Softbaiting

Great Barrier island, the jewel in the Hauraki Gulf’s crown. It always seems so close yet so far away. Is the fishing really as good as they say it is? In a word – yes.

From the print archives: After a great trip soft baiting on a perfect day at the Graveyard on the Kaipara Harbour, we decided to come back and give it an even better crack.

SP - Not a rare single malt but most definitely a refined and productive distraction.

If you’re anything like me, you are lucky enough to regularly find yourself filleting nice eating sized snapper. Surely practice makes every cut perfect then? Yeah, not so much. Every time I think I have filleting dialed, and I might get a few absolutely bang on, there’s always that fish that just throws you, and you end up feeling like Edward Scissorhands on the piss. Here’s a quick vid taken on my phone by my mate Lloyd, after a brilliant morning session on the kayak.

The FG Knot with a Rizzuto finish is my go-to leader knot. I'll use it for GT, Tuna, Bass and everything in-between! But this here shows you the exact knot I tie when Popping and stick baiting for GT with my heavy setups.

Snapper can be frustrating fish to chase, particularly when they are in spawning mode during spring. But there are some things the canny fisherman can do to increase the chances of bringing home a good fish. Snapper are our most popular sport and table fish.

Ever heard of redfin perch? They are here in New Zealand and offer an alternative target species if you want a change from trout. Good to catch and great to eat, perch generally inhabit different water than trout. Check out how to catch them right here.

Howling reels and big smiles are two things that soft bait fishermen get to enjoy on a regular basis.

Some of best fishing experiences are the easiest and for North Island fishermen, it doesn’t get much easier than casting a lure off a harbour beach. By beach, I mean in sandy estuaries and harbour entrances, spots that provide easy access to fishable water.

Using soft baits from a small inflatable, kayak, or dinghy can be incredibly productive

Explore innovative techniques for soft bait fishing and take advantage of quieter weather to refine your skills, as suggested by the latest updates and fishing conditions in the Hauraki Gulf.

Here's a great little instructional video for rigging up and targeting gurnard

This could be the winning ticket in so many scenarios, have you tried this? Add a new secret-weapon approach to your fishing armoury for land-based/kayak/ski and boat, worth a quick look.

Are you struggling to catch fish with soft plastics ? Well then this video is for you. We run through 10 detailed tips on how to improve your catch rates when fishing with soft plastics.

When you not only sell, but also service tackle, you get a bit more of an insight as to what works, and what are the strengths and weaknesses of particular products. Here’s a quick snapshot breakdown of the best soft bait reels, according to Greg Hill from Go Fish Tackle in Auckland, across a range of price points for the upcoming season.

I’m a big fan of Z Man soft bait bodies. I’ve used them for many years and found that they are usually my go-to choice, and I’m not alone. The other option is GULP, which are an entirely different proposition, and more recently, Catch and Daiwa entering the market with a very similarly based product to Z Man. That is, a tough, but very stretchy elastomer material in a range of tasty colours.

Matt Watson and his son Shaw, head out for a days fishing. Matt gets to choose the location and Shaw gets to choose the techniques. So its soft-baiting the wash and inshore reefs, and Matt shares all of his secrets on how to find and target the fish successfully.

The soft bait revolution changed inshore fishing forever, and as it is still an experience most fishermen apply an individual approach. For one Auckland fisherman it opened up a whole new world.

Discover how matching rod action to your lure and target species can dramatically improve your results—this short intro from Fishing Coach Pro sets the stage for smarter, more effective lure fishing.

The Manukau Harbour can be a great place to fish from kayaks and small boats on a nice day. Soft baits will often do the damage, take a look here and get some nice hints and tips.

Using soft baits on a river can be very productive for anglers, follow these tips from the team at Southland Fish & Game for the best results.

Michael Jenkins shares a few tips on how to Soft Bait from the rocks. Filmed in New Zealand Filmed, Edited & Produced by Paul Smith

No more chipped rod guides from smacking the swivel yet again! With a small shift, they can still be used to do what they do best. Check this pearl out: To Swivel, or Knot?

It’s a common misconception that softbaits don’t work in winter and the colder months of early spring. However as you’ll soon find out, just a few subtle changes to your softbaiting technique means you can leave the bait and berley at home this winter.

Here's an excellent 'how-to' video from Japan (with subtitles) showing the full detail of Tip Run Eging, or deep-water eging. Apply this in NZ waters for sure, in the peak squid seasons early winter and spring.

Get a full run down on the basics of soft bait and soft plastic fishing, including the techniques explained to help you go out and be successful with this style. Learn about sink rates and staying in touch during the decent plus more with pro angler Rob Fort.

Watching a snapper snaffle a softie right at your feet has got to be up there with the best land based experiences. Matty and I had a blast plucking out a few beauties.

Follow the adventures of the Team from Catch using softbaits to target snapper in Northland, New Zealand. Along with spectacular scenery, learn tips and tricks from the team to increase your success and enjoyment of softbaiting. We discuss softbaits (also known as soft plastics), jigheads, sea terrain and equipment needed to have you fishing like a pro.

Review for jig and soft bait holder from Anchorman

Snapper feeding in shallow estuaries, mangroves and lagoons, around the north island are common and often easy to access. Check out Reel Kiwi Fishermen on the hunt in the mangroves of the far north.

The use of artificial ‘softbait’ lures and current braid line technology, has certainly changed the face of New Zealand sport fishing, and with good reason.

Sometimes it makes sense to go small.

Whangarei autumn fishing outlook: mid-water snapper in 65-80m, yellowfin crashing the party, and why you shouldn't fish the bottom.

Check out some pretty epic catch and release snapper action in the far north with Flyn Jack and the first in a series of SIMRAD SESSIONS.

A nice video from Adam with some good information on targeting big trout with light soft bait gear. Watch some great fishing action, and get great tips about soft baiting for mega trout, in the stunning beauty of the South Island of New Zealand.

For those tired of snags when softbaiting, especially in kelpy, weedy areas, the solution is a weedless rig. The Catch LIVIES, for example, have a design feature that helps them glide through such terrain, minimizing snags. The narrow top-slot on the Livies is specifically moulded for this rig, ideal for land-based fishing or in snag-prone areas.

Didn't think I'd make it this year, but got up there and had yet another mint weekend fishing around both coasts of the coromandel! This vid is how my comp went throughout.

New product news once again coming out of the Fishbites® Manufacturing Campus in St. Augustine, Florida.

Workup season has begun, and that means some of the best fishing of the year is happening out in the gulf right now. It’s the time of year that big schools of pilchards start moving in from the north, so the flotilla of boats chasing workups will be heading to the incoming channels around Little Barrier Island, around Horn and Anchorite rocks and eventually deeper into the upper Firth of Thames.

Soft baits and kayaks go hand in hand. The stealth of the kayak and its ability to get in close where fish are feeding makes it a perfect match for soft bait fishing techniques. Catch Fishing and Stephen Tapp from Viking Kayaks presents a bit about targeting fish from a kayak, and how it's done right. Stephen is one of, if not the, best kayak fisherman in NZ, and you can learn a lot just watching the master in action.

The first day of kayak fishing I spent off the Kapiti coast during June, with plenty of surprises on a windless winter morning. The method was dropping sliding kabura lures into deep water where lots of different species lurk, even through winter..

Does light leader catch more fish? Catch Fishing thinks it does. Here's a few reason why Espresso thinks they are right...

Espresso highlights the Catch Curly Tails as a versatile softbait, emphasising its unique design that attracts fish, ensures a secure fit on the jig head, and comes in various colors and textures to suit different fishing conditions.

Soft baits have been around for a while and truly rival natural bait, often beating it, as a method for catching a huge range of species. Here's a video presentation on the basic requirements and methods for giving this type of fishing a go.

Here at NZ Fishing World, we like to help out keen young fishing publishers where we can. Here's a great vid produced by young Milan from Fishbro NZ, you can subscribe to his YouTube channel once you get there. Don't let his age fool you, there's some good info here if you are keen to learn a bit more about jigging. Milan's obviously a pretty accomplished angler and we might see some more of him in the future.

The all new Catch 'BOSS SQUID' inchiku lure combines the best of two Catch lure favourites to create a new beast that's deadly on just about all predatory fish species. Check out the new lure and how to use it, it's surprisingly easy.

For many anglers the complexities of consistent and productive fishing are a mystery.

Here's a great look at all the key factors before planning a fishing trip courtesy of ol mate Briggsy from Aus. In this educational fishing series we look at time of day, tide, moon phase, current, and weather.

It was only a matter of time before Catch Fishing introduced a live bait body to match their new Stingaz jig heads.

Spring and Summer work-ups are one phenomena that not only get nature's participants excited but fishermen as well. As the water warms up in springtime, snapper start to move into the gulf, usually from a northerly to southerly direction.

Why bigger jigs out fish smaller options when the bite's on. Speed jigging tips from Espresso in the Hauraki Gulf.

Watch now: Grant 'Espresso' Bittle and Catch pro angler Edward Uhai Lee share some expert knowledge with hints, tips and technique advice to help you with your artificial bait game. Recorded live at the 2019 Hutchwilco Boat Show. Enjoy.

This may come as a shock, but in the days before jigs, fishermen would use bait. Not highly sophisticated but still effective were ledger and strayline rigs adorned with pilchards

Anyone who loves the latest goodies in the lure department might well be interested in this little concept available currently from Yeehaa tackle.

Summer months are always fun to fish as the warm water often encourages active aggressive feeding. In these conditions microjigs are a very effective technique and often will get fish moving when all else fails with their enticing, darting action. Here's a hot new range from Berkley that have proven deadly, check out the new Jig Its.