Blade style lures are becoming a popular lure choice for anglers targeting a variety of piscatorial species these days. Cliff Mann has had resounding success on these lures while targeting local barramundi in northern Queensland. He shares some of his hard earned lessons.
The ‘dry’ tropics of Queensland offer spectacular sport fishing for a wide range of species. Flood plains and deltas meander through the landscape and are home to one of the most recognised sport fish in Australia – the barramundi. As a species, the barramundi receives prodigious media attention and from the extraordinary dam dwelling behemoths and hungry billabong bullies to the salty metre plus specimens, there are myriad ways to get connected to that fish of a lifetime! Hardbodied minnow style lures and, more recently, soft plastics have become popular weapons with which to target barra. However, recent trends are suggesting that ‘blade’ style lures, have also been making their mark as a viable and effective lure type to tempt barramundi. The vibration that these lures create in the water, combined with the flexibility to fish the lure in a range of water depths makes them an asset for any barra angler.
Most brands of blades found on our tackle store shelves exhibit smaller profiles. My early experimentation with blades was restricted to using these sized blades in attempts to tangle with smaller prey such as my favourite little brawler, the sooty grunter. Engagement with numbers of smaller and larger barramundi reinforced that local barra loved blades. Although several of these early fish were lost due to tackle failure, subsequent beefing up of smaller lures and the employment of larger blades means these lures are now a permanent fixture in my barra lure box. It is worth investigating some of the finer details in what, where and how to get optimal results from your barra blading pursuits.
Upgrading to bigger blades can stir up a better quality of fish.
Blade Break Through
Blades have become a popular lure choice among many anglers. As such, there exists a lot of choices regards purchasing a range of lures at your chosen tackle outlet. Different blade brands are often equipped with different actions. By this, I mean the levels of vibration can vary. This can have an effect on the response certain brands receive from fish. The key is to experiment with different lures until you gain confidence in a particular type/s. Consumers will notice that today there are many sizes of blade available.
This provides a bit of a dilemma to barra anglers due to the relative action inherent in blades of varying size. A broad rule of thumb among blade lures is that the larger the body of the lure, the less intense the vibrating action becomes. A common comment among lure anglers is that the larger the blade they employ, the harder they have to work the lure to make it vibrate. Although I do use the largest blades I can find when fishing for barra, I have also settled on beefing up smaller blades as part of my strategy. Popular blade brands that have provided success for me include the Tackle Tactics (TT), Ecogear, Strikepro and Evergeen brands. These brands provide small to larger sized models so there is plenty of choice. Typically, I start fishing with lures around the 55 mm size up to the biggest models available. As discussed above, when using the smaller models, I beef up the hooks and split rings to ensure I land those bigger fish when they inevitably grab what they perceive to be a fleeing baitfish.
Choice of lure colour is often a contentious issue among anglers. I have found that barra in northern waters are often feeding as much on feel as they are by sight. I spend more time worrying about the size of lure and action of my retrieve than I do on colour. That said, I don’t ignore the issue of visibility and typically employ lure colours that provide some contrast in a range of water clarities. Bright and natural colours both have a place in my tackle box.
Gearing Up
Targeting barra on ultra light gear is often a fast way to lose fish, lures and pride. There may be great sport to be had in fighting big fish on light gear, but a drawn out battle can see long revival times for exhausted fish and this is not the sort of place you want to be dangling your hands in the water for any length of time. Remember that where there’s barra there’re usually crocs! Today I opt for medium weight outfits. Something around 2 m long and rated around the 5–10 kg mark is sensible and will give you the ability to cast far and accurately if needed, but still subdue and control big fish. Out of preference I use spin reels. Braid of around 10 kg and leader of 20 kg is sufficient in the sweet water but I upgrade to around 30 kg leader in the salt or even higher in impoundment situations.
Barra Backdrop – Where to Catch Them
North Queensland in February can sometimes be a very wet affair! Monsoonal rains can make ‘normal’ fishing in the rivers and creeks near impossible, but a good fish is still not out of the question. Barramundi are on the move in the turbid gurgling waters and the rejuvenating force of the wet season creates many new areas to explore. Giant sea perch use our wet season rains to access these areas and with a potential growth rate of one millimetre per day, an undersize fish can become a legal one in a matter of weeks. It’s just a case of finding a stretch of water to cast at, which in some cases includes farm dams and drains, or even culverts under the main road!
Vast schools of freshwater baitfish and fry get trapped in these areas, and the post spawn barra gorge themselves to put on condition. Again, blades come into their own in this scenario, due to the generally diminutive size and baitfish resemblance that they possess. Working a blade through or around these bait schools will often result in a hookup.
The mouth of draining flat channels are prime places to cast a blade for barra.
Approach and Retrieves
A growing trend in barra lure fishing circles is to employ the use of smaller lures to tempt increasingly cautious fish. This happens when fish start seeing more anglers and the lures that they use to target fish. Subsequently a change to more original lure types and often to smaller profile lures is employed to fool wary fish. This is referred to in some circles as finesse barra fishing, but whatever you want to call it, there is some merit in seeing what the fuss is about. Regardless of whether barra see more lures or become familiar with the signs of anglers, the tactic to use a new approach and different lures seems to be working on many of our barra populations.
It took several sessions before I started to catch barra when using blades. By thinking about the properties of these lures, and where and how barra were feeding, I began to develop a confidence approach that consistently accounted for fish. The approach and some of the finer points of the technique are easily mastered once you understand what it is you are trying to imitate with your blade.
One trick I’ve learnt in north Queensland is to look for barra in areas that are commonly frequented by large flathead during the cooler months. Seek out large flats that flood during the make, as big barra will hunt in the same shallow, warm water. Then, as the tide recedes, move off the flats and target the gutters that run off and into the river proper. Casting a blade up into these draining channels and then slowly hopping the lure back out and into the deeper water is a dynamite technique. Sometimes a constant, medium paced retrieve can see your blade hammered as it imitates a fleeing baitfish that appears to be following the water draining off the shallows. The beauty of using blades is that you can access every available inch of the water column by varying your retrieve.
One technique that I’ve found works for me when other retrieves are drawing blanks is to not let the blade touch the bottom very often. In addition to this, I always aim to work the lure vigorously through the top metre or so of the water column. As soon as the lure touches down, give the lure a quick rip (fast turns of the reel) to ensure no fouling has occurred and then follow with a rip and pause combination. Aim to instigate a rip and pause combination every other second. The upward looking barra see and/or feel this commotion and are drawn in, often committing with a strike.
Summary
Blade vibration lures work exceptionally well on my local barra and have particularly shone on days when more subtle presentations were drawing blanks. For this reason these lures will always have a place in my armoury. They offer a flexible alternative that is able to draw aggressive reactions when other lure choices are failing to provide the goods. Far be it from me to preach to anyone that this style of lure is the new ‘go to’. In reality, it all comes down to choosing a lure you feel confident using. Confidence inspires ability and ability often breeds success!
