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Invite a Blue Into Your Spread |
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| Written by Capt. Mike Genoun | |
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Invite a BLUE into your spread! That’s a different story all together. With that being said, it’s obvious that the results must be well worth the effort. A blue marlin is the most prized of all game fish. Acrobatic, powerful, and reaching weights exceeding 1000 lbs. all ensure blue marlin remain rulers of the sea. Only a small fraction of all anglers have ever had an opportunity to experience a blue first hand. Those who have are surely privileged. I know I will never forget my first marlin. The exhilarating thrill of watching that estimated 400 lb. fish crashing a large lure just 20’ behind the transom is a memory forever etched in my mind. Trust me, if you think sky rocketing kings, or surface slashing sails are exciting; wait ‘til you see a big blue grey hounding up the side of the boat with the ferociousness of a runaway freight train. I remember myself being at a loss as I helplessly watched hundreds of yards of 30 lb. mono instantly melt off my reel. Words alone just can’t describe it.  Luckily for us, a large enough number of blues make their way through south Florida waters, allowing the state to sustain a small but decent fishery. Blue marlin can be caught along both coasts and throughout the Keys region. Now don’t expect to hook three or four granders a day, but the truth is, a fair number of 100 to 300 blues are hooked and with some regularity. Why not live a little. Dedicate a single day every now and then and head offshore to find some deep, clean, nutrient rich waters in an attempt to go head to head with one of the most amazing fish anywhere in the world. Although, before you go overboard and purchase thousands of dollars on tackle and accessories, we thought we would provide you with some insight on two of the most effective techniques for tangling with south Florida blues. To kick things off, we know that across the globe, trolling with artificial lures has long been a favorite avenue in the pursuit of the legendary blue marlin. All tournament winning crews have their favorite set of marlin lures. Color, size, shape and even where that particular lure would be most effectively placed in the spread to entice a marlin, are all guarded secrets. To get a better insight on what’s involved with lure designs and how to maximize their effectiveness, we went straight to the source. For over fifty years Bob Schneider, Inc. has been a manufacturer of professional big game tackle. Bob Schneider trolling lures are recognized world wide for their fish catching abilities. Every component of a Schneider lure has a very specific purpose and has evolved from many years of trial and error. For example, the space-age prism-papers which are suspended in some of Schneider lures are designed to mimic the flashy, scalepatterns of baitfish as the sun bounces off the thousands of tiny reflective surfaces. Really a dramatic improvement on nature, these materials diffuse even subdued light to produce a dazzling spectacle of rainbow colors as the lure streaks through the water. Other lures produce a distinctive pearlescent sheen typical of a ballyhoo or flying fish skipping across the surface. Yet another specially machined material simulates a herringbone texture which produces a startling iridescent color. The combinations are nearly endless. In the big-money world of big game fishing, where blue marlin are the main attraction, few fishermen know more about the sport than Florida lure manufacturer Bob Schnieder, Inc. We asked the company to provide us with some information on some of the top marlin lures they produce and how each design can be maximized to its fullest potential. Blunt nosed trolling lures are the most popular marlin, tuna, wahoo and general purpose big game lures in the world today. Blunt nose lures are all straight running lures which break the water surface with a pop, gather an air pocket on the leading edge of the blunt nose then dive below the surface pushing the air pocket in front of it. This action generates that all important air pocket which expands and collapses causing a fish enticing low frequency pressure wave. This pressure wave and the resulting stream of light reflecting air particles trail behind the lure for a distance up to 30 feet. After staying submerged for 2 to 8 seconds, the blunt nose eventually drops the air pocket. Water pressure acting on the face of the lure causes it to swim back to the top, vibrating the tail skirts as it comes up to start it’s unique action all over again. These lures are most effective at trolling speeds of 6 to 12 knots. Rattlers are the most sophisticated big game lures of their type ever developed. Rattlers are in fact blunt nose lures but with the added attraction of an internal rattle. Every one of the rattler lures that Schnieder manufacturers has won major tournaments throughout the Gulf, East Coast, Bahamas and Caribbean. Each lure has a unique design for the sole purpose of developing that all important low frequency acoustic energy. They are all high speed, straight running lures, but have the added advantage over conventional lures by generating and radiating a low frequency acoustic pressure wave. Plus, the rattle chamber has a captured air pocket contained in the lure. This air pocket can be likened to a fish’s air bladder which is the perfect medium for reflecting that all important marlin attracting sound energy. Magnum lures are indeed one of the most popular marlin lures available in the Schneider lineup. Each of these lures is meticulously machined on a lathe to exacting tolerances with precise angles cut on the face of the lure. The leader hole is machined dead center through the lure resulting in a hydrodynamic balanced lure with superior straight tracking and cavitating abilities. Magnums have achieved much success throughout the world having won many blue marlin tournaments. These lures are offered in many different sizes and though all have basically the same outstanding performance characteristics, each is designed to meet different line class, speed and sea conditions. The big natural looking eyes on streaker lures are the fish catching secret to this outstanding green machine style lure. These lures are a favorite among yellowfin tuna fishermen but have definitely taken their fare share of blues. This stiletto shape lure is capable of a wide range of speeds from 5 to 18 knots, but the weighted models will perform better in heavier sea conditions. Available in different sizes, with lead and no lead, and available in all color combinations, streakers should be included in your spread. Cavitators, sometimes called jet heads, are available with either pointed or concave faces. They are straight running lures which operate just below the water surface. As the lure skims above the water surface, it eliminates the water contained in the jet holes. When it pops back under water, the water pressure acting on the air contained in the concave nose and jet holes forces the air back through the lure to the skirt pocket. In the skirt pocket the air is broken up in small light reflecting bubbles which result in a strong stream of bubbles, called smoke. This smoke trail helps game fish locate and track the lure in your pattern. Cavitators and jets are effectively trolled in all positions. When the air is displaced with water, the lure again surfaces and begins the process over. Cavitators and jet heads are also considered sonic lures in that they radiate low frequency fish attracting sound energy from the air being broken up in the pocket of the skirting. This action coupled with the air and water movement through the lure causes the skirt to pulsate in a life-like squid motion. Chuggers are also a favorite marlin inviting lure. They have a very broad head with a specially cut face enhanced by a tapered body. The specially designed concave face and fast body taper is precisely machined on a metal lathe. It is unique in that the shape causes the formation of a perfect air pocket which results in a marlin raising bubble pulse (low frequency pressure wave) that is extremely appealing to blues. Some chugger style lures are also jetted. This increases the smoke trail and also slightly reduces the lure’s drag. This exceptional lure has an effective speed range of 6.5 knots to 10 knots and according to reports from successful marlin fishermen; it runs best when trolled from the outrigger. This lure design has received rave reviews from all over the world. Chuggers also run very straight, which will help increase your hook-up ratio. When it comes to productive small marlin lures nothing beats a stinger. Stinger Lures are the most irresistible and exciting styles of lures that Bob Schneider manufacturers. This is because of the numerous kinds of game fish that these small lures continue to entice. They are dynamite on sailfish, white marlin, wahoo and tuna and of course on blue marlin. They have a clear plastic flat head with very bright eyes and colorful skirts, most of which are reflective. These lures are all surface runners which run in and out of the water near the surface. They pull a very large air pocket which again generates that all important low frequency pressure wave. Additionally, the crisp front of these lures causes a vibrating action which gamefish find irresistible. Although these lures were developed to be pulled by themselves, they do wonders for a ballyhoo or strip bait. Just rig your natural bait like you normally world and slide the lure down the leader over the face of the bait. Natural bait is normally docile when trolled, but the cupped or tapered face of the stinger will add a major improvement with the large air pocket and vibrant action caused by the plastic head. The colored skirt adds the extra attraction you may need to get that big one. The special eye has a silver backing which causes the whole lure to light up in a brilliant flash. Recommended trolling speed is 5 to 9 knots with a hook size of 7/0 to 9/0 depending on the model. Flat heads run very well in all positions, so they are easy to use. Some flat head lures can even be run at speeds up to 20 knots, producing tremendous turbulence and extremely long bubble trails. The team at Bob Schneider went out of their way to mention that equally as important as lure selection is careful positioning of the selected lures. Paying careful attention to both design and positioning, you can not only cover all angles involved in billfishing, but stack the deck in your favor. Routinely, five lines can be trolled from a moderate size boat, two from outriggers, one down the middle in the shotgun position and two from flat lines. Proper positioning of the baits is one of the most critical parts of enticing billfish. Positioning your lures in locations where blue marlin can best see them and from where they are most likely to attack is paramount to your success. To develop a plan of attack, dissect the playing field behind the boat into distinct zones and individual waves. In every case possible, position your lures in areas we call ‘clean water’ where the marlin will have an easy time targeting the lure. Since blue marlin are the big bad brutes of the ocean, it would seem unlikely that these magnificent creatures would ever grow spooky as they patrol their domain. But more and more, blue water big game anglers are running into cases where the accumulated noise from boat traffic send marlin fleeing.  To combat such situations, the company recommends one lure fished well behind the boat. This places the lure in a great position to attract shy fish. Color is also more important than many blue water troller’s believe. Most fishermen are satisfied to follow the old adage of using brightly colored lures on bright days and dark-colored lures on dark days. While the company manufactures some of the wildest color combinations known to man, they recommend always running three black lures in your five-bait trolling system. 85% of the time, marlin patrol at depths of 40’ 50’ searching for bonito, small dolphin and other food sources. They do prowl deeper than that but they will always be looking up toward the surface searching for that easy meal. Regardless of the sky conditions, whether it is overcast or a brightly lit sky, marlin are always faced with looking up at a lighter background. A dark lure, especially a black lure, provides a silhouette that fish can see from amazing distances. The colors and selection of the remaining two lures in your pattern can change at your discretion. When it comes to trolling lures for marlin, there are just too many options and techniques to cover in just one article. This above information reflects just a small percent of the knowledge a single manufacturer can provide. Bob Schneider Lures not only creates and uses their products, but they also receive a tremendous amount of feedback from customers all over the world. Hopefully, this bit of information helps to increase your understanding of marlin lures and in turn will help you shape your own invitations that will be effective for you. Bob Schneider Lures makes it easy to understand that a well executed game plan and enough attention to detail, successful billfishing doesn’t have to remain a mystery. Stay tuned for Part 2 - Natural Baits — in the next issue. |
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