How to fish soft baits with Rob Fort

Here's a complete step-by-step guide to using micro jigs. Learn the techniques to be successful at catching fish with four methods explained in detail including easy to follow instructional diagrams.

The Japanese invented micro jigs, and have also developed some specific techniques for fishing them. These little lures are deadly in NZ waters, particularly on snapper. Check out this great technique instruction, it's in Japanese but has full subtitles.

Join Adan Clancy from Fishy Business and Ben Pokaia for top tips for jigging and top water fishing for Bay Of Plenty Kingfish.

It was chaos! the pack of Kingfish erupted on the surface splaying froth and panicking baitfish in every direction. Words can’t even describe the sight as I grabbed my topwater gear and belted a quick cast into the riot. Fish were flying all over the surface and after a couple of winds ‘booom’! As line peeled off the wailing Stella all I could do was watch and hang on. With 15kgs of drag locked on it was one of those moments where the sheer excitement was overriding the pain of every muscle screaming to hold fast. After a tough, twenty-minute tug-o-war the fish finally turned, and I was able to coax him up. Kingfish are brutal on any gear, but on the longer topwater rods they have a leverage advantage and as an angler, you get to feel every bit of the fight even more than on normal jigging gear. When the fish appeared it was as much a relief as anything, and I knew this was around a 30kg PB straight away. Such a magnificent fish deserved to go back to get even bigger, so after a few snaps he was back over the side leaving me with that exhausted and elated feeling. Did that really happen?

Watch now: Grant 'Espresso' Bittle and Catch pro angler Edward Uhai Lee share some expert knowledge with hints, tips and technique advice to help you with your artificial bait game. Recorded live at the 2019 Hutchwilco Boat Show. Enjoy.

Slide baiting is an awesome way to target big predatory species such as kingfish and snapper from shore. Beach, rocks or even from the wharf, this is a very effective and clever way to get you live bait out way further than you could normally cast. Check out our Aussie mates for a few pointers.

Or seeking to improve your trout angling and learn new techniques? Come along to the free Canterbury Trout Festival starting at 8.30am on September 4 2021 at Peppers Hotel, Clearwater. We have again been able to persuade some of New Zealand's best trout anglers to come and share their knowledge and skills.

Check out the new IV707 Explorer getting put through its paces and get an insight into the design features that go into every Innovision boat with founder Simon Minoprio.

In this video Matt Watson shows you how to easily fillet john dory

With the world in the fierce grip of a global pandemic, there are few places in the world where anglers have the freedom to roam and fish with unrestricted access and companionship. New Zealand is one of the few... Although we miss our international friends and our guiding industry is on it's knees, there is a shining light at the end of a long and gloomy tunnel here - FREEDOM TO FISH! Join myself (Mike Kirkpatrick) and good mate Hans Kreuer, as we embark on a three day trip in search of some large brown trout, with the unsettled spring weather looking to finally relent into some fine days.

Here's a great review with some lovely fishing footage, if you're considering a #5 or #6 wt rod, a weight that is so well suited to much of NZ's fly fishing.

Michael Jenkins shares a few tips on how to Soft Bait from the rocks. Filmed in New Zealand Filmed, Edited & Produced by Paul Smith