monch Posted March 10, 2010 Share Posted March 10, 2010 Went to one of my local wharves for a quick lure session even though the wind was howling. Plan was to hope for some surface action and get into it with metals. On arriving there i see 4 frigate mackerel cruise through the shallows, make a lap and back out... "excellent!" I thought. Start spinning some metals blindly around the general area but get no interest. Decided to toss a pencil out to see if the small tailor were around like last week and they were. Got a few of them using hard twitches, like doing an aggressive popper retrieve with a pencil lure. Entertained myself with them for a while before they buggered off. After a quiet moment I get some missed strikes by fish on the px45, thought the small tailor were back because of the very small splashes. Casted again and i hookup to some good weight, i watch my line zip right infront of me and out to the distance, followed by a flash of blue and silver, YES onto a frigate. The fish gave up the fight fairly quickly, only about 1 min of powerful but short runs on bream gear and it decided to do the tuna circles on the surface. I grab the net but can't reach it even at full stretch. Whilst i reposition myself for another go, i dipped the rod and the fish got its head down and got its 2nd wind making another blistering run before PING! the line snapped. I was very surprised, it didn't rub me off on anything, has no teeth and I had 8lb mono leader with my drag set well. There goes another $20 lure and another 40cm+ frigate. Tie on another pencil and quickly cast it out, i get another hookup but the fish spat the hook within 2 seconds. Sun was starting to set and the action died down so i dragged myself home with my tail between my legs. Monch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henryqc87 Posted March 10, 2010 Share Posted March 10, 2010 Sorry about loosing your lure. The frigate got the upper hand this time. Anyway, good reason for you to visit the tackle shop tomorrow . Cheers, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zephi Posted March 10, 2010 Share Posted March 10, 2010 Catching frigate on light tackle sure is fun, enjoyed my last catch quite a lot, but couldn't get another one even though they were still around the area.. That's unfortunate to hear about the loss of your lure. whereabouts did you fish this time round? I'm guessing somewhere down at Port Hacking? Gunamatta? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray R Posted March 10, 2010 Share Posted March 10, 2010 Never mind Monch, you still had some fun with the little speedsters, that's what it's all about, enjoy your fishing. I would up your leader a little, maybe to 12-14 pound range, good luck next time.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monch Posted March 11, 2010 Author Share Posted March 11, 2010 Was at Gymea. I had a metal rigged on another rod with 12lb leader and they weren't hitting that. In the past they have also been very shy of my offerings so i tried to go lighter to get the hits, then worry about landing them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arpie Posted March 11, 2010 Share Posted March 11, 2010 Hi Monch Shame about losing the lure, but ........ that's fishing!! They are top fun on light gear tho! They also do a 'beat' & you can cast out your metal spinner & leave it on the bottom, wait for them to come around again & then retrieve like hell!! One or more will often peel off from the group & chase it. I got into some bonito on sammys in the river up at SWR - was expecting them to be Frigates, but no, they were bonnies!!! And I was using 20lb braid & 20lb leader!!! Didn't want to lose any more lures! Already lost 4 the week before!! Cheerio Roberta Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GregL Posted March 11, 2010 Share Posted March 11, 2010 Roberta that's a Watsons leaping bonito. Love the markings on there backs and a beautiful green hue to them. With tunas it's the stop to full speed and the inertia to get the spool to start to spin specially because we use braid these days and no stretch. Using doubles and long leaders should help take some of the shock out. Greg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arpie Posted March 11, 2010 Share Posted March 11, 2010 Thanks for that Greg - RayR had spotted the difference too@! hehe Another new species to add to my list! I gave them to a camping buddy who was going to sashimi them! (YUCK!) You are right - they are gorgeous to look at, eh? CHeerio Roberta Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Loops Posted March 11, 2010 Share Posted March 11, 2010 I dont know how you guys get the frigates to hit the lures... I was wading in Salamander Bay in February with poddies and whitebait literally circling me and frigates coming in to the shallows and smashing the bait. I had my offerings right in front of them and was not able to get a strike. I like the idea of having your lure on the bottom and ripping it up when they come back through their beat - will try that next time! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GregL Posted March 11, 2010 Share Posted March 11, 2010 I dont know how you guys get the frigates to hit the lures... I was wading in Salamander Bay in February with poddies and whitebait literally circling me and frigates coming in to the shallows and smashing the bait. I had my offerings right in front of them and was not able to get a strike. I like the idea of having your lure on the bottom and ripping it up when they come back through their beat - will try that next time! They have to be small lures and best sucess is on the fly for me. Nice clear surf candy or clouser does the trick. Greg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hottyscotty Posted March 11, 2010 Share Posted March 11, 2010 Those damn frigates are friggin frigs! They are the biggest teasers in the world. I've had them chase my metal lure only to swim off at my feet. They've taken my pillie bait and swam off with it but never swallowed it. They bite my plastics leaving teeth marks. God i hate them! But they are so spectacular to watch, they look like darting footballs in the water BTW when you catch Watsons Leaping Bonito, usually their bigger cousins are not too far. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GregL Posted March 11, 2010 Share Posted March 11, 2010 Hey Greg I reckon you are right but one thing I know next to nothing about is fly-fishing.... I have to keep a hobby in reserve for the future. At least the flatties arent lure shy haha! What are you worried about? Frig the frigets when your getting stretched by GT's in a month you lucky bugger! Didn't seem right when looking at Nomad 2011 dates that were released today when I have a trip to come in October this year. But if ya don't get in early ya miss out completely! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monch Posted March 11, 2010 Author Share Posted March 11, 2010 (edited) With tunas it's the stop to full speed and the inertia to get the spool to start to spin specially because we use braid these days and no stretch. Using doubles and long leaders should help take some of the shock out. Greg Thought that was the case but the line snapped after about 1.5 seconds into the run, the frigate had dived 2m down before the dreaded ping. Must have been a nick in the leader Yeh Roberta, I have tried leaving the lure in the water and waiting for them to come around for their next lap. Unfortunately where I get them their laps are several minutes apart and sometimes it seems they disappear for an hour or so and come back. And obviously it will be the second that i pull the lure outta the water or muck around with something when they decide to cruise through and back out all in under 10 seconds. I have just gotten a 1.5g Halco twisty which is 2cm long, closest thing i can get to using a fly without having a fly rod and still get 10m cast distance. Hope it does the trick. Edited March 11, 2010 by monch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mal Posted April 4, 2011 Share Posted April 4, 2011 (edited) Frigate are great fun on light gear. I have been having some good success over the last month or so using the new iZumi Pintail SPs rigged on a light jig head. Have been out catching the guys flicking metals. Have also managed a couple of nice bream on them from my local lagoon. http://www.tackletester.com/2011/02/izumi-pin-tail-more-than-meets-the-eye/ btw...will be up at Forster over the Easter long weekend and it would be great if someone were to recommend some good spots for surface fishing. cheers, Mal Edited April 4, 2011 by mal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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