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We received a radical new lure not long ago. It had curious fins just rear of the belly section and felt like it weighed quite abit. That lure turned out to be DUO's latest take on the heavy weight minnow for saltwater use. The next available trip out was just the right chance to give it a shot.
We love our coastal offshore fishing. Shallow waters interspersed with reefy outcrops and a myriad of species available to target. We jig, cast and pop in these waters and have a great time every time. This trip would be no different.
We set off at day break to catch the early morning bite and arrive an hour and 30 nautical miles later at a reefy ridge to find actively feeding birds and fish. These areas are not spared by the commercial fishermen and the guys already there are working themselves into a frenzy. The Captain positions us along the shallow reef edge where the big boats aren't able to reach and we start casting.
Naturally the Rough Trail Blazin' is the first lure I slip through the split ring attached to my swivel. This is the most secure way of rigging for tough saltwater fishing and minimises the chance of failure by a fair margin. Curious to see how it'd worked I run it a couple of times close to the boat to sus out the best form and speed of retrieve.
Strong and wide are the first words to come to mind. Nice. It sinks at a great rate, given that its 40gm heavy. But the wide wobble and distinct action felt through the rod tip is what really excites me. Time to cast.
The fish are holding in the deeper edges of the reef edge, closer to the commercial boats. But we try nonetheless. A few tentative casts to learn the terrain of the reefs and we get the confidence to work the lures a little deeper, covering more water. The beauty of these sinking minnows is the ability to work different water columns and find fish that are otherwise unreachable.
So we count down a couple of seconds, just allowing the lure to drop below an active bait ball as we drift past. The reefy terrain below is mighty unforgiving so you want to be well off the bottom. Ripped through the bait school with lots of twitching, the lure comes to life. But as quickly as it animates, it all comes to a halt as the lure is belted. And missed!
No stopping, we continue with the twitches and cranks. Another hit. Another miss. And then it comes tight! There was obviously a pack of hungry speedsters trying their hardest to refrain the lure from getting back to the boat. This is lure casting at its zenith!
They fish hangs deep and the rod transmits strong head shakes as we try to stop it from reefing us. It doesn't display the typical long fast runs of your typical pelagics. Instead, it is stubborn and also displays its strengths with a few strong bursts. We keep calm, not wanting to lose this precious first fish on the DUO Blazin' lure. And boy do we get a pleasant surprise when we first see colour.
Rising from the depths was a fish with silver flanks and tiger-like stripes. A Golden Trevally! Wow! While not uncommon on small jigs, you almost never catch them on hard body lures. At least not around these parts. Not the biggest of specimens, but a trophy of sorts nonetheless. Much care was taken not to lose it boatside and when we got hold of the flapping tail the sense of elation was hard to describe. It was a great capture on the Rough Trail Blazin's debut for us and one we'll remember for a while.
Confidence instilled, I am able to work the Blazin' with relative ease all because it does most of the work itself. In between multiple hits from over-enthusiastic Long Toms that are treated like pests around here, we score another trophy in the form of a nice Coral Trout pulled within close vicinity of another harassed bait school.
Coral dwellers by instinct, these tough fish will let down their guard occasionally when there's an easy feed higher up in the water column. When hooked they showcase unmatched strength when trying to get back to the sanctuary of the nearest coral bommie, and they usually win. To get one in amongst a bait school was a total surprise and a lucky shot indeed. But it also summed up the effectiveness of the new DUO Rough Trail Blazin' lure.
The lone Blazin' lure didn't last much longer though. In the cut and thrust world of the saltwater speedster where Mackeral, Barracuda and Long Toms lay wait with their sharpened fangs, lure losses are inevitable and this story ended no differently. So until the much awaited stocks arrive on our shores, we wait.
Tackle Source TV channel on Youtube presents the DUO Rough Trail Blazin' video...
Tackle Source is proud to present the FEED LURES : SKIP28 oversized skipping frog. This lure has been some time in coming and its reveal cannot be more anticipated. We have worked for months with prototypes and with the manufacturer for the utmost in performance and finish. And now they are here, albeit being sold out within the first day of release.
This giant creation of the jump frog weighs in at 28gm and boasts unmatched distance and presence on the surface. The consistent splashing allows it to work in all conditions and the surface noise it makes seem to drive fish crazy. Specifically designed with one fish in mind - the Giant Snakehead is the gangster of our freshwater systems and top water fishing is the most exciting way to fish for them. Now we have the perfect tool for the job.
The ultra strong double hooks are custom specified and made. A close look will reveal the attention to detail, nothing is unaccounted for. The weighting balance process is an artform in itself and took much trial to get right. Relatively snag free, the upturned double hooks allow this frog to be cast in and over weedbeds and grass. The size and gauge of the hooks though, mean the use of heavy tackle is necessary. But this is de rigeur for any serious trophy Snakehead hunter anyway.
As illustrated above, the SKIP28 comes in 10 exciting colours to satisfy the most curious of fishermen.
Courtesy of Tackle Source TV on Youtube, we present the FEED LURES : SKIP28 in an exciting Snakeheadin' video. Just to cement its already esteemed status as a legend in the making. Enjoy...
Always there for a quick fix and thrill or two, the local stocked lake produces on cue and even though the oft caught and released inhabitants learn by the day there are always new ways to fool 'em. Lipless crankbaits, or better known as vibes, are an unsung genre of lure which are often overlooked. But as we are going to show, they are deadly when used correctly and in the right circumstance. We also find good use for a new genre of lure that has taken the lure fishing world by storm and are now finding application for it in the local scene. Here're some nice fish we've pulled up recently...
A fat, fat Sultan Fish which took a liking to a vibe we can count on on most days...
The DUO Realis Vibe needs little introduction. The latest addition is the lithe 52 sized youngest son...
It gets out of the gates running, here with another capture in quick succession. A nice Asian Redtail Catfish...
The action can be pretty erratic in controlled environments just like in the wild. But some days you get lucky and they are on the chew, especially with the right lure. The strong Majorcraft Beneyro baitcast rod bears the grunt...
Another Asian Redtail hits the deck...
Courtesy of the DUO Realis Vibe 52 again...
Vibes come in various forms. Here, going small with the Viva Kozo Spin vib adorned with a spinnertail, we find a willing taker...
Small lure but a pretty large specimen of the Asian Redtail. Goes to show size doesn't always matter...
The Majorcraft Beneyro rod has a busy day at the office...
When the bite goes off, this new lure style turns the day around with another Asian Redtail...
The DUO Realis Spinbait is a sinking propbait that has made waves across the globe much due in part to the exciting 'spybaiting' videos that showcase its effectiveness...
It scores in quick succession...
Another Asian Redtail Catfish is fooled by this radical lure...
And it has no sign of stopping. One Redtail after another fall for the DUO Realis Spinbait...
Allowed to sink slow and worked with a crawl draw, the takes come fast...
A double hook-up courtesy of the slow worked props...
A bulging Asian Redtail is landed after a good workout...
Another iteration of the propbait, and very successful one at that. The Evergreen Prop Magic 75 was recently awarded top bass lure by a renown Japanese magazine...
The Evergreen Prop Magic takes over where the DUO Spinbait left off, with another fine Asian Redtail...
Twitched slightly between slow cranks, the Prop Magic 75 works like magic...
These Asian Redtails are very well conditioned and put up a mighty effort when hooked. Especially on ultra light gear like the Evergreen Temujin 'Spider' rod...
The Prop Magic 75 by Evergreen - a winner for sure!
You never tire of trying to fool these fish and revel in the fight they put up...
Going small again with the Viva Kozo Spin fooled this guy...
And it didn't take long before we get another on the Viva Kozo Spin...
Hefty Cats are a handful, especially when they are on the chew. After a few the arms take a beating...
DUO makes a smaller propbait - the Perakko which falls under the Tetra Works banner...
The Perakko is another fantastic performer in these highly pressured fisheries and do well on many occasions...
Before the annual monsoon rears its ugly head we sneak in another session in the salt. The casting itch is strong and this time the rewards were there for the taking. The jigging took a backseat as the long rods were wielded and we were happy to score a myriad of exciting species...
Bright and early, this nice Spanish Mack gets nailed. What a start!
It didn't give this Jackson Pintail 48 the chance to get back to the boat...
The Majorcraft Giant Killing rod is our saltwater companion for all local trips. Here it is put to good use again...
A stunning Mack hits the boat. It tips the scale at 9kgs and is a magnificent capture!
The Jackson Pintail Tune plays victim and nails this nice Mack...
Going light with the Dobyns Coalition Weapon rod means maximum fun when a freight train is hooked...
A solid Diamond Trevally is landed, and not by conventional means...
It nailed a Jackson Pintail Tune and ranks as one of the most amazing captures on this lure...
Next up we get to test out the prototype of the to-be-released DUO Rough Trail Blazin minnow. Heavy weighted for offshore use, we have high hopes for it...
It didn't take more than a few casts to find this actively feeding Golden Trevally, not your average capture on lure and a great way to start this lure's career...
Here the DUO Blazin' is pinned neatly in the jaw...
This trip was an opportunity as well, to work the newly released Feed Lures Bell60 popper and like the prototypes before it, performed flawlessly. This GT is its first victim...
It wasn't a big fish and on the FCL Labo UC74 it was short work. But nonetheless it gave the Bell60 popper its maiden victory...
We switch to a different colour just to prove that they all work and it gets nailed shortly after. Rigorous fighting on the FCL Labo rod and another GT hits the deck...
A nicer first than the first, this GT liked the Bell60 popper very much!
We spot a feeding frenzy and hit this beaut Coral Trout on the test DUO Blazin' lure from beneath the feeding pack. On the Evergreen Poseidon Ocean Hunter it was a few tense moments...
On the Evergreen Caprice Kid jig this nice Emperor is nailed...
DUO Blazin' test lure narrowly escapes being bit off by this frisky Long Tom...
Groupers are ever present around these parts, and the IMA Gun Peki always finds them...
A nice Coral Trout falls for this funky-coloured Xesta Nitro jig...
The weather gets wet but we keep pluggin' and score this Great Barracuda on the brand new chugger...
The Bell60 continues its rampage with another nice capture...
Next a smaller cousin is landed on the lighter Poseidon Ocean Hunter outfit...
An uncommon catch is landed next - the Slender Queenfish. They're a hard fighter but don't grow too big and a fish like this would be a good one...
It went for the Jackson Pintail Tune like all other pelagics...
The Pintail Tune also accounts for this little GT which gave the Majorcraft Giant Killing rod a good workout...
We try a little spot of jigging and find this fat Coral Cod with the IMA Gun Peki jig...
The Jackson Gallop jigs nails this big reef-dwelling Snapper next...
Another Slender Queenie goes for the high-speed spun Jackson Pintail Tune and gets pinned...
Long Toms are fearless and do not hesitate to go after much bigger lures like this DUO Rough Trail Aomasa Pencil...
At the end of the day we hit the motherload with this big GT on the Feed Bell60 popper. The fight was an intense experience and we were lucky everything held together in the end, culminating in the landing of this fish. Special mention goes to the FCL Labo UC74 rod which, dispite its light rating, possesses some truly gut-wrenching low down butt power...
The Feed Lures Bell60 popper hangs proud on this nice fish's mouth. The day on the water with this new lure was a revelation and from this day on the Bell60 will be an integral part of many saltwater anglers' arsenal...
For those who have missed them, do check out videos made on this trip on the brand new Tackle Source TV Channel on Youtube. Go to:
