Micro lures in the marsh?

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Chubs
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Micro lures in the marsh?

Post by Chubs »

So while watching MDLR YouTube's, I've seen him catch sheepshead on a small crank bait around oyster patches.
His bait though is from Australia and expensive to get here apparently.

I've been wanting to try similar ideas on my next trip so I picked up a few micro baits to see what will happen.

I was going to be out there this morning but the darn lightning forecast convinced me to stay home (and of course there has been no lightning yet....).

Anyway, here is what I picked up to try
Screenshot_20180921-071206.png
Fat boy next to the minis for size comparison.

Will I catch anything? No idea but I'm excited to try. I'm skeptical on the ones with tiny trebles, but the crawfish with a single hook, and the mini rat-l-trap might stand a chance.

So, point of this thread, anyone try something similar out and what happened?
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Ron Mc
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Re: Micro lures in the marsh?

Post by Ron Mc »

Australians know as much about inshore kayak fishing as anybody in the world.
They also make tough UL lines for tiny salt lures.
The Kamikaze copolymer I use on my salt XUL, I found a vendor on ebay who ships cheaply to the US.
If you can identify your Australian lures, worth an ebay search - or contact the Oz guy on ebay who sells my Kamikaze Firepower line, and ask if he can get them for you.
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Re: Micro lures in the marsh?

Post by karstopo »

Which MDLR video is the one with the Australian lures?

Australia has a Fish similar to a sheepshead called a black bream. On another forum, a fellow from Australia uses the fly in the video link to catch them. I’m planning to tie some up sometime and give them a shot. They can be weighted, too.

I’ve caught I think 2 sheepshead on conventional tackle. One on a big skitterwalk out in West Matagorda bay. That was weird because I saw the school and made the cast out in front and the sheepshead absolutely crushed the topwater. That fish was about 17-18”.

Another bigger sheepshead took a gulp crab in the ICW along some rip rap. That fish was five pounds or a little more.

I’ve caught a few on flies, but have had far more rejections. Flies are just little micro lures, and not always tiny, that people make. There’s tungsten weights that are heavy enough, think of Buggs lures, I believe Heath Hippel uses tungsten and/or lead in his castable lures that are tied like flies. I’ve seen at least one photo of a sheepshead that took a buggs lure.
https://buggsfishing.com/store/

I’d love to crack the sheepshead code. I feel like I’m making a little progress. Maybe one of the ones you have will be the ticket.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=o7DmOJTUR ... 8E&index=6
The video.
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Re: Micro lures in the marsh?

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I'll see if I can ask Mark to shed some light here on his lure :) pretty sure it was from Australia. I'll also see of I can spot some of his videos with it.

I scuba dove in Australia during an anniversary with my wife. Man it is so awesome over there. Dove the great barrier reef though, don't suppose that is inshore lol. But I'm remembering these gigantic potato cod / grouper they had. They were gigantic. Pretty awesome. Of course this is not related to sheepshead lol.

My idea with his lure is it looks a lot like a little shrimp fleeing for its life if you use your imagination (when they do a tail escape and bend themselves in half). So a crawfish lure like that ought to work, crawfish do the exact same thing.

Cool to hear you had success with gulp crab. I bought a pack of those awhile back but not tried them yet.
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Re: Micro lures in the marsh?

Post by Ron Mc »

Sheepshead munch down my size 6 kicking shrimp.
It's the pheasant-rump soft-hackle collar that makes it look like transparent shell.
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Last edited by Ron Mc on Fri Sep 21, 2018 9:55 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Micro lures in the marsh?

Post by kickingback »

Mark is using the Atomic Hardz lure that imitates a shrimp. It is transparent and has a very light brown color with stripes. It costs $15 a piece plus shipping. If you buy a few lures you can save on shipping.
That lure is well balanced, wobbles well and with small rattles inside it draws in the bite. Any small 2" wake bait will work the same but the small lures are hard to find already made in stores here in the U.S. You may need to "adjust" the lip by grinding it down to make it stay in the upper column of water.
You can find 1'-2' diving 2" wake bait lure blanks at Barlow's or other tackle maker site. Buy yourself a few of the small 2" wake baits and paint or "sharpie" mark them to make them transparent with color and touch up with Sally Hanson's Hard as Nails to seal it and make it shine like the Hardz.
There are a few lures out there that look like this and can be tried. Rebel, Rapala, H2O and others. Compare the looks here below.
The smaller bait size of the Hardz lure is a good bite inducer if the hatch is small. The larger wake baits below can still be used but the hatch should be a bit bigger to match. Match the hatch is not just a simple saying. It is the wisest choice to use to catch more fish.
I was going to order some of the blanks soon and paint them. I will post when I do. I will also adjust the diving lip to keep it from diving deeper and hit shell. I just want it to "wake" just below the surface since it floats well. I will grind down the lip to make it have the best wobble.
Hardz lure is pictured so you can see the difference in size and colors to better understand why it gets the bites.
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Re: Micro lures in the marsh?

Post by karstopo »

That looks a little like a Mann wake bait. I like the idea of a floating bait to keep it out of the oysters or rocks.

The Borski Slider in olive looks like a Benny that inhabit oyster reefs. I have not put before very many sheepshead but have gotten a few takers.

The shrimp I tie has a rattle and jumps backwards when stripped. I could put enough weight to cast it with at least a spinning set up, but I like the idea of a hovering or floating shrimp better.

Redfish crack occasionally works.

Let's us know how these lures work. ImageImageImage
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Re: Micro lures in the marsh?

Post by Chubs »

kickingback wrote:Mark is using the Atomic Hardz lure that imitates a shrimp. It is transparent and has a very light brown color with stripes. It costs $15 a piece plus shipping. If you buy a few lures you can save on shipping.
...
Great info KB. Ya I was pretty sure he said they are expensive. Combined with the thought of international shipping is what started me looking for alternates closer to home.

I never realized you can buy blanks.

That transparent body makes a lot of sense too. Seems sheepshead must be pretty discerning fish.

That vmc Model S looks like it has the closest out of the box imitation to the hardz bait.

With any luck I'll get to fish tomorrow, but weather isn't looking good again...
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Re: Micro lures in the marsh?

Post by karstopo »

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=jrJ-yiCXsF8

A video of people using the deeper diving version of the atomic hardz in Australia. Those bream are much like sheepshead according to things I’ve read.
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Re: Micro lures in the marsh?

Post by kickingback »

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Re: Micro lures in the marsh?

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kickingback wrote:This is on the 38 model.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnACI-uRkJ8
I emailed the distributor in Australia to see if there’s a good option to get them here. Worth a shot.
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Re: Micro lures in the marsh?

Post by Ron Mc »

e-mail tackle direct - maybe they'll import a bunch and stock them
they carry quite a bit of Japanese tackle, including Tsunami shad, which are as good or better than wildeye shad for less money
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Re: Micro lures in the marsh?

Post by bullet.catcher »

I use the Atomic Hardz Crank 38D, Muddy Prawn pattern. It works exceptionally well near oyster beds, jetty rocks and the muddy marsh bottom. I just refuse to spend $30 on shipping. The other Atomic lure that works really well is the K9 Pup. It's a topwater that can get them to bite when nothing else works. I love the attention to detail that the Australasia market put into their micro lures. Black Bream fishing is king over there and those little guys have amazing eyesight. These lures got it done for such a finicky fish.
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Re: Micro lures in the marsh?

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bullet.catcher wrote:I use the Atomic Hardz Crank 38D, Muddy Prawn pattern. It works exceptionally well near oyster beds, jetty rocks and the muddy marsh bottom. I just refuse to spend $30 on shipping. The other Atomic lure that works really well is the K9 Pup. It's a topwater that can get them to bite when nothing else works. I love the attention to detail that the Australasia market put into their micro lures. Black Bream fishing is king over there and those little guys have amazing eyesight. These lures got it done for such a finicky fish.
Thanks Mark. Ya the shipping is crazy. I just ebay searched a few and no kidding, $30 for shipping.

I just remembered I have a friend or two that lives in Australia. I wonder if I could get them to mule them in for me lol.
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Re: Micro lures in the marsh?

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Ron Mc wrote:e-mail tackle direct - maybe they'll import a bunch and stock them
they carry quite a bit of Japanese tackle, including Tsunami shad, which are as good or better than wildeye shad for less money
I just sent tackle direct an email to see if they could help. I didn’t have any specific contact there, just sent it to the sales department. Worth a go.
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Re: Micro lures in the marsh?

Post by Ron Mc »

good luck - could be a market for them
I've also bought lures from them that they drop-shipped from the distributor, so maybe they'll begin looking for a distributor to connect with.
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Re: Micro lures in the marsh?

Post by Chubs »

This isn't a micro lure, but this manns 1-minus I have has similar coloring, shape, and transparency.
20180922_100730.jpg
Wonder if they do a mini. This one is about 3" long.
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Re: Micro lures in the marsh?

Post by kickingback »

Try these Chubs...Echo 1.75"

https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Bill_Le ... e-BLE.html

http://www.rat-l-trap.com/echo-products.php

I also modified a rebel lure I had by shortening the lip and adding an eye to the front of lure. I added lines with a brown sharpie.
The other lure with the Hardz muddy prawn is another Rebel lure store bought with different color scheme.
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Re: Micro lures in the marsh?

Post by kickingback »

Here are a bunch of lures that may be to your liking as well Chubs.
I have the micro lures in the picture already and have caught crappie and bass on them. The next size up looks like a close match to the Hardz. Only difference is where the line eye is located on lure making the wobble like the hardz. You could modify them if they do not have the same or close action like they are. But closest match I could find to the Hardz under 2".
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Lot-32pcs-Mixe ... 0#viTabs_0

This link is for the ones that match the hardz...
https://www.ebay.com/itm/9PCS-4-7cm-Fis ... SwkQZbWfJ9

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Re: Micro lures in the marsh?

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Re: Micro lures in the marsh?

Post by karstopo »

Hi David,

We have been asked by Frogleys Offshore to contact you in regards to your below enquiry.

Yes, we do ship internationally.

Please advise us of your intended order ie Product Description and quantities, Town/ Province, Postcode and Country and we can then weigh the items and provide you with a freight calculation.

If you are then happy to proceed with an order we will send you and invoice via PayPal as our website does not currently accept orders from any other country other than Aus & NZ.

Have a great day!


Kind Regards,
Angela
NEW EMAIL SIGNATURE

From: Frogleys Offshore Enquiries (Anglers Warehouse) <support@anglerswarehouseau.zendesk.com>
Sent: Monday, 24 September 2018 8:52 AM
To: Anglers Warehouse <ange@anglerswarehouse.com.au>
Subject: [Anglers Warehouse] Assignment: FW: Source for Atomic Hardz in the USA?

##- Please type your reply above this line -##
You have been assigned to this ticket (#5356).

This is the email answer I got from frogleys. I’m not going to order any since I’m doing the fly thing.
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Chubs
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Re: Micro lures in the marsh?

Post by Chubs »

Cool will have to try some of those out.

Also saw there is a smaller manns 1-minus (baby they call it, 1/4 oz), but it's 2-1/2" so not as small as these others.
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Re: Micro lures in the marsh?

Post by Chubs »

karstopo wrote:Hi David,

We have been asked by Frogleys Offshore to contact you in regards to your below enquiry.

Yes, we do ship internationally.

Please advise us of your intended order ie Product Description and quantities, Town/ Province, Postcode and Country and we can then weigh the items and provide you with a freight calculation.

If you are then happy to proceed with an order we will send you and invoice via PayPal as our website does not currently accept orders from any other country other than Aus & NZ.

Have a great day!


Kind Regards,
Angela
NEW EMAIL SIGNATURE

From: Frogleys Offshore Enquiries (Anglers Warehouse) <support@anglerswarehouseau.zendesk.com>
Sent: Monday, 24 September 2018 8:52 AM
To: Anglers Warehouse <ange@anglerswarehouse.com.au>
Subject: [Anglers Warehouse] Assignment: FW: Source for Atomic Hardz in the USA?

##- Please type your reply above this line -##
You have been assigned to this ticket (#5356).

This is the email answer I got from frogleys. I’m not going to order any since I’m doing the fly thing.
Cool, well if we get some interest here maybe we could do a group order sort of thing. But think I'll try these ones I have and a few of those kb found 1st.

Get enough people in on an order and shipping cost divided probably isn't too bad.
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Re: Micro lures in the marsh?

Post by Chubs »

This has sort of morphed into a sheepshead thread heh, but saw this on the bugs site where he caught a sheepy on his new penny bugg:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BNxvTCODaU7 ... e=ig_embed

I see FTU apparently carries his lures. maybe worth a check during a lunch break.
I could see these bugs potentially working well since they look a lot like a crab and don't have much plastic to get destroyed. I guess just tie them on with at least 30# mono:
https://buggsfishing.com/product/permital-bugg/
https://buggsfishing.com/product/beastie-bugg/
https://buggsfishing.com/product/hot-head-bugg/
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Re: Micro lures in the marsh?

Post by WC53 »

Strikeking bitsy minnow https://www.amazon.com/Strike-King-HCBP ... trike+King

Rebel micros crawfish https://www.rebellures.com/rebel-micro-crawfish

https://www.rebellures.com/rebel-super- ... shing-lure

I do like catching sheepshead, but normally I am vertical jigging with a fiddler, these tiny lures might be a cool addition to the tackle bag if the hooks are up to the task.
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