Lure fishing for Bass

Z-Claw Gan Craft, Colour: JA-AYU, rattling

So when I first tried a Z-Claw I wasn’t that impressed, I was expecting a fairly standard walk the dog lure, but it kept diving under but here in lies the secret of the Z-Claw – it’s versatile. I has an uncertain action, just under the surface it flutters and rolls, on the surface a walk the dog action is easy but for me it’s not until you really slow things down that this lure really comes into it’s own. Fished in a current, with just the odd twitch or a turn of the handle on your reel accompanied with long pauses seems to be all that’s needed, this compact lure just attracts aggressive hits, which usually result in a hook up. The same is true when there’s some chop to the water, just let it get knocked around, leave it out there, just taking in line to stay in contact, give it the odd twitch, bass just can’t seem to resist.

Why should a lure attract bass when there is little to no action being imparted, I think it’s all down to the scavenging instinct of a bass, just as a lure with a strong action is still mimicking an injured bait fish, a lure left to be washed around by waves or carried along in a current is imitating a very near or in-fact dead fish, an easy meal for sure.

At 100mm long and weighing 20g the Z-Claw casts well, a worthy addition to anyones top water collection, I always have one in my lure box, whatever the mark.

Model: Z-Claw Gan Craft  Manufacturer: Gan Craft / Zenith
Length: 100mm   Weight: 20g    Dives: Surface

For more info and pictures click the ‘Read More’

Duo Custom Rough Trail 130S, S-09 Mackerel

So spring is here and with a bit of luck, hopefully sooner rather than later, large numbers of bass will move inshore. Am I ready, well I know one thing, I have a lure for almost any situation, to be honest I have several to choose from for any mark whether it’s an estuary, open beach or rock mark, whether it’s dead calm or building up to a gale.

Do I need the amount of lures I have to catch a load of fish this year, well no, I could get away with far less but there is method in my madness, there is a justification I can make to myself, there is reason behind this obsessive purchase of more tackle bling, I just can’t for the life of me remember what it is.

Seriously though there is occasion when a certain lure can rescue a session, on those tuff days when you know bass are there but your just not getting them to commit, having a good selection of lures in your tackle box can give you options. It may be a question of a certain profile, action, colour or combination of each that just turns on the instinct for a bass to hit a lure with intent rather than just having a look.

Sometimes it’s conditions that dictate the need for a specific lure, if it’s dead calm a lure with a very load rattle will possibly do you no favours alternatively if there’s a big swell you’ll need a lure that can cope. To this end I think the Duo Custom Rough Trail 130S could be an answer, it’s oversized thick diving lip is strong, it’s body is thicker than the standard Tide Minnows, it’s made for the rough stuff and apparently in an angry sea even on a very fast retrieve it stays stable and keeps it’s wobbling rolling action. For it’s relatively short length of 130mm, for this type of lure anyway, it’s heavy at 30g so despite it’s large lip it should still cast well.

Model: Rough Trail 130S   Manufacturer: Duo
Length: 130mm   Weight: 30g    Dives: Sinking

For extra info and pictures click the Read More

O.S.P. Rudra 130F & O.S.P Rudra Works Secondary (Spec 2) 130-SF

The OSP Rudra SP (Suspending) has been around for a while, you can see a review here from 2007 and some great info on Henry Gilby’s site here. The lures pictured above are the Rudra 130F (floating) and the new Rudra Works Secondary (Spec 2) 130-SF (Slow floating and silent). They are great looking well built lures with a large strong diving lip that gives a tight heavy rolling action with a straight retrieve and an exaggerated darting action with jerks of the rod.

Model: Rudra 130F & Rudra (Spec 2) 130-SF   Manufacturer: O.S.P.
Length: 130mm   Weight: 19.5g    Dives: F-Floating, SF-Slow Floating

For more info and pictures click the ‘Read More’

Tackle House Intermidiate Minnow int. 105mm 45g No. 3 Albino White and in the background the 80mm, 18g No. 8 Pound Herring

The Tackle House int doesn’t seem to be a very popular lure, I’m not sure why because when I tried the the 80mm, 18g version in the No. 8 Pound Herring colour last year it seemed to attract everything from Sea Trout to Mackerel, Gar Fish and Bass. The int is a very compact lure, even the 18g version casts miles so I think the 105mm 45g version should go out of sight.

With a steady retrieve the int offers a tight little rolling action and swims just below the surface with it’s angled face creating a significant water displacement, this seems to attract interest. Obviously you can work this lure to impart more action, but I find that varying the speed of a steady retrieve to get a follow and then stopping to allow the lure to sink where the int’s rolling action on the drop will often induce a hit.

The construction of the lure is very simple, it has an internal lead weight that runs from the head back along the belly, the weight is slightly smaller than the cavity it sits in which gives a distinctive but subtle rattle. If the larger 105mm, 45g version is as effective as it’s smaller brother it will be a valuable addition to my lure box, time will tell and I’ll report back once I’ve had a chance to get it wet.

Model: int.   Manufacturer: Tackle House
Length: 80, 95 & 105mm   Weight: 18g, 30g & 45g    Dives: Sinking

For more info and pictures click the ‘Read More’