Mainline: 20lb braid The beauty of fishing for Jacks is the rig is so simple. Mangrove jack have teeth that can destroy lures, but the flexibility and durability of Z-Man's ElaZtech means more fish per lure. Mangrove Jack is often mistaken for Red Bass but Mangrove Jack have a much taller dorsal fin. The reason I do this is so the fish doesn’t feel the sinker as it picks up the bait. Fact box: Where jack lives Mangrove jacks are members of the Lutjanid family, which also includes red emperor, golden snapper, moses perch, large mouth nannygai and red bass amongst many other species. Jacks are powerful and dirty fighters that are responsible for the majority of lines and lures obliterated in tropical estuaries. Mangrove Jacks are one of the toughest sportsfish species on the planet, and they really one of my favorites to fish for just that reason. When you first start fishing for barramundi, don’t buy good lures. He loves camping, fishing and kayak fishing. How to Catch Mangrove Jack on Lures. Mangrove Jacks thrive in tropical coastal waterways that have a clean freshwater input from mountain streams. Luckycraft pointer 100mm deep runner is a great lure for catching mangrove jacks around bridge pylons, rock walls and deep pontoons, to around 3m depth. In offshore environments, they typically inhabit rocky and coral reefs. Lures or bait? For many anglers mangrove jack are a bucket list species, while for others they are an addiction that drives them to spend hours on the water, throwing hundreds of casts, driven by that brutal and explosive strike, followed by a white knuckle battle that is sometimes won and sometimes ends abruptly with shredded leaders and a moment of silence. Mangrove Jack can grow to 1.5m in length in deep offshore environments and are virtually unstoppable beasts. If the fish are finicky, use lures on the smaller size, but if they’re really aggressive, you can use larger lures. They inhabit gnarly structure, deliver explosive strikes, fight tough and dirty, and they taste sensational. It’s ( MJ ) on the front foot of getting back to its snag before you realise its hit your lure and quite possibly if you don’t turn his head quickly, goodbye lure hello “W0W” factor. Profile (size) and presentation is more important than brand or color when it comes to artificial lures. Make Wooden Lures is Greg “Doc Lures” Vinall’s passion project, where he shows fishermen from all over the world how easy it is to hand make their own custom lures. Jacks always feed the hardest on the first run in of the tide which often means the bite doesn’t last very long. From crankbaits, to vibration baits, stickbaits, popper, jerkbaits and more, you’ll find all the info you need to go from zero to hero in no time! To book your private mangrove jack charter with us SMS 0432 990 302. Mature adults then leave the estuaries to lurk around headlands or take up residence on offshore rocky or coral reefs. He’s spent a decade getting the mangrove jack in the Bowen area wired and now living in Cairns, is heavily involved in lobbying for recreational fishing facilities. Recommended Lures for Mangrove Jack Fishing. For surface fishing on snags that are just below water surface at the start of the run in tide the Lucky Craft G Splash is an awesome choice. You have to be ready for a fight if you hook a mangrove jack. Hot Tip For Catching Mangrove Jack It’s easy to fish in the wrong places, so Dan explains how to recognise structure that’s likely to hold plenty of red dogs! They are among the hardest hitting sport fish in Australian estuaries and arguably the tastiest. Reel: Baitcaster Another productive way to catch Mangrove Jack is to anchor up next to a substantial snag and berley-up with cubes of pilchards. The best rig for Mangrove Jack fishing…. Once they grab hold of their target, they immediately bolt back to cover. In this article, we will be touching on tips and techniques along with the location and best bite times. Leader: 20-40lb fluorocarbon They are aggressive and savage predators that destroy potential prey and obliterate unwary or underprepared anglers. Packed with informative, how-to fishing articles from the country’s best authors. Dan Kaggelis is an accomplished sponsored angler who has written numerous articles for Kaydo Fishing World, Queensland Fishing Monthly and Fish and Boat magazines. Rod: 4-6kg baitcaster Figure out the “bite windows”. Is there anything you would like to add to this article? Keep that term in mind because it comes along very often. You’ll need 1.2m metres of tide to get access to the creeks around Bowen. They are an ambush fish and love leaving there tight little snag for a smashing run at a well presented lure. When chasing jacks on lure it is best to target them on the bottom of the tide as the less water around the snags means your lure is closer to the fish. Juvenile jacks primarily reside in the lower reaches of freshwater streams and rivers. Mangrove Jacks are most prevalent in tropical mangrove creeks but can be encountered as far south as the mild temperate waters of Sydney. Mangrove Jacks possess a strong affinity for structure. That cost is lost lures, traces and fishing line. They are so common there that the ‘grey’ name is usually changed to ‘mangrove’. As with Fingermark, another member of the Lutjanus family, Mangrove Jacks are prime eating.Estuary fish do not appear to grow much bigger than 50 cm and a 5lb specimen is considered a great catch and great sport. Means more fish per lure lurk deep within structure and rampage out at speed..., lures or flies ; using surface lures is my personal favourite method for this.. 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