Spinners,
Lures, Baits and Plugs |
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The
choice is almost overwhelming. All are designed
to catch fishermen and most will catch salmon.
Your bait is probably the most important part of your tackle. You probably spend
a great deal on rods, lines and reels, yet the
business end id the most important and most frequently
overlooked. |
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Salmon
tend like a slow retrieve with a fast wiggle,
so it pays to experiment. |
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Plugs |
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Blades & Spoons |
Plugs
usually have a buoyant body. They rely on a lip
or curved front to make them dive and wiggle.
Avoid plugs that connect the line to a plastic
lip, they are not strong enough.
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Spoons
as the name suggests came from kitchen spoons.
Cut the bowl from the handle. Drill a hole at
either end. Attach a split ring at one end and
a split ring and a hook at the other and away
to go! |
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The most famous is perhaps the
Rapala.
The original floating version in 4.3/8" in black
and gold, blue and silver, and of course orange
work well. The originals (made out of
balsa wood) were much better. They floated better
and
if taken by a big fish had the ability to self
destruct, leaving wires and hooks intact. New
plastic versions are solid and just provide a
lever for fish to shake themselves loose. The
hooks used by Rapala are not the best. A french
bend pattern has much more holding capacity in
my view. The knot suggested by Rapala is also
a non starter. Use a split ring and a swivel.
If you intend to catch and release then 3 trebles
are not conducive. Do not be afraid to change
the hooks. Just make sure that when you do that
the bait still swims right. It should wobble
nicely at the chosen speed of retrieve. To correct
warm the lip over a flame (lighter) till it runs
right.
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The
Blair spoon has bumps along one side which cause
turbulence which is so say attractive.
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Next
came the original "Toby". This is a long thin "spoon" with
little fins at the back. There are now thousands
of imitations. Some Tay anglers connect 2 together
to give extra
weight and a rattle, while others file off the
fins which they
claim improves hooking efficiency. |
Another
one that works is the Canadian
Wiggler |
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Kynoch
Killer or Tay Lure |
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Spinning
Blades or "Mepps" |
A
very simple lure which dives deep and wiggles
like mad. Great for harling. The line passes
through the lure so that the fish can't work
the bait free. Said to imitate a squid. Some
Tay anglers attach a second trailing hook to
improve hit rate. Many ghillies on the Tay swear
by a magnolia colour for this lure. For harling and
trolling avoid such lures that sink. A big bonus
is their bouyancy and their ability to dive when
retreved or towed. If you slow down they return
to the surface, thus avoiding snags. |
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Mepps
has now become a standard name in Europe for this
type of lure. A blade rotates around the body
of the lure. This style tends to cause the line
to become twisted unless used with a weight or
vane and must have swivel/s. As with all good
things there are lots of imitations. Simple silver
or gold in size 3 works well. |
Devon
Minnow |
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The
Flying "C" |
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Originally
this was a wooden bait through which the line
is passed and attached to a treble. The lure
is fished with a weight which is bumped along
the
bottom. The buoyancy of the bait keeps it from
the snags. Many are now made from plastic or
have internal copper tubes and fancy wire fixings.
Hence they sink and defeat the object. Nice if
you are trolling or harling but no good from
the bank.
The "yellow belly" is the best known
colour combination with a dark green /black back
and yellow underside.
Very effective, but
can
spin the line unless set up properly. Those familiar
with the "Booby" fly will know the method.
Tips:
Do not buy a "mount" just use a treble
and a bead.
Make sure the devon floats!
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A
derivation of the Mepps, this has a rubber casing
over the body and a rubber tail which adds to
the movement. Came out of Ireland. The "C" stands
for condom! Also very effective, but can spin
the line. |
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Worms |
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Prawns |
Be
careful when booking your beat that worm fishing
is allowed. Worms can be very effective. You
need
to use a large clump of lob worms. Brandlings
are not good enough. |
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Prawn
and Shrimp fishing has now been banned
on the Tay as a conservation measure and the
bailiffs are enforcing the rule ferociously,
so don't
get caught red handed! Some rivers still allow
prawn and shrimps. |
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Paul's
Personal Choice |
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Paul's
Personal Choice |
Black
and gold Rapala
Yellow Belly Devon. |
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Green
and gold Toby.
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