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Skirted offshore lures are now available in a confusing
variety of sizes, designs and colours. However most of
these designs break down in practical terms to one of
the following basic head shapes:
BULLET HEADS are a straight tracking lure. Depending
on boat speed, the weight of the lure head and the height
from which the lure is pulled, they will occasionally
break the surface creating a bubble trail. Larger bullet
heads are normally heavily weighted and seldom surface,
smaller lighter heads do so more frequently.
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Bullet head
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Chrome bullet head
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Versions made from chromed brass with jet holes ("jet
heads") are popular and effective. Bullet heads tend to
get blown about in windy conditions as they don’t
hold the water well. Very attractive to tuna, wahoo and
dorado. Billfish will also often take these but tend to
prefer more active lures.
Flat face |
FLAT HEADS. This head shape is cut at 90 degrees which
causes the lure to track in a straight line, coming up
at regular intervals to make a splash or "pop" before
diving and carrying a long bubble or "smoke" trail.
The length and size of the smoke trail is determined
by the diameter of the lure head (the same is true, incidentally
of all lures, not just flat faces). The larger the diameter
of the lure head or face, the longer and wider the smoke
trail. Most flat face lures hold the water well, those
with tapered heads being particularly good performers
in poor sea conditions.
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Chugger
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CHUGGERS. These are flat face heads with a concave pocket
scooped out of the face. These designs cling to the water
very well and work particularly well in windy or marginal
sea conditions.
The cupped face also causes the lure to swim with a distinct
head shaking action which may be very tight or much more
active and exaggerated depending on the lure's design.
SLANT FACE HEADS. Are split into two basic categories.
Pusher bait |
PUSHER BAITS - which are designed to run on or close
to the surface with an aggressive action, "pushing" lots
of water, hence the name. These heads tend to have sharply
angled faces and little or no taper. In fact the earliest
versions were moulded in straight-sided glasses and cut
at a sharp angle. Also known as straight runners. Straight-sided
models are often called "tube baits". Usually do not run
well in poor sea conditions, strong wind or chop, but
one of the most proven fish raisers in calm to moderate
seas because of the impressive pushing action.
Taper bait |
Plunger bait |
"TAPER BAITS" - which have a tapered nose and run beneath
the surface most of the time with a long smoke trail,
breaking the surface at regular intervals with a splash
or pop, the aggressiveness of which is determined by the
size and the angle of its face. Longer headed taper baits
are popularly known as "plungers". More versatile than
pusher baits, taper baits and plungers are still ideally
suited to fairly smooth seas but some designs, depending
on size, positioning, weight and shape, will perform in
all but the most demanding conditions.
Lure selection
Selecting between these lure shapes, as has been hinted
at, is primarily determined by sea conditions. In rough
weather areas such as the Azores, flat and cupped face
lures tend to be widely used. Boats targeting marlin in
the calm waters of Kona and Madeira, on the other hand,
tend to favour more aggressive plungers, tubes and straight
runners. Using this guide as a starting point vary your
lure style until you find the most suitable for the prevailing
sea conditions in your waters.
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