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Lure Casting |
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Lure Casting |
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with GOODOO DREAMING
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Lures
Stumpjumper Lures
Knol's Native 75
Swagman Lures
Lure Links Knoll's Lures Stumpjumper Lures Swagman Lures Transkei - Scented lures Tilsan Lures Killalure Classic Lures
Spinnerbaits Bassman (Spinnerbait's) *NOTE* Some links have been removed until a new website address is known. If you know of any of the above suppliers having a new website or any other lure maker drop us the URL address to info@goodoodreaming.com Thanks in advance
Lure Supplier Links Lyall Todd (Spinnerbaits & weedless hooks/Lure conversion)
Lure Making at Home
Equipment
ABOVE. A good quality baitcaster or overhead reel is essential for years of no fuss use.
ABOVE. A strong purpose built rod like this "Challenge Rod - Native Cast" built by Gary marsh is perfect for tangling the big green fish (Murray Cod). Also used here is Gelspun or Braid line which is an innovation that lure casters have been wanting, it's strong, has a small diameter and has almost zero stretch. All these enhance the performance of lure casting 10 fold. You may have to use a strong monofilament leader to avoid abrasions.
Knotted Dog Leaders ABOVE. Knotted dog leaders are a reasonably new product that is fast becoming very popular among lure caster's. It stops your braid line from wearing on abrasive objects, it's stretch is like a shock absorber and aids in setting the hook avoiding lost fish.
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Introduction One of the most enjoyable forms of freshwater fishing for many in south eastern Australian freshwater waters would have to be lure casting for the legendary Murray Cod along one the waterways of the Murray-Darling basin. Many anglers that target Murray Cod are avid lure casters and all still remember the first time their lure was smashed by a Murray Cod. This form of fishing is becoming very popular amongst regular anglers and even the part timers are getting into it with great enthusiasm. With this increase in interest it has injected a whole new life into the lure making industry as there is now an enormous range of lures on the market and many different types to choose from including many of which are locally made and proven in local waterways. The many different types of lures on the market today are too many to mention (take a look at the Goodoo Dreaming Virtual Tackle Shop for links to lure sites on the web) but the most popular types of lures that are used to entice our Australian natives are deep diving lures, Spinnerbait's, Surface lures and soft plastics. Each lure caster has a preference toward different types of lures in different conditions but after speaking to many you will soon learn that not too many actually agree on the same things. It's all based on personal experience at a certain time and in a certain condition so you will soon discover there is huge variances that make all the difference. One thing that we would all agree on is that casting a lure is an exciting form of fishing and one we all live to enjoy. Equipment Reels Equipment required to be able to confidently cast lures all day is not a rigid format and you do not have to spend megabucks to do this well. Although you must identify what is value for money before you go and part with you hard earned dollar as there is a great deal of merchandise that is definitely not up to the rigours of the job at hand. Never will this be more prominent than when you hook your first large Murray Cod. These freight trains of the Murray-Darling basin will turn any sub standard piece of equipment into an untidy mess at your feet in no time. I have always been in the belief that you should spend as much as you can afford on a reel and rod combination and you will never be disappointed and still own them in years to come. I know that good machined baitcasting reels are expensive but they're well built and will still be going strong when you hand them over to your grandchildren. At today's prices you can pay $170 to well over $1000 for a good machined reel, an average reel will cost you $200 to $300. The range of quality baitcasting reels is large and some of the most popular makes are the Daiwa, Shimano, Abu Garcia, Tica, Penn, Pflueger, Okuma, Banax & Quantum.
Rods The fishing rod is a very personal thing and one that can't be explained in detail here. I leave this to the experts and trust in what they say. Shop around the various tackle shops and speak to the guy's behind the counter and let them know what type of fishing you want to do and let them know what you expect from the rod. Go to a few tackle shops to get the feel for what is on the market and for what price. If it's a good strong rod for tackling the Murray Cod then I would hope that the advice you receive would be to get a rod of around 4kg to 6kg strength. This should tackle the biggest Murray Cod that can be encountered if played sensibly. Try the various internet chat boards and post a few questions and you will get some good responses from the guys who actually use the equipment you want to purchase. Ask another angler what type of rod they use and many will let you have a go on the rod to get a feel for what it can do. You don't have to spend megabucks on a good set-up but you will need to spend around $200-300 and upwards to purchase a good reel. Line The next on the list is the line that you will use, this also is not as easy as first thought and is also expensive to purchase. There is an insurmountable array of monofilament (Nylon) line flooding the shelves but in this day and age we demand a far superior line and the line that is becoming the norm for lure caster's is the range of Gelspun or Braided line. This line is unbelievably strong for its diameter. The equivalent size to 6lb mono is tested at 30lb an there are many more sizes available from 6lb to 50lb mostly. The benefits from this line are very significant as this line due to its small diameter enhances casting and improves the performance of both reel and caster. You will also find that you can cast further or you will not need to put as much effort in the cast hence improving the accuracy. But the most outstanding benefit you will notice is the extra feel you get from this line as it has virtually no stretch which enables you to feel every bump, hit and bite. This is great when walking your lure through the snags and it will no doubt assist you in loosing less lures which is a bonus in itself. The only drawbacks with Gelspun/Braided lines is mostly the cost, as you will soon learn that it is fairly expensive. Most brands will cost around $60 to $80 for 300m spools but when you weigh it all up it is well worth the money. You will find that knot tying is a hole new learning process as you need to use knots suited to this type of line and it can be a little bit hard to actually tie as it is very supple. Sometimes you'll be wishing you had an extra hand to help complete a knot but you will soon get the hang of it. I find it easier if you stick your tongue out to the left hand side of your mouth. :-). One last drawback and an important one to note is that Gelspun/Braid line does not take too kindly to abrasions and a good 60cm to 80cm monofilament leader is required to avoid the main line being damaged from running over rocks and snags. A product on the market called the Knotted Dog is a great substitute for a mono leader and acts like a shock absorber. I have used these for a little while now and find them quite good but they do tend to impede the lures depth a little when trolling but are a sensational shock absorbing leader. The Basic's & The New Comer If the basic's of lure casting are first learnt by the newcomer and then applied in an open minded way there will be a path laid toward a whole new form of fishing that will give you years of enjoyment. There is a great wealth of information these days from the likes of TV, Radio, magazines and books that the average lure caster can take in and learn from in the hope of using lessons learnt on your next outing. The best advice that I first cut my teeth on was to speak to as many lure casting angler's as you can and extract what information and experiences they have had and you will gain a wealth of tried and proven techniques for you to apply on your next outing. Read the fishing reports that are found on the many fishing websites on the internet and you will soon learn what type of lure to use at what time of the year. These sites also have great chatboards where you can post any question you have on where to fish, what type of lures to use, learn all about the best rods, reels, lines and tackle or any other fishing related question you might have. Whether your a bank fisherman or you have a boat, it doesn't matter as both will get you a fish casting lures. What you need to become aware of is the conditions of the water and the time of year as this will more than likely determine your success rate. The best time to fish is in the warmer times of the year but you will still catch' em in the cooler times but you will need to work alot harder. Water temperature plays a key role and will be the difference between getting amongst them and having a quiet day. Water clarity will also be a factor when casting lures as when the water is at it's clearest you could cast and retrieve a stick and get a fish to hit it but when it muddies up you will have to get your wits about you. Just because the water is dirty and visibility is at its worst doesn't mean you have to pack away the casting gear. This is a good opportunity to test your skills against the fish as fish do not need sight to find their prey as they use other senses like smell and hearing. But the most important sense a fish has is the ability to pick up vibrations or sonic waves in the water. These sonic vibrations are picked up by the fishes lateral line that runs along the side of a fish from it's gills to it's tail. They are usually visible as a light black line and can be seen on most fish once you know what to look for. Fish use this to pick up vibrations from other creatures and then hone in on them until they find them. Knowing this can help us use different methods that will imitate the same sort of vibration as a struggling or dying creature. This is done buy using lures with plenty of action, rattles and trebles will also give off vibrations but without doubt this is where the Spinnerbait's come into their own as the whirling of the spinning blades gives off the best sonic vibrations of them all. Even in the dirtiest water fish have attacked Spinnerbait's hence why we have the belief that fish use this sense to hunt. To become proficient at catching fish on lures once you have mastered the actual art of casting, you will need to have a basic knowledge on where the fish your targeting are most likely to be found. It is well known that our freshwater native fish like the Murray Cod love snags, holes, overhangs and shadowed areas. So with this in mind you need to target these areas while lure casting. Don't get to shy about snags and loosing lures, I know lure's are not cheap and for me to loose a lure I still get pissed off but you need to to get your lure right down into the fishes strike zone if you want results. Just make sure you have a tackle retriever handy and you will save yourself alot of money and heart ache. You will also quickly learn that it might take 4 or 5 casts in the exact same area before it gets hit so keep casting in that same spot 5 or 6 times then attack the same snag in a different spot. Work as much of the snag as possible then move on to another snag, do this and then you can confidently be sure that you have worked the entire bank and have given yourself every chance of catching a Murray Cod. The important thing to remember is 9 times out of 10 you will need to put that lure right under their noses to annoy them enough to strike. Using an intermittent or lightly erratic retrieve will eventually stir the fish enough to strike, try flicking the rod a little and different retrieval rates. Mix it up a bit but most importantly get that lure right in the Murray Cods face and I'm sure your success rate will improve. Wrapping up So if you have not tried lure casting or given it a real go but you would like to, just use this information as a foundation that you can build on. In no time the learning process will automatically switch to common knowledge and you will also add to it with personal experience and trial and error. After all, part of the fun of fishing is finding out for yourself as you gain experience from your outings and especially from others that have something new to share. This form of angling is not static as you are always involved in the process working your lures around the snags trying to attract the attention of a predatory native fish and you can be sure that when you snare a fish you'll know it was your skill as a lure caster that did it as it was all due to your involvement. No more sitting back watching your rod although you can still have a rod baited in the water but you are free to cast a few lures all the while increasing your catch rate. Just remember the point of the exercise is recreation and enjoyment and be rest assured if you get into lure casting it will bring all this and more. Now get out there and do your homework and don't spend any money until you have viewed all the options and heard all varied advice and only then will you be a qualified to start the endless collection of fishing gear and satisfy your coming addiction of buying lures. Cheers! See ya in the tackle shop 8^) |
ABOVE. This Stumpjumper #2 has been converted by Lyall Todd and has made this lure relatively snagless. BELOW. A Tru-Trac Spinnerbait which is also available from Lyall Todd is built heavy enough for Murray Cod. We have used these for a while now and have been good. They come in a great range of colours. Drop Lyall an email and he will provide you with what you need.
RIGHT. Deep diving lures with large bibs are great for getting right down into the snags and down low to the bottom where the native fish lurk.
LEFT. Spinnerbaits are becoming more and more popular, these lures don't just add colour but make a lot of noise and they give off great lateral signals (vibration) in the water that sure gets the attention of our territorial native fish.
RIGHT. Surface lures are still not as popular as they should be but it will not be long before the word is out and their attractiveness to native fish in shallow water is finally widespread. These lures offer some of the most memorable & exciting moments that you will ever have while fishing for freshwater natives.
ABOVE. No it's not that I have a callous dislike for frogs, it's a soft plastic surface lure known as the Superfrog. This is one of the best surface lures that I have seen as it has identical real life action when worked in the water. It's big, soft and comes with a weedless hook and should excite a Murray Cod on a summers night. Available from the guys at Supatank, Mob 0408 740 500.
ABOVE. The original Tackleback lure retriever & other similar lure retriever's are indispensable and worth their weight in gold.
BELOW. Strike back lure retrievers are a series of slim poly rods that join together to get you to depths up to 9.0m, quite amazing depth and ease of control. more info
This is a very clever device for retrieving your expensive lures. It's a new twist to lure retrieving, where normally we would have a tackle retriever attached to a nylon line that slides down the fishing line and uses it's own weight to hopefully knock your snagged lure off. The Strikeback lure retrievers are basically 1.5m polyester rods that are connected together to give you the desired length up to 9m in length and at the lure retrieving end there is a strong loop of one and a quarter turns that slides over the line and is a simple one handed operation to retrieve your lure. It's available in two types, The Billabong (8mm polyester) and The Top Ender (10mm polyester) and both are available in different lengths up to 9m in length. Find out more.......
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Revised:
29 Jan 2008 .
