17lbs Prism Braid / 10 lbs mono. Hornets (2.5 cm to 5 cm), Rattlin Hornet and. Sparky Shad and 7 cm Minnow, Fox Rage. Fr
Welcome to our Artlure Seminar
Presented by: Rudolph Venter and Evert Laubscher
Brought to you by:
Rudolph Venter
Junior Protea Angler and SAALAA cap Multiple record holder Salmo / Fox Rage pro staff Founder of Artlure Fishing South Africa 19 years experience
Evert Laubscher
Salmo / Fox Rage Pro Staff Grew up in the Lowveld targeting bass, tigerfish and yellowfish Experienced in multiple facets of angling 28 years experience Provincial Artlure Colours
Barbel/Catfish on lure
Barbel on dipping
Tackle Barbel Calling rod 300/5500 rounded baitcaster 100 lbs braid Lume/Sada barbel leadhead
Barbel on dipping
Structure/habitat 365 days a year – right through winter! Flats with rocky/sandy/muddy bottoms On boulders or next to laydowns Cruising and suspended
or feeding on surface Reaction strike Visibility Catch most cats
Barbel on dipping
Techniques: Drop the leadhead on whiskers Accurate dipping/small margin for error Enter water without making a splash/noise Adjust after breaking water and then drop Hold on! Lead to open water, loosen drag and fight
fish – keep tension on the line!
Barbel on calling
Same setup as dipping
Except for using barbel leadheads as well as fast sinking large Lume Fast sinking Madpumkins or Sada Pumkinseeds, Salmo Sliders
Barbel on calling
Structure/habitat Vaal/Orange system ○ Inlets with discoloured murky waters ○ Shallow pans where they hunt on mullet, carp and yellows (30cm to 1.5m) ○ Also reeds, snotterbell and trees Rest of the country ○ Reeds, rocks, watergrasses, trees and
snotterbell ○ Not all dams are calling dams
Barbel on calling
Technique: 30-50cm line length between tip and
lure Start off splashing/plonsing softly 3 sets of 3 splashes with a pause in between Next start calling using your rod’s tip – quick horizontal shakes – fish/bird in distress Escalate intensity as time progresses Look for indicators – swirls, bubbles, bumps and mud clouds Hold on tight! Always a surprize!
Barbel on casting
Tackle: 7ft Heavy Action casting rod 200 low profile baitcaster with 7:1 retrieve
and decent drag 50lb braid Lume large slow sinking madpumkin, 7 cm Salmo Sliders
Barbel on casting
Structure: Rocks and trees white with bird guano Reeds with guano where birds sleep/nest Next to rocky flats and riffs
Barbel on casting
Technique: Swirls ○ Look for concentrations of swirls ○ Cast pumkin on a swirl (pinpoint and asap) ○ Leave pumkin – strike when tap or line swim ○ Keep tension ○ Re-cast if cat misses/searches
Blind ○ Cast next to structure, closer = better ○ Leave dead still
Sight ○ Pitch in front of fish, jerk if necessary
Barbel on trawling
Tackle 7ft medium heavy action spinning rod 2500 spinning reel 30lb braid (thin diameter 0.23) Lipless rattling crankbait, shallow running
crankbait and deep diving cranks depending on depth Rattlin Hornet 6 cm Hornet
Barbel on trawling
Structure/Technique Look for swirls, shallow water (1-3m) with little
structure Outboard via idling speed Casting distance 20-30m Relatively loose drag Good when lure bumps on bottom Jerks Keep tension Heck of a fight!
Barbel on popping
Tackle: 7-8 ft Heavy Action casting rod 200 low profile baitcaster with 7:1 retrieve and
decent drag (8kg drag) 50lbs braid 50lbs leader Power swivel (size 2) Popper Lume Medium fast sinking madpumkin, 7 cm Salmo Sliders S (Upgrade hooks and swivel, remove front treble)
Barbel on popping
Structure: Look for mullet jumping Rising catfish River inlets Shallow bays/ “panne” Stained water Around trees and rocks with bird activity Next to reeds Open water
Barbel on popping
Technique: Approach area stealth Make long casts Jerk, jerk, pause, repeat Vary how loud you pop until you find the most
effective volume Some venues prefer softer pops / harder pops Sometimes you need to “pause” longer between pops Often the cat will hook itself Have pliers or hook remover handy
Yellowfish on lure
Yellowfish on casting/trawling
Tackle: 7ft Medium Action Spinning rod 1000-2000 spinning reel 17lbs Prism Braid / 10 lbs mono Hornets (2.5 cm to 5 cm), Rattlin Hornet and
Sparky Shad and 7 cm Minnow, Fox Rage French Spinners (size, small lipless cranks
Yellowfish on casting/trawling
Habitat/structure Deep pools with slow current (1.5 – 3m) Above & below rapids (gullies) Rocky bottoms/gravel bottoms Boulders/trees, above and below weirs Cliffs, small rocky islands, reeds in current
Yellowfish on casting/trawling
Techniques: Dam: ○ Trawl next to cliffs with ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○
outboard on idling speed Closer to wall the better 1-3 m is strike zone Casting distance 20-30m behind boat Rattling lures Long casts to islands, walls and boulders Very slow retrieve, deep retrieval Relatively loose drag
Yellowfish on casting/trawling
Techniques: River: ○ Deep slow flowing pools (winter or largies) (1-3 m) ○ Below and above rapids ○ Long casts with a very slow retrieve (with the flow of the ○ ○ ○ ○ ○
current) Down stream and up stream as long as it gets down Rage Spinners, Hornet 2-4 cm, Rattlin Hornet, Sparky Shads Natural colours Relatively loose drag, keep tension Also cast and drift method
Pre-spawn Bass Tactics
Jerkbaits
Tackle: 6.6 ft medium action spinning rod 1000-2500 spinning reel 17 lbs Prism Braid with 10 lbs leader Sting (new Rattlin Sting),
Jerk Minnow, other jerkbaits
Jerkbaits
Tackle: 6.6 ft medium action casting rod 200 lowprofile casting reel 12 lbs Mono/Fluoro line Sting (new Rattlin Sting),
Jerk Minnow, other jerkbaits Setup must be as light as possible
Jerkbaits
Structure/habitat Less than 3 m deep water Preferably clear waters with good viz Rocky flats and points Submerged boulders Hyacinth and “snotterbel” cover Often takes close to structure Nooitgedacht, Roodekopjes, Loskop,
Rietvlei, Mokolo
Jerkbaits
Technique: Long accurate casts (close to structure) Jerk, jerk, pause Vary how long you pause and pace Sting mostly works better at a faster pace Keep rod tip down to prevent throw Don’t pressure fish too much during
fight Triple Grip hooks hold fish better
Cranking
Tackle: Shallow water: ○ 7 ft spinning medium action rod ○ 2500 spinning reel ○ 17 lbs Prism Braid / 10 lbs mono ○ 4.5 cm Rattlin Hornet, 6 cm Hornet, DD10 Deep water: ○ 7.3 ft casting cranking rod (or medium action) ○ 5:4 or 6:3 casting reel ○ 10 fluoro line ○ 6.5 cm Rattlin Hornet, DD22 etc.
Cranking
Structure: Stay clear of algae bottom or too much
vegetation Look for areas with hard bottom Boulders, trees, drop-offs Rocky points
Cranking
Technique: Extremely long casts NB! Must hit bottom / structure Crank needs to reflect off structure
to trigger reaction strike Good option when bass are staging Reel slow to get bait down and then burn crank, you can pause for a second when lure reflects of unique structure Make sure diving depth is more than depth you are fishing
Finesse plastics
Tackle: 7.1 ft medium heavy action casting rod 7:3:1 low profile casting reel 12 lbs fluoro / mono Fox Rage bass hooks Light mojo weight with gummy stop or
weightless Zoom Fluke, Paddletails, Lizards, Speed Craws
Finesse plastics
Structure: Shallow waters (less than 3 m) Look for structure (man-made, boulders,
“snotterbel”, brush etc In clear water long casts are important Bass often stay in the same area when
preparing for spawn, you can return to a spot to catch fish you saw earlier
Finesse plastics
Technique: Accurate casts Soft jerks or pull If you feel a tap or see the line moving,
strike! Make sure you set the hook properly Keep the rod down and the fish away from structure
Blue kurper on lure
Blue kurper on nests
Habitat: Small bays with sandy bottoms Best if it has a few rocks and grass cover
also available Visibility important/white cheeks 1.5m to 30cm Often nests between grass patches Tire shaped with dark blue male and pale female
Blue kurper on nests
Tackle: 9/10 weight flyrod 500 spinning reel 20lb braid (thin diameter) Small jighead with extra large curlytail in
bright colours or nr8 hook with carolina rigged splitshot (10cm)
Blue kurper on nests
Technique: Find nests Wading best Otherwize park boat next to nest Wait for blue to return/or search for blue that stays on nest Hop lure quickly on blues nest or
around its face Watch for signs Quick take/be vigilant Hard strike Get out of structure Pic and release
Blue kurper on casting
Tackle: 7ft medium action spinning rod (sensitive tip) 1000-2500 spinning reel 17lbs Prism Braid/8lb Mono (very thin diameter) Nr10-8 hook carolina rig splitshot
(30cm) – light as possible vs casting distance large/XL curly Casting distance very important
Blue kurper on casting
Technique: Look for small splashes, swirls Back of bays in shallows Make long casts over kurper/on to bank Silent entry Slowly hop lure on bottom Strike hard when tension/fight
gently in open water
Redbreast kurper on lure
Redbreast kurper
Habitat: Sandy and muddy banks Grass cover Borrows tunnels in the ground/loads of holes
in close proximity Every red has a few holes Protected by male fiercely Post spawn trees, flats with grass and rocky structure
Redbreast kurper on nests
Tackle: 9/10 weight flyrod 500 spinning reel 20lb braid (thin diameter) Small jighead with extra large
curlytail in bright colours or nr8-12 hook with carolina rigged splitshot (10cm)
Redbreast kurper on nests
Technique: Search for tunnels Drop lure in tunnels and work a hooping
action Sometimes bigger lures work better to aggravate them like small paddletails Bright colours If they spook when you come close use a casting setup
Redbreast kurper on casting
Tackle: 7ft medium action spinning rod (sensitive tip) 1000-2500 spinning reel 17 lbs Prism Braid/8lb Mono (very thin
diameter) Nr10-8 hook carolina rig splitshot (30cm) – light as possible vs casting distance large/XL curly Fox Rage French spinners or 2 cm 2 cm or 3 cm Salmo Hornets Casting distance very important
Redbreast kurper on casting
Technique: Work structure – cliffs, dead trees, laydowns,
brush, grey banks, rock piles and sandy flats with grasses Back of bays in shallows Make long casts over kurper/on to bank Silent entry Slowly hop lure on bottom Strike hard when tension/fight gently in open water Or work banks via spinner/hornet slow and low
Tigerfish on lure
Tigerfish in Rivers
Habitat: Structure-orientated Drop-offs Changes in current Eddies Where still water and rapids meet Weed lines Side-channels
Tigerfish in Rivers
Casting Tackle: 7-7.6ft Heavy Fast Action Round-baitcasters with big spool 30 to 50 lbs braid 8 strand Nylon-coated trace min 30 cm NB! Not too big swivel, power vs size Lures: Crankbaits (modify if necessary, watch
action), topwater, Soft plastics, spinners and spoons, Salmo Wave 6 cm Hornets, 7 cm Executor 8 cm Perch
Tigerfish in Rivers
Spinning Tackle: 7-9ft MH to Heavy Fast Action 2500 to 4000 30 to 50 lbs braid 8 strand Nylon-coated trace min 30 cm NB! Not too big swivel, power vs size Lures: Crankbaits (modify if necessary,
watch action), topwater, Soft plastics, Fox Rage Pike and Willow Leaf spinners and spoons, Wave, big Sliders
Tigerfish in Rivers
Technique: Long accurate casts – longer in the strike
zone Trolling or casting Hook-up = feeding frenzy Think bass, experiment with retrieve speed Jerks Spinners/Spoons allow to sink Loaded strike, avoid sweeping strike, keep rod tip low to avoid being thrown
Tigerfish in Dams:
Habitat/Behaviour: Pinnacles Under-water islands Think bass Little bit more lethargic, shorter fight Cliffs Kapenta/baitfish Fillet as trailer Lipgrip and pliers
Rock & Surf with Lures
Rock and surf fishing is primarily thought of as bait fishing. There are however effective ways of targeting saltwater fish off the rocks, in the surf and in river mouths. South Africa has an extensive coast line, which provide us with many different opportunities to target saltwater fish on lure. A basic introduction to this exciting facet of angling.
Surf fishing:
Species: Kingfish species, Wave Garrick, Bonefish, Grunter, Kob, Springer, Leervis, Shad Tackle: 9ft spinning rod, Med to Med/Heavy with a fast action. 4000 Spinning reel. 15 – 30lb braid. A Fluorocarbon leader is also an option (FG knot). But this is up to personal preference.
Surf fishing:
Lures: Spoons and Salmo Wave, Plugs and poppers, Bucktail Jigs, Soft plastics (Up to ½ oz leadhead) in watermelon pearl, chartreuse. Techniques: Look for deeper sandbanks, deeper channels between sandbanks. Long casts. Technique depends on lure. Best time to fish: Incoming tide, especially in low light conditions when the predatory species are more actively hunting close to shore
Rock fishing:
Species: Kingfish species, Stone bream, Blacktail, Wrasse species, Rockod Tackle: 6’6ft spinning rod, Med with a fast action. 2500 Spinning reel. 10 – 20lb braid. A Fluorocarbon leader is also an option (FG knot). But this is up to personal preference. Lures: Soft plastics (1/4 oz leadhead) in watermelon pearl, chartreuse for the bigger species and I prefer a 1/8 oz leadhead with a sandworm or camoworm imitation for the smaller species
Rock fishing:
Techniques: Look for channels feeding the big pools, drop offs(Kingfish), white water where waves break over rocks(Stone Bream). Accurate casts, vary retrieve speed, retrieve with stop start twitching action on the bottom. Best time to fish: The incoming tide providing greater opportunity of landing some of the numerous kingfish species which frequent these waters, and the outgoing tide providing access to the many crevices and small caves in the reef which is home to species like rockod, stonebream, rainbow wrasse, and many more. I prefer rock fishing during low tide for the smaller species, this is great fun on light tackle any time of the day.
The END!
Thanks guys!!! Tight lines
But, wait…what about the lucky draw?