloway as they are also known. Fishing the 5 StreakZ on a 5/8oz TT Tournament jig head it was Troy who hooked up first to a decent fish. Halfway through the fight I threw a cast out in the middle of nowhere and it was crunched on the drop. As Troy s fish started to slow and then surfaced alongside the boat we were stoked to see an 80cm jewie. At one point during the fight I had to lock up on my fish to keep it away from structure and it was high fives all round when an 84cm jewie was lifted into the boat. Our session of twitchin trevally soon became one of jigging jewies, but who s complaining! Tie on a 5 StreakZ, switch on your sounder and spend some time working your local river mouth you never know what might scoff your plastic on the drop or smash it on the twitch! A solid trevally on the brag mat. This fish fell victim to a 5 StreakZ in Pearl rigged on a TT jig head.

Blading the Surf By Justin Willmer For years we have been fishing the surf with metal lures and the odd hard body, but over the last few years I have been fishing blades in the surf with great success. On a recent Fraser Island mission I had quite a few anglers quiz me when they saw a blade tied on to the rod I was fishing with. Blades are perfect for fishing the surf. They re heavy enough to cast a long distances, they create plenty of flash and vibration so fish can easily find them in the foam and they work at almost any speed from a slow roll to a burn, allowing you to fish top to bottom in the water column and speed up or slow down with the wave action. With a 3/8oz Switchblade tied on I can walk a section of beach and spin fast to cover plenty of water for queenfish and trevally, slow it down and pulse it for dart or through a school of tailor and then plunge it into deeper holes and hop it slower along the bottom for flathead and mulloway. One lure, a myriad of applications. I use 3 main retrieves when fishing blades in the surf. Burn - a fast retrieve is especially effective when fishing turbulent water, points and areas of wave action where you are likely to come across aggressive feeders and speedsters. Slow roll - a slow wind allows the lure to spend more time in the strike zone emitting plenty of vibration. At times when there are sharks or large predators around, it becomes almost impossible to get schools of tailor and other species to eat a metal lure retrieved at speed. Change to a Switchblade, slow roll the lure and the tailor seem to be unable to resist, when seconds before they chose to avoid the high speed metal.

Hopping the lure along the bottom with a lift, lift, pause and drop the rod tip to wind up the slack retrieve will still catch tailor, and trevally, but is deadly on species such as flathead and mulloway. Gear Light - For throwing lighter blades I fish a Gary Howard 703 (7 ) rod with a 2500 Shimano Stradic Ci4 loaded with 10lb braid and 20lb leader. Medium - Step up to the mid-weight blades and the 1oz and start targeting larger fish and it s up to the 7 5-10kg rod, 4000 Shimano Stradic Ci4, 20lb braid and 40lb leader. Heavy - If I am specifically targeting big fish in big surf I throw the 1oz Switchblade on a 13 6 surf rod and 6000 Shimano Stradic loaded with 30lb braid and 40lb leader. Blades are super effective in the surf and appeal to a wide variety of species. Favourite colours include pearl, silver and blue, but I still haven t found a colour they don t like. Which Blade should I choose? Below is a basic guide to what I will tie on when throwing blades in the surf. I often step up in size when the wind and tide are stronger and when very long casts are required. Whiting - 1/12 Ghostblade / 1/8 Switchblade Dart - 1/8, 1/6, 1/4, 3/8oz Switchblade Flathead - 3/8, 1/2oz Switchblade Smaller Trevally - 1/4, 3/8 Switchblade Golden Trevally - 1/2, 1oz Switchblade Giant Trevally - 1/2, 1oz Switchblade Salmon - 1/4, 3/8, 1/2, 1oz Switchblade Tailor - 3/8, 1/2, 1oz Switchblade Queenfish - 1/2, 1oz Switchblade When I spot Mackerel, Tuna, Kingfish, Cobia etc. cruising I throw a 1/2oz with the hooks and rings upgraded to Decoy Jigging Singles and Decoy rings and use a Decoy Egg Clip at the attachment point. Alternatively a 1oz HD straight out of the packet is lethal and allows increased casting distance.

AFTA 2011 - Part II AFTA 2011 saw Tackle Tactics release a stack of new products and we looked at a few of those in Issue #3 of the E-Mag. In this issue we are going to look at a few more new products in a bit more detail and break down their design features, the associated benefits for us as anglers and discuss what species they may be suited to. The Original Chatterbait The Original Chatterbait had a profound effect on freshwater fishing when it hit the market in the US, with its patented design and unique hex-shaped ChatterBlade, the sound, vibration, flash and action are unmatched. Designed to swim in an erratic motion that mimics wounded prey, it combines the action of a crankbait, profile of a jig and flash of a spinnerbait in one extremely effective lure. With its hex-blade serving as a weed guard, The Original Chatterbait is ideal for fishing heavy cover such as weed and timber. It is suited to a range of retrieve speeds, allowing you to regulate depth with a slow roll, moderate retrieve, or it can even be burned without blowing out. The Original Chatterbait from ZMan includes a super tough, ElaZtech split-tail trailer for added attraction. If you fish the fresh for bass, saratoga and cod, or are looking for a secret weapon in the salt on species like flathead, check out the irresistible sound, vibration, flash and action of The Original Chatterbait. Now available in 12 colours, including 3 deadly new colours Chartreuse / Sexy Shad, Candy Craw and California Craw. Available from stockists of TT Lures and ZMan gear and at around 10 bucks it s an inexpensive addition to you kit.

AFTA 2011 - Cont Zman 3.75 StreakZ The pot-belly, split tail design perfectly mimics a darting baitfish and the softness and buoyancy of the ElaZtech construction ensures maximum tail action, even with minimal movement. Although super-soft and flexible the ElaZtech is 10X tougher than a standard soft plastic, meaning the 3.75 StreakZ can stand up to blowies, leatherjackets and other toothy critters better than other brands. Its design allows a range of rigging options and it can be used as a finesse presentation or twitched and worked more aggressively. Available in packs of 6 and available in 8 colours, Pearl, Green Pumpkin, Smokey Shad, Watermelon Red, Baby Bass, Redbone, Watermelon and Shiner. Use a tiny dab of super glue to lock the ZMan soft plastic onto the jig head and with the 10X tougher ElaZtech construction you ll spend less time re-rigging, fixing and adjusting your plastic and worrying if the lure has slid down the jig head after a bite, which happens with so many brands instead spend more time fishing with ZMan! If you fish the estuaries and creeks, freshwater or shallow reef, you re sure to get hooked up with the ZMan 3.75 StreakZ. ZMan 9 GrubZ A super-soft and flexible mega-grub with a seductive fluttering tail action. The 9 GrubZ will be dynamite on mulloway, cod, barramundi and when fished offshore. 9 GrubZ come in a pack of 3 making them excellent value and they are available in 4 colours, Glow, Pearl, Chartreuse and Electric Pink. ZMan 3 Scented CrabZ This is a plastic that created a fair bit of interest at AFTA. Not everyone s cup of tea, but this realistic, super-soft, super tough crab pattern will be ideal for specific target species such as blue bone and parrot, and for specific applications such as fishing shallow reefs and flats. The buoyancy of the ElaZtech allows them to be rigged so they rest on the bottom with their claws raised in a natural defensive pose that is sure to trigger attacks from predatory fish. 3 Scented CrabZ come in a pack of 5 and are available in 3 colours, Rootbeer Gold, Blue Glimmer and Mud. ZMan 4 Finesse ShadZ A slim, baitfish shape and thin tail provide plenty of action with minimal movement making this the ultimate finesse bait. The built-in buoyancy of the ZMan construction maximises the tail movement. Shake it, twitch it, hop it and watch the tail dance irresistibly. This buoyancy also means the 4 Finesse ShadZ stands tail up off the bottom when at rest with the worm-like tail attracting the fish s attention and making the plastic easier to eat. The 4 Finesse ShadZ will appeal to fish when the bite s tough, such as shutdown schools of bass, but it can also be twitched and hopped more rapidly for more aggressive feeders. They come in a pack of 8 and are available in 4 colours, Watermelon Red, Green Pumpkin, Junebug and Pearl.

If you have friends and family that are into their fishing make sure you forward the email with this E-mag link on for them to enjoy. Cheers, Team TT Facebook.com/ttlures www.ttlures.com.au Info@ttlures.com.au www.z-man.com.au Info@z-man.com.au Facebook.com /Zman.Aus