Blue skies for pelagic action

THIS week we have great neap tides coinciding with some nice weather

Angler Jacob Scott with a solid giant trevally he jigged up.

THIS week we have great neap tides coinciding with some nice weather.

As the tides start to build after the neaps, it is a good time to head out on the blue water to chase some pelagic action.

Pelagics do enjoy some run in the tide and can be readily targeted both trolling and jigging lures, depending on the situation. Trolling the leading reef edge with deep diving lures can work well on Spanish mackerel and trevally.

The Zerek Pelagic Z lures work well, diving to around 5m on the troll. If you need to troll deeper, I recommend using the Rapala magnum lures, which can get down to around 8m.

I prefer to use more natural colours in the blue water, with green and purple being some of my favourites.

If you have a closer look at garfish — one of the most abundant baitfish in Top End waters — you will notice they are predominantly green with a bit of purple on their flanks.

This is one of the main reasons why I like to use these colours. Pelagic species such as Spanish mackerel, trevally and queenfish love to feed on schools of garfish.

Sometimes the fish will sit even deeper than 8m in the water column, feeding on the sides of deep pinnacles.

This is the time you need to change to large jigs so you can drop them down to reach the feeding fish.

I have jigged some great fish out of 30m in and around the Vernon Islands before. Usually the tidal current is moving quite strongly in these situations, so you need to try some heavier jigs around 100-150g.

Once again, I like to use green or blue-coloured jigs, with silver as well. Determine the direction the current is moving and move up well ahead of where the fish are holding. Drop your motor into neutral and start jigging as you drift over the mark.

I find that winding the jig up as fast as you can from the bottom often receives a strike.

If this method does not work, try jigging the lure up erratically to try and entice a strike.