Lurite

Most soft‑bait anglers talk endlessly about colours, brands, and bait styles — but jighead weight is the quiet variable that changes everything . Too light, and your bait never reaches the strike zone. Too heavy, and it looks like a brick falling through the water. So I ran a simple experiment to see how much jighead weight actually affects snapper catch rates in typical New Zealand inshore conditions . 🧪 The Setup Location: New Zealand inshore reef fishing Depth: 6–10 metres Conditions: Light swell Medium clarity Slow drift Afternoon session into sunset Soft baits used: 5” jerk shads 4” paddle tails Jigheads tested: 1/4 oz 3/8 oz 1/2 oz Each weight was fished for 20 minutes before switching. ⚖️ The Results 1. 1/4 oz — Natural action, slow sink Best action in shallow patches Great for timid fish Struggled to reach bottom in 8–10m Missed deeper fish entirely Takeaway: Perfect for calm, shallow water — not ideal for most NZ conditions. 2. 3/8 oz — The all‑rounder Reached bottom q...

Most anglers swear by their favourite soft bait colour — Motor Oil , Pink Shine, Bruised Banana, Natural Pilchard . But how much does colour actually matter when you’re targeting snapper in New Zealand ? I wanted to find out for myself, so I ran a simple experiment over two sessions on the Taranaki coast . 🧪 The Setup Location: Taranaki surf / inshore reef Conditions: Light swell 6–8m depth Water clarity: medium Drift speed: slow Time of day: late afternoon into sunset Gear: 5” jerk shads 4” paddle tails Jigheads : 3/8 oz, 3/0 hooks Colours tested: Natural Pilchard Motor Oil Pink Shine White Glow Each colour was fished for 20 minutes before switching. 🎣 The Results 1. Natural Pilchard — Most consistent Hooked fish within 3 minutes Multiple pannies Best performance in clearer patches of water Takeaway: Natural colours still dominate when visibility is decent. 2. Motor Oil — Best in low light Slow start Came alive as the sun dropped Strong vibration + colour shift = reaction bite...