The lure with 9 lives, died. RIP

Well it took a long time and a lot of fish but I finally lost the first Rebel Pop r that I had ever owned.

Champion Lure accounted for at least 50 fish

I have blogged previously about the near misses that I had had with this lure but today its luck finally ran out. I had upgraded the hooks after the first time that I fished it, with some apprehension as it was only the crappy hooks that saved it a couple of times by straightening on runnaway fish.
Today my plan was to play around with some soft plastics that I had received, but after an hour I hadn't caught anything more than rainbow runners so I decided to tie on the popper. It took about 10 minutes before it was snaffled by a large trevally. The fight was looking promising but I was quickly running out of line and needed to drive the boat after the fish to try and stop it. Just as I had the boat in gear my main line (20lb) brushed the coral. I was bummed but there is nothing you can do and besides its always better IMO to lose a lure to a good fish rather than lose it to a snag/shark bad knot etc. I had only brought one other popper along with me and it was too big to use one my light outfit so I tied it on my jigging rod (Saltiga SA-JG66MFS), not ideal but better than nothing. After a few casts I hooked up on a small GT

Healthy little takka at 75cm

A move to a nearby reef resulted in a nice Blue Fin Trevally

The only fish of the day that didnt make it back into the water, a beautiful 64cm Blue Fin Trevally

After I had dinner secured (BFT) I went back to casting the soft plastics. All I can say is that I must suck at soft plastics, all I caught after that was 1 pink snapper.... I have a lot to learn when it come to soft plastics. At the moment for me, poppers are more fun and catch more fish! Weather permitting the new Orion Lures will be getting a swim, chasing some larger prey, stay tuned!

Orion Nambas 140 - First Look

This is my newly arrived Orion Nambas, a floating topwater lure, similar looking to the Big Foot but less dense and I am assuming it with work with a different action.

Nambas 140

Larger eyes than the Big Foot

I have some hope that this lure will be effective as I believe it will work with an action somewhat similar to the Heddon, time will tell!

Orion Big Foot 140 - First Look

If there has been a lure maker that I had always wanted to try, it was Orion. These lures are hand made from some kind of molded resin in France. I had read many things about them, mostly positive and I was eager to try a lure of European origin, for something different.

Orion Big Foot 140

I had read that these lures "don't look like much" and are "agricultural looking" and at first glance I would have to agree. The paintwork is messy and has bubbles in it, the cutouts for the eyes have not been sanded and generally the lure appears to lack any true craftsmanship.

Eye detail showing the rough finish

Having said all of that, I was prepared for a lack of "beauty" and to be honest, I don't really care about such things too much if the lure catches fish and is durable (things that I have heard that these lures are).

Apart from the lack of attention to detail with the finish, the Big Foot looks promising with good quality eyes and heavy duty wiring and an interesting shape. It is quite narrow and tall with a slightly more pointed nose than tail. Due to a good reputation among serious GT fishermen I am keeping an open mind and am hoping to try this lure in the near future (tomorrow if the wind drops!). Definitely not a lure for the fussy "jewel" type lure collectors!

Heddon Super Magnum Zara Spook

Heddon Super Magnum Zara Spook in Blazin' Shore Minow

Action: Walk the Dog.
When to use: Calm water
Weight: 110g
Length: About 200mm
Cost: $20
Comment: Probably the craziest name in all of fishing! These lures look like cigars. They are well finished for the price (excluding the poor terminal tackle) with good looking paint. Designed as a bass lure, they aren't really designed for blue water use but I saw one and had to try it! Have caught a GT on it, so it does work but i think the sharks like it most of all. The action is really difficult with a heavy rod and it is also hard to use in rough water. I dont think that I would buy another one but I still take it out from time to time when I am up for a giggle.
Overall: Average Above Average
Update: This lure was used extensively during the H&M Trophy, yielding some interesting results. While only accounting for one small Red Bass, the lure attracted by far the most attention of the lures used in the boat. The down side was the very low hookup rate, which was disappointing but could have been down to bad luck.  
It attracted a strike from a large barracuda (15kg+), the fish jumped clear of the water for the strike! It was spectacular but the hooks didn't take. The second fish it attracted was even more spectacular, with a huge GT smashing it and taking it for 10 - 15m before dropping the lure. The conditions were very clear in the water and the fish could be seen charging at the lure. It was easily the biggest GT I have raised (or seen) in Palau and to be honest, I would have had no chance of stopping it in the shallow, rocky water. The fact remains that I saw it clearly, it was huge and it took the lure! More investigation is in order! My opinion of this lure is improving!

Damage sustained from one days fishing. The finish of the lure seems to be strong but it was the subject of some particularly heavy strikes.

It didn't occur to me when I bought this lure that the colour closely matches that of a Red Bass. In the past I had chosen colours similar to that of baitfish (ie blue, gree, silver etc) but I am seeing evidence that the bigger fish may be attracted to other colours - stay tuned!


 

Fisherman Long Pen

Fisherman is one of the most well known and respected manufacturers in GT fishing circles world wide. Based in Okinawa, the boss Suzukisan travels extensively to tests his products and it shows.
Fisherman Long Pen

A veteran Long Pen - Blue Mackerel

Green Mackerel

Pink Mackerel

Action: Hold the rod tip at 45 degrees and wind flat out.
When to use: I use them exclusively when targeting GTs in shallow water, especially around breaking waves.
Weight: Various weights are available. I prefer 100g because they have less drag in the water and tire you out less.
Length: About 250mm
Cost: 7, 000 yen or $80
Comment: These are my favourites of the Fisherman range. They are simple to use (just wind fast) and they catch GTs.They are generally well built and presented but have weak paint jobs that scratch easily.

An example of the nice detail of these lures, a double cap that strengthens the lure against the pressure of the through wire

Lure Reviews

This lure review we have the Tailwalk Gunz 18s model. As the name indicates this is a 180mm stickbait that sinks. When new these lures are very attractive (to fishermen at least) with great looking paint and a very reflective 3d eye. They also have a pleasing weight in the hand. In the air they are very good and can be cast a long distance. In the water they are also good swimming with a nice darting action. I have caught GTs on this lure so we know that it works BUT they are fragile. Customers aboard the Sara Guide Service boats have brought these to the islands brand new and had them full of water after catching only one small fish. I have had my personal lures leak too. Overall: Not Recommended (unless the leaking problem gets fixed then they would be Recommended)

As above in an excellent colour combination.

 OTI Komodo in Blue Lazer. Great colour, crappy paint quality, especially over the chrome stickers on the lures sides.

 OTI Komodo in Blue Hawke. Not the teeth marks! Another large strike with no hookup.

 OTI Komodo in Nemo colour pattern. Probably my favourite colout pattern for deep water GTs. This finish is slightly better than other OTI colours but with still look crappy after 1 or 2 fish.

These lures are basically good lures but they are not really worth owning due to their substandard finishes. Some lure companies make the effort to produce a lasting finish one their lures others make very little effort. When the fish are not super aggressive, something as small as the paint on your lure can make the difference between coaxing a strike out of a fish or leaving it cold. In the future I will be putting my money where my mouth is and sticking to higher quality lures. 

Lure Reviews

Surprisingly this lure hasn't worked out for me. Yo-Zuri Hydro Popper 90mm/about 25g. I say surprisingly because I have caught quite a few nice sized Blue Finned Trevally with the same lure in Redhead colour. This colour pattern (we call it watermelon) is generally my favourite but so far this lure is a big disappointment, proven by its age of over 6 months. Good lures dont grow old here! Overall: only for calm water, light line popping, below average.
Yo-Zuri Bull 150mm/70g in the new Sashimi changing colour scheme. The lure shape is sound, good to cast and easy to pop but in this colour scheme it is pretty useless. It has accounted for a good sized barracuda -12kg but all in all its not a great lure. I will save it for when I am fishing in really shallow water or when the Red Bass are thick, so I wont be to sad if I lose it. Overall: Give it a miss.
Duel Surface Slider 140f. 140mm/48g. This lure has been used on one trip and caught a few fish, the best being a 6kg BFT. I am generally impressed with this lure but it is a little to light to cast good distances. CHANGE OUT THE HOOKS is you are going to buy one, the standard ones are crap and cost me one good fish. Finish of the lure is typical Yo-Zuri/Duel standard ie. if its shiny the paint will come off easily. Overall: RECOMMENDED.
Fisherman Big Hard, about 200mm/150g. This is a difficult lure to work, it really needs a very stiff popping rod. I use a Tica Swells PE #6 rated popping rod but its not enough. Lure hasn't caught any fish and probably wont unless I get an even stiffer heavy rod, which I dont plan to. Overall: Expensive ($70 ish) and weak finish.

Lures, the VILLAINS

Time for the LIST OF SHAME! These are the lures that just plain and simply SUCK!Yo-Zuri Hydro Popper 120mm, 43g (small mouth version). I have to admit I did catch one fish with this lure (a nice sized GT - 12-15kg) but I think I just got really lucky that day. This lure is a pain in the arse to pop. It can make a good splash but the precision needed to get it right is far to high. If you dont pull quite hard enough, there is no splash and if you pull a tiny bit too much the lure cartwheels over the surface. My advice; dont buy this lure unless you are really patient and use light line and a purpose built light popping rod. Overall: Below Average
Storm Kickin Stick 12. The local tackle shop guy asked me to try this one out for him and tell him if it catches fish. I cockily told him I wont return until I have caught fish with it. Needless to say I haven't been back there since! I will go back soon but I wanted to make sure that I cant catch fish on it. Used it 4 times, no fish even looked at it that I saw. Overall: Dont bother with this one.
Rapala Skitterpop, about 120mm/30g. This has to be the worst lure that I own that swims properly. It makes a light splash when popped but the fish dont even look sideways at it. I think that sound that it makes (a metallic jangling sound) keeps the fish away but I can be sure. I wont waste my time with this one again. Overall: Pure Crap
Ocean Tackle International Komodo Popper. 130g/200mm ish. I bought a few of these lures because of the success that I had with the Wombat model. I am a bit pissed of at OTI, they used to supply their lures with Owner hooks and the lures themselves were US made. When these ones arrived they have some really shitty hooks and the packs dont say where they are made. Judging by the crappy finish and peeling paint, my guess is MADE IN CHINA. Fish have attacked this lure on 4 occasions but I am yet to get a hookup. This lure already looks beaten up but hasn't caught anything yet. Also it is very tiring to work this lure properly. Overall: Below Average
Mystery brand lure named Bull Dog. I bought this lure purely because of the colour. BEWARE this lure doesnt even swim properly. MADE IN CHINA rubbish! Overall: Absolute SHIT

Lures, other good ones

So last post I showed you a few lures that work well here. In this post I have a few more that also work well. Above is the Yo-Zuri Surface Bull GT again but this time in a "pink tiger" colour. 100g, 200mm. This model is slightly different from the previous post in that it has 3d eyes rather than stickers. I feel that it makes a difference when the fish are feeling picky. This lure needs to have its hooks upgraded, the original hooks are soft and will straighten if you hook a big fish and use a heavy drag. In this case i have used a Mustad 4/0 (i think). So far these hooks have been really good. This lure has caught some fish, most notably GTs and a large barracuda last weekend (see tooth marks near tail). Overall: Good and Cheap - buy one
This is a Duel Surface Bull 150, 70g, 150mm. The pictured lure is unused but its twin was used for the first time last weekend. On its 4th or 5th cast a large Red Bass swooped out of deep water and took it. What followed blew my mind as my 60lb line snapped under the strain of the bass attack. To be honest the line must have been weakened by a coral scratch or something on a previous cast. Anyway the bass seem to like it... Overall: Too soon to be sure but has promise
This is the secret (not anymore!!) weapon of the guys that I fish with. It is a Yo-Zuri Hydro popper, 120mm, 43g. If I was to take one lure only on a trip, this would be the one. It has a slightly wider mouth than normal poppers and makes a great splash and is easy to work. My preference is the blue colour but the other guys swear by this colour, and since I have lost just about every blue one that is in the country, I had to join them in using the green. This lure catches just about anything that I fish for; GT, Blue Finned Trevally, Emperors, Red Bass, Coral Trout... everything really. Great lure, shitty finish, most of the paint with be gone after a few fish. Overall: Highly Recommended - this lure is an absolute WEAPON!
ANOTHER Yo-Zuri (you can see what the local tackle shop stocks cant you?) Tobimaru, 130mm, 27g diving lure. This one is a bit of an enigma, I have used this lure for a total of five casts and lost three of them to fish that I couldnt stop on my 30lb outfit! It presents me with something of a problem in that the lure wont swim using heavier than 30lb line/ 50lb leader BUT whatever is eating them puts me under a rock or busts me off before I can do anything about it. As usual I suspect large Red Bass but I cant be sure, it could just as well be large Coral Trout or Coral Cod. Overall: Recommended
The final lure is something that I have been messing about with a little bit lately, spoons. Seems extremely retro to me (I havent used spoon since childhood) but it occurred to me that no one here really uses them, so I thought I would try them out. This lure is similar to the one above. I ordered on of these Williams Whitefish lures from Canada a few weeks ago and on the first cast after maybe two turns of the reel, I got smoked again! So I had to order another to see if it was a fluke or not!! 150mm, about 30g. Needless to say I am trying to upgrade my light tackle gear to maybe 50 or 60lb! It sounds retarded to call this lights tackle but even though we catch heaps of fish, it would still be cheaper to buy them at the market because of all the gear I lose! Overall: Too soon to tell but looks good.

Lures, the HEROS.

These are the lures that work!
This one is a "chugger" style for Ocean Tackle International called Wombat. It is a wooden lure with reasonable quality hardware. Weight is 130g. Works well on GTs and Red Bass. It is tiring to work, I can only use it for an hour or so before I get too tired and have to change lures. Overall: Recommended (but go to the gym before you use it!)
This one is a Japanese made lure by Asaurus. 120g, made of resin. Really easy to use, making a great ripping sound when popped. As you can see, it has see a fair bit of action, Red Bass especially love this lure. Overall: Highly Recommended
Fisherman Long Pen (130g?). Another very effective lure for GT's. The action for this lure is to skim it across the surface at full speed, the GT's rise up and smash it! Another tiring lure to use and not terribly durable. Overall: Recommended but expensive
Yo-Zuri Surface Bull GT (120g I think). I was persuaded to use this lure by a local fishing guide who insisted that it works well. Personally I dont like the action very much as it doesn't make a very big splash. HOWEVER the fish seem to like it just fine with GTs, Blue Fin Trevally, Barracuda and Emperors being taken with this lure. Note the scratches on its nose from being taken into to coral and dragged back out! Overall: Good and Cheap, Recommended