Lure fishing for Bass

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’

Megabass FLUTT’A Bait, Colour: Sardine

The Megabass Flutt’a Bait is new for 2010, with twitching and flutter lures becoming ever more popular, Megabass have introduced there own. They describe it as a “Dual Action Jig Minnow, Surf Casting – Shallow Model” all I can say is when I first saw this lure I instantly thought this is going to be a winner.

On a slow retrieve it’s unique jointed flat body is meant to perfectly mimic a near death bait fish and on a faster retrieve have the look of a panicked bait fish. When you stop the retrieve it will instantly start to fall, vibrating and fluttering down. At 100.5mm long and weighing 27g this could be a great lure, I can’t wait to get my hands on a few and they have some great colours, I particularly like the orange red and sardine.

Model: Flutt’a Bait   Manufacturer: Megabass
Length: 100.5mm   Weight:27g    Dives: Sinking

Click the “Read More” to see all the colours.

Megabass Zonk 120 Gataride Yoro-Yoro, Colour: HT Sayori

The Megabass Zonk 120 Gataride is a floating minnow with a fragile looking hinged plastic diving lip. There seems to be confusion about why the diving lip is hinged, my Japanese isn’t good (more like non existent) but Megabass seem to be implying that it moves to the inline postion during the cast to reduce the coefficient of air resistance for increased casting distance and then returns to the down position to provide the action on retrieve.

Whereas the Zonk 120 is a sinking deep diving lure the Megabass Zonk 120 Gataride is a very shallow running floating lure, it would seem a lot of people haven’t realised that there are in fact two versions of the Zonk 120 Gateride the Yoro-Yoro which has a rounded diving lip and the Hi-Pitch which has a larger squarer diving lip, I presume the lips give slightly different actions with the larger lipped Hi-Pitch version diving a little deeper.

Update – Lot’s of people seem unhappy with how fragile this lure is but with a little care it will last. Getting it snagged in weed or on a rock will more than likely break the diving lip, also care should be taken when landing fish, if you allow a bass to thrash around the lip will get broken. The thing to do is look at this from a different angle, this lure casts really well for it’s weight, it’s possibly one of the best casting plugs around and it’s action on a simple retrieve drives bass nuts. I can’t stop catching on the Pearl Rainbow, it works great in low light and if there’s a little colour in the water.

Get one in your lure box – it’s already a classic if you ask me.

Model: Zonk Gataride   Manufacturer: Megabass
Length: 120mm   Weight:18g    Dives: 5 – 30cm (Floating)   Hook: ST-46 #6

For more info and pictures click the ‘Read More’

Megabass Zonk 120, Colour: GG Iwashi

The Megabass Zonk is a slow-sinking minnow with a thin glass fibre diving lip. If you fish with braid you can feel the effect this lip has on the action of the lure right up the line and through to your rod, in a fast current or with a fast retrieve the vibration is quite intense. The action from this slow sinking lure is a high pitch tight roll and because it dives to more than a meter (nearly 2m) it’s stable in choppy water. The Megabass Zonk is quite a wide bodied minnow, this is because it has a powerful movable double tungsten ball bearing casting system which helps you reach decent distances despite it’s relatively light weight of 21g. A further feature of the Zonk is a water port in the top of the body this is meant to create a water displacement that Bass can detect, I presume with their lateral line.

Model: Zonk   Manufacturer: Megabass
Length: 120mm   Weight: 21g   Dives: Sinking   Hook: ST-46 #6

For more info and pictures click the ‘Read More’