It’s that time of the year where the art lure angler really starts to dust off that spinning stick and starts filling the spinning reel with the latest and greatest braids and leaders, sort hooks, swivels and split rings on lures out, and prepare for the start of the “spinning” season in and around our coastline.
Anglers fish a variety of lures ranging from spoons, plugs, plastics, bucktails, poppers, stickbaits and the new craze of slow-pitch jigs, to name a few, and all these lures are used to target mostly kob, elf and leervis, but there are no limits to what you can catch on lure. It may take more time and dedication but any fish can be targeted on lure.
The lures mentioned above all vary in size and weight, so which set-up do you choose when going out to throw some lures?
There will never be one ultimate rod that can handle all types of lures and/or fishing, so let’s discuss the 10-12-ft (3-3,6 m) range of rods in this article and focus more on shore-based spinning rather than light tackle estuary or heavier spinning for yellowtail off the bricks.
A simple 10-ft rod which can handle ¾-2 oz (22,2-56,7 g) Paired with a 4 000 or 4 500 size spinning reel loaded with 20 lb (9 kg) braid is a great place to start.
One can stand and make 100s of casts with a variety of lures suited to the weight of the rod, which is a great option for those wanting to fish lighter and be able to fish and spin for a prolonged period. Don’t be fooled by a rod such as the Assassin spin series, which is a great option, light but still super-strong, able to land almost any edible fish under the right conditions, meaning you’re not going to use it between the foul rocks when you really need to bully a kob, then you use a heavier 11-12 ft (3,3-3,6 m) rod.
This option is a great starting point for children and especially women wanting to get into the spinning game. The lightness and versatility makes it easy to use and comfortable to fish.
When one wants to target especially bigger kob in the surf or between the bricks, or one needs to throw a 3 or 4 oz (85-113 kg) plug into the wind, then its better to look at a 11 or 12 ft (3,3 or 3,6 m), 2-4 oz (56,6-113 kg) type rod. These rods are made with long butts and have lots of guides to assist in casting distance, these rods are specially made for spinning but have proven to also be great assets in winter fishing.
Rods like the Assassin Amia or Sierra series in 11 ft (3,3 m) or even the spin xh or spin zero series in 11 or 12 ft (3,3 or 3,6 m) are a great option. These rods are built for the purpose of lure fishing and have proved themselves over the years. These rods come into there own when you are walking on a beach and there is a beautiful deeper bank, which you need to get your lure to. Throwing a big sinking stick bait or paddle tail which looks just like a mullet or maasbanker onto a working white water bank in summertime can really be extremely effective when targeting big kob.
I will never forget when I was working a CID shiverstick with my 12 ft (3,6 m) rod over a working bank in Struisbaai, when suddenly the lure stopped dead! Only for a second or two until I felt that unmistakable hard thump, only a big head shake from a big kob can make your heart race and adrenalin pump like crazy! After an amazing fight on the 20 lb (9 kg) I managed to land, tag and release a beautiful fish just over the 25 kg mark. A great fish on lure and a fight I will never forget.
These rods really allow you to get maximum distance with their soft tips and slow action. One can cast with a plug or spoon with 20 lb (9 kg) an amazing distance. A proper spinning set up allows you to get your lure in the “zone” which is the most important part of fishing.
The other area where these rods and especially the 12 ft (3,6 m) is very effective is between the bricks. When targeting kob on weedless plastics one is often fishing foul areas, once hooked up one needs to really put pressure on bigger fish as not to get cut off. These slim 12 ft (3,6 m) rods are incredibly strong and it’s amazing to see them in action when they are under maximum pressure, when they bend all the way into the butt section, and from there the power really comes in and one can get that fish’s head turned in the right direction away from the reef he wants to get to.
These rods are extremely versatile; I love to use my spinning sticks in winter time for targeting steenbras and belman on the beaches. They are perfectly suited to this application, especially if you are fishing a small 5 000, 6 000 grinder with 20 lb (9 kg) braid. The finesse aspect and lightness of the tackle allows you to beautifully present baits such as worms and prawns to your quarry.
I also use mine for fishing for galjoen in winter between the rocks, I normally upscale to a 30 lb (13,6 kg) braid for foul areas with a thicker braided leader, the long butt allows for extremely accurate casts into nooks and crannies where galjoen love to feed.
All in all a light 10-12 ft (3,3-3,6 m) set-up is a great buy as it is extremely versatile and can be used for many different applications, you will always find yourself grabbing for the lighter sticks once you start using them you really enjoy the ease of use compared to a Standard 14 ft (4,26 m) set-up. Not only that; one seems to catch a lot more fish on these kinds of set-ups.
That’s all we have time for this week, thanks for reading these articles. I hope they give you more insight. Remember to look after our fish species and release more than we keep. Contact Fishing Republic on 072 552 4400 or visit the store at 73 Beach Road in Strand.
