On the water with Kymmy: Chasing JP & Sooties in FNQ
If you’ve ever stood at a creek wondering where the fish actually are… or why they won’t eat what you’re throwing… this one’s for you.
This isn’t a technical breakdown or a “perfect” guide.
It’s just how I fish for Jungle Perch and Sooty Grunter up here in FNQ… what’s worked, what hasn’t, and the little things I’ve learned along the way.
My go-to lures
I’m not going to throw a massive list at you. These are the ones I keep reaching for.
1. Rapala Precision Xtreme Pencil (87mm)
I lean toward Lime Frog… but don’t overthink colour. Same day, same system, I landed a PB JP on Lime Frog while Chris pulled his PB on Clown. Same lure, different colour. Profile matters more.
2. Rapala Skitter Pop Elite (75 & 95mm)
Don’t be afraid to throw the bigger 95mm. A decent JP or sooty won’t hesitate.
What I love about these is how versatile they are. You can pop them… or slow it right down and walk the dog with subtle twitches.
Night Aurora and Toman have been standouts for me.
And just quietly… pelagics love them too, but that’s a story for another day.
3. Rapala X-Light Crank (Shallow)
I’m a sucker for surface or near-surface fishing, and these stay right up where I want them.
My go-to in rainforest systems is Baby Aspius… and there’s a reason.
“Match the hatch” doesn’t just mean baitfish. Up here, fish will happily smash fruit. Quandongs drop into the water… and it’s game on.
That Baby Aspius crank? Looks close enough when it hits the water. And sometimes, that’s all it takes.
4. Rapala X-Light Shad
This one will dive to 1.5m and you have 12 colours to choose from. I’ve used Clown and keen to try the other colours after Clown’s success.
5. Atomic Hardz Pop 50
I’ve recently had the chance to fish a few Atomic lures and they’ve impressed me.
The Fire Tiger pattern has been solid. Easy to cast, easy to work… and the fish clearly rate them.
I’ve also got a few go-to soft plastics… but that’s probably a whole blog on its own.
Where I look
Lures are one thing… but where you throw them matters more.
We mostly target JP and sooties in FNQ rainforest systems. Sometimes that means hiking ridiculous distances just to find the right water.
Clear, shallow rainforest creeks
Picture this.
Crystal clear water. Shallow. Rocky bottom.
You want to be walking upstream, looking for deeper pockets and pools. Keep your distance and get your cast in early.
JP are ridiculously spooky.
Most of the time, you get one shot. Miss it… you may as well keep walking to the next pool.
That said… I have had one crack at a lure three times. Rare, but it happens.
Gorge-style water
Deeper water. More consistent flow. Plenty of boulders.
I’m usually hopping my way upstream, looking for cascades. Below those cascades you’ll get fast-moving water… but fish won’t sit in that all day.
You want the breaks.
Back eddies.
Behind boulders.
Anywhere they can sit out of the current and ambush food.
Those same principles apply anywhere you find faster flow… not just in gorges.
Steady flow with structure
This is where structure becomes everything.
Fallen timber.
Root systems.
Undercut banks.
Rocky edges.
These are all prime ambush spots for both JP and sooties. If it looks like a good hiding place… it usually is.
The part people don’t talk about
You won’t convert every hit.
You’ll watch fish follow your lure all the way in… only to turn away at the last second.
You’ll pull a lure too early.
You’ll spook fish before you even realise they were there.
Still stings every time.
But that’s part of it.
Closing
Truth is… you can have the right lure, find the right water, do everything “right”… and still get completely humbled.
That’s JP and sooties.
But when it all comes together… when that fish comes out of nowhere and smashes your lure… there’s nothing quite like it.
That’s what keeps us walking, casting, and going back for more.
Keen to hear… JP or sooties… which one gives you more grief? 👇