STRIPS, CIRCLES AND MARLIN LURES

STRIPS, CIRCLES AND MARLIN LURES

The hit-or-miss hookup rate when trolling lures for billfish keeps every captain praying that a fish doesn’t come unbuttoned after it attacks the plastic. In Cape Verde I’ve gone 2-for-7 one day and 5-for7 another while pulling artificials for blue marlin. This lack of consistency led me to experiment with a bait-strip-and-lure combo that results in fewer pulled hooks. The strip lasts a long time when trolled at typical “lure speeds,” so crews don’t have to slow down (which would ruin the lure’s action) to avoid damaging the bait. The rig’s circle hook delivers solid hookups and contributes to the healthy release of billfish. My secret weapon has accounted for numerous blue marlin, some exceeding 500 pounds. The lure action gets a fish’s attention while the bait strip’s scent and taste hold its interest, so I frequently get a The abundant supply of bonito on Zane Grey Reef makes it unnecessary to import ballyhoo, but visiting anglers sometimes bring their own supply of the traditional baits. According to Werking, that’s wasted effort. “Ballyhoo never seem to work as well as strip baits here,” he says. Predators must relish the taste of the strip’s layer of exposed flesh, presented like a delectable slice of sashimi, because they rarely release their grip after clamping down on one. During my all-too-brief stay in Panama, I witnessed the belly strip’s effectiveness and appeal to a variety of fish. Besides accounting for several sailfish each afternoon, they proved irresistible to numerous yellowfin tuna and a handful of jacks. Werking has seen roosterfish eat these tough, tasty treats and says big dorado gobble them like candy. Our second morning on the reef failed to generate any action after two hours of live baiting, so we decided to start trolling for sails earlier than usual. Within 10 minutes a 300-pound black marlin came up and wolfed a bonito belly! The skipjacks ran unusually scarce on our last morning at Tropic Star, and Alexi jealously guarded the few we caught to use as marlin baits. No problem: This time the bait cooler held several belly strips from the previous day. With no need for salt or preservatives, the strips had second shot if the initial strike fails to produce a hookup. I prefer using softhead lures since they best match the strip bait’s texture. Slide a lure onto the leader, followed by a crimp. Use this crimp to govern the distance between the lure head and the circle hook. For marlin, I usually place the hook about 4 inches back in the skirt. Crimp the circle hook to the leader; you can run the leader’s tag end up to the forward crimp for additional stiffness and protection (photo 1). The type of belly-strip material becomes a matter of preference — or availability. In Cape Verde, I often use a piece of moray eel tail since it’s tough, flexible and streamlined. Belly strips from dorado and tuna also make excellent choices. Prepare the belly strip by cutting it long and narrow, and snip off the pelvic fins.