Duo Tide Vibe Slim on the water part 1

It’s long slender body is a unique twist on an old favourite. The Duo Tide Vibe Slim is one of the coolest lures we have used in a while. As you will find out, its design is not only aesthetically pleasing, but also a real performer on the water.

Traditionally vibes have always been shorter, fatter lures. Think of the the Tide Vibe slim is the super model of the lure world. Its stretched out, slim body is superbly finished to entice even the most hard to fool predators. It’s tide pulsating wobble wiggles its way down the cat walk that is the strike zone.

We found this lure not only great to cast, but an ideal trolling lure on light tackle. The narrow profile creates near on no water resistance which makes it ideal for lighter outfits. It’s tight pulsating wobble still gives off all the right signals. This profile also has made this lure relatively weedless. On the day of testing this particular lure, weed was about and the minnows we trolled along side caught 3x the amount of the week, mostly ont the bibs.

More on the Duo Tide Vibe Slim in part 2. Stay tuned..

http://www.swldistributions.com.au/

Z-Man 5” Grass KickerZ

Z-man continues to expand its soft plastic empire with the release of the 5″ Grass KickerZ. They have added this oversized paddle tail to their range, no doubt due to the increasing popularity of similar sized baits. 5″ soft baits have always been a favourite of mine, great for catching just about anything.

The new Grass KickerZ have a tapered nose and a slimmer profile that previous 5″ paddle tails, creating a rather unique silhouette. These two design features have obvious benefits when fishing around weed and heavy cover. The opportunities to fish these plastics weedless will be a big drawing card for anglers. Z-man recommends the rigging with TT SWS or Snakehead hooks. They can always be fished with a standard jig head too for those wanting to get some into some deeper water.

As always Grass KickerZ are made from ElaZtech, which is upto 10x than standard plastic material with out compromising on the action of the soft plastic. The Grass KickerZ comes in a pack of 4 and is available in 8 colours including Opening Night, Redbone Glow and Houdini.

www.z-man.com.au

Richter Lures Jellybabe update

Richter Lures have long been producting the Jellybabe, as part of their fantastic Softhead range. They’ve had a few tweaks since release, some new colours here and there, new eyes, but nothing really revolutionary.

We have some of the first pictures of the new colour range, and of the new head design. The cup edge has a little flatspot around the rim, and isn’t quite so steep, to help them hold water better and the compond used for the head is a little firmer.

Ask for them at your local stockists, they were always great for Dolphinfish and Tuna, and now they’re even better.

Shown in the image is 502, Chartreuse, UV Green, 46, UV Blue and the latest addition – UV Pink.

Megabass Spark Rigs making waves in Japan

Megabass are known for there left of field designs such as there upside down bibbed minnow the Anthrax. Megabass sets the bar when it comes to quality JDM gear and the new Spark Rigs are no exception. Designed off the popular Alabama rig, the Spark rigs are near-on certified fish magnets.

The basic concept is rather simple. Instead of having just one bait, one hook, the Spark rigs create a whole school of baitfish. This means you have 4 or 5 times the hook up rates of a normal lure. The Spark rigs consists of a hard bait at the front of the rig (available with or without a propeller blade) attached to steel rods that keep each of the 5 soft baits out at length to avoid tangles. Think of it like a super sized spinner bait.

For years game fishing anglers have been replicating schools of fish with teasers and having great success. But it’s not until someone changes the game and creates multiple hook up points when things really take a turn for the better.

In game fishing the possibility of multiple hook ups on a single line would be hazardous and down right stupid, but the possibilities for lighter tackle fishing such as Bass are certainly there. I can see two major downsides when using this set up; the shear weight of such a rig and as well as the weed catching ability of dragging 5 baits through the water. Both of these obstacles can be overcome by using slightly heavier tackle and selecting the appropriate underwater conditions to fish such a bait.

While they may not have been the first company to make the Alabama rigs, you can be assured that they have done it right. Any Megabass gear I have used had exceeded expectations and no doubt so will the spark rigs. A JDM take on a american classic is always welcome in my tackle box.

Available now online at http://www.plat.co.jp and other good JDM stores.

Samaki Zepplin and Hummer Deep Water Jigs preview

Samaki are relatively new on the Australian fishing tackle scene, but in a short time Samaki has made a name amongst anglers for producing quality products that don’t blow the budget. The range of deep water jigs are no exception. The two latest additions to the family are the Hummer and larger Zepplin jigs.

Both Jigs are great for the gigantic seriolas such as samson and kingfish and come pre-rigged with heavy duty assist hooks. The Zepplins and Hummers overall finish is superb for a jig in this price bracket. This is thanks to the high quality Japanese reflective wrap which is protected by extra tough clear coat. So realistic infact that even fished next to jigs twice the price, the Hummers produced more consistant hook ups, but more on that in a later review.. Stay tuned

More info at Samaki’s website:

http://samaki.com.au/fishing-tackle-outdoor-products/deep-water-jigs/index.html

Japans Duo Lures now available down under

One of Japans leading lure manufacturers Duo Lures is now available in Australia through select stockists. The range includes some of the well known favourites such as the Tide Minnow, Tide Vibe Slims and Duo D-Squid Egi range.

We have a few here in the office to water test over the Xmas period so stay tuned for full reviews. These Japanese made lure dynamos are sure to bit a hit amongst anglers. The superb finish and unique designs are destined to fool Australian fish. For further information check out the links below:

Duo Japan http://duo-inc.co.jp/en/
Trade enquiries SWL Distributions http://www.swldistributions.com.au/index.html

ZMan BallyhooZ destined to fool passing predators

Our good friends at ZMan have just released their latest addition to the Zman range, the new BallyhooZ, just in time for summer. Check out the press release from ZMan:

“The perfect weapon for trolling for everything from tuna to billfish, this life-like gar imitation produces a realistic action that will have offshore anglers frothing. Not just a trolling lure though, the ZMan BallyhooZ can be rigged for casting or fished deep on a heavy-duty jig head. It is constructed from ElaZtech which is super-soft and flexible, yet 10X tougher than a standard soft plastic so it can take on those toothy critters.

There are 2 sizes in the range, 7” and 9”, with 7 colours available in each size and 3 lures per pack. Whether you’re casting from the rocks or the beach, chasing deep reefies or trolling for offshore speedsters, predatory fish won’t be able to resist the life-like appearance and action of the ZMan BallyhooZ.

http://www.Z-man.com.au “

The 7 inch models(3PK) are expected to retail for $21.95 and the 9″ models(3pk) are $25.95. These look to be must have for all game fisherman. An ultra tough and ultra realistic gar imitation thats bound to fool any passing predators. I can also see these working well for balloon anglers, no doubt a skipping rubber gar would be almost as tempting to macks as a live one. Check them out at your local tackle store today!

Strategic Angler taking custom lures to a new level

We have seen quite a few hand made lures over the years, but Strategic Angler are taking it to a whole new level with some hand made custom wonders, that have to be seen to be believed.

While Strategic Angler has not been around that long, they have certainly made their mark on the industry. The exceptional super realistic finish and attention to detail gives the range of custom lures a unique twist. No two lures will be same.

The original designs are shaped in timber, replicating fish profiles and rigorously tested for ballast and movement. This timber blank is then used to create a mould for pouring cast resin. Each lure is cast individually, then sanded by hand, polished and airbrushed and topped off with multiple coats of lacquer. The lures are fitted with 0.62 stainless steel wire, head and tail grommets and a 300lb swivel.

There are currently 3 designs listed; Frantic series(Pictured below), Cruising series, Walking series. The Strategic Angler Popping series is currently under development.

No doubt Strategic Angler custom lures have made a huge impact with fishermen around the world and we can’t wait to see what they come up with next.

For more information or to get your own piece of Strategic Angler art work, check out http://www.strategicangler.com/Strategic_Angler/STRATEGIC_ANGLER.html

Gekkabijin Yogiri by Daiwa Australia

Sure to be another light tackle classic, the Gekkabijin Yogiri is a small bibbed minnow, designed to lure even the most cunning of fish. Daiwa states the new body produces a stable wobble that tracks dead straight in slow or fast moving water. This added stability attracts predators from a distance, and is great for dirty water where visibility is low, and vibration is key.

The Yogiri’s small shad bait fish profile replicates the many small species that are found around the country. It is available in 8 ultra realistic colour patterns(shown right). All models include the famous 3D realistic eyes and chemically sharpened trebles.

Despite only weighing 2 grams, Daiwa mention its superior casting ability, which appears to be thanks to an internal weight system. With a diving depth of 1 meter and 42mm in length, Bream and Trout anglers around Oz will surely be strapping on a few of these this summer.

For more info check out http://daiwafishing.com.au/?p=8974

Braid Jig range at Pro Tackle

Most people would be familiar with Braid Products’s harnesses and teasers, but they also make a range of jigs. We have Peter from Pro Tackle’s picks here to trial.

Top to bottom:

• Braid Slim-Swim in hot pink/glow, 70z, this is a head-weighted jig with a triangular profile and should be the bomb.
• Braid Long Hammer in blue/white, 70z, this is a centre-weighted jig with slim baitfish profile, er’re really expecing this one to product with the Sambos and other Seriola.
• Braid Aussie Jig in blue/white, 1.5oz, as an Aussie, I guess I have to give this offering a crack, I’ll probably break it out on some inshore pinks!

Look forward to some updates when we get them wet!

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