Page 54 - Modern Fishing

TECHNIQUE: SWIMBAITING MULLOWAY

TACKLING

SWIMBAIT TACKLE
For over a decade my friends and I have invested a lot of
time and effort into fi nding the best options for casting
these big heavy baits. In the early stages, there wasn’t
a whole lot on offer here in Australia. Tackle wasn’t as
readily available via the world wide web as it is now, so we
had to make do with what was out there or make our own.
We started out with old fibreglass barge poles
that weighed a tonne or two, you always knew about
hanging onto one for an extended session. In this part WHERE TO START LOOKING?
of the learning curve we used large spin reels and
heavy braided line. Although not ideal, they did the job An intimate knowledge of your would be shallower water adjacent
on plenty of XOS mulloway. chosen waterway is critical in the to deep water, a small area of respite
Our next step on the epic journey to the ideal pursuit of your battle grounds. In my IURP KHDY\ FXUUHQW Á RZ DQG D V\VWHP
swimbait rod was ‘strip and re-grip’. We’d find a
suitable graphite threadline or spin rod to carry out H[SHULHQFH ZKHQ ,·YH IRXQG MHZÀ VK RI Á DWV WKDW À OO XS DQG GUDLQ RII GXULQJ
the task and strip it of all components and rebuild it in what I like to call ‘swimbait mode’ a tidal phase.
as an overhead. We found fishing overhead outfits the predators are feeding in the top 7KH DJH ROG UXOH RI ´À QG WKH EDLW
was game changing, more control, the lure stayed third of the water column. A common À QG WKH À VKµ LV IXQGDPHQWDO WUXWK
true throughout the cast and there was an incredible PLVFRQFHSWLRQ LQ WKLV MHZÀ VK OXULQJ LQ WKH MHZÀ VK VZLPEDLWLQJ JDPH
slashing to the number of fouled lures during a caper is that you need deep water, and DQG À QGLQJ EDLW KROGLQJ DUHDV LV
session which ensured a lot more time with the lure in
the water and in the faces of our targets. WKDW·V À QH LI \RX ZDQW WR ORFDWH WKH À VK paramount. I focus my attention
I distinctly remember picking up and putting down in ‘relax mode’. Often when in relax purely on locating areas of the system
a certain rod in my local tackle store, I’d pick it up mode, jewies are opportunistic, and if where mullet congregate and if you
one week and think, wow, this would be ideal. Perfect a meal is presented correctly, chances FDQ À QG WKHVH DUHDV WKDW·V KDOI WKH
taper, light and crisp. are it will be eaten. battle and it won’t be long before you
Then I’d talk myself out of it as I knew the pain
staking task of the “strip and re-grip” as it was a spin But, I like to think of a relax À QG D ELJ PXOORZD\ WHDULQJ WKRVH SRRU
rod and I now knew the advantages of the overhead. PRGH DUHD DV WKH À VK·V ORXQJH URRP little mullet schools apart! Jew will
After a few months of picking up, procrastination then and I’m not looking for the lounge not be far away from their meal source
returning it back to the rack, I decided to purchase it. room, I’m looking for their kitchen. and remember, we are imitating a
I had it completely re-built in overhead confi guration, :KHQ VZLPEDLWLQJ ZH QHHG WR À QG perfectly healthy bait source!
the butt end lengthened and reinforced. It ended up our targets feeding, and this often I like to think of my lure as a
being 7’3 and my fi rst big step in the right direction
toward owning a rod that fi t the task of hurling these happens in shallow water. I’ve seen single mullet that has simply lost his
darn heavy lures into the strike zone with ease. It ended plenty of monster jew in just enough way, separated from the pack and
up costing me far too much but I knew it would outlast water to cover their backs, often unknowingly become an easy meal for
religion so I bit the bullet and made the investment. tailing. An ideal scenario for me the ghost in the shallows.
This rod was everything I’d wanted in a swimbait
mulloway rod, it performed beautifully. A decade down
the track and countless scalps, the ‘barge pole’ is still For those looking to land a
catching fi sh in the hands of a friend of mine. trophy mulloway on a lure,
In the last few years Australia has felt a taste of a swimbait is a good way
the wrath that is swimbaiting. Rods and reels to suit to go about it
the ever-increasing demand as this ‘new’ technique
gains momentum. Buying a swimbait pole to suit your
applications is now easier than using your manners. There
are literally hundreds of readily available, off the rack rods
that will do the job for you and your chosen application.
In the last twelve months I’ve been using the
Australian-made Venom Swimbait rod, from the Wilson
stable. It is 7 feet 6 inches in length, can cast a house brick
but still has a beautiful feel and a nice soft midsection
(like the author) to keep those treble hooks in.
This rod has performed beautifully, its ultra-light
in the hand for a rod of its capabilities and handles the
gruelling process it’s designed for without fault.

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