HOW TO CATCH TUNA – MARK COTTON
Here’s Mark Cotton on how to catch Tuna with on our Jetsetter lures in Tasman Bay. Check out these tips to help you land a few.
BLACK MAGIC GAMES LURES
Black Magic Tackle offers a large range of quality game fishing lures. Whether you are targeting marlin, tuna, sailfish, wahoo or mahi-mahi, our range of gear has been used to catch them all, including numerous granders and line class records.
Designed and tested by a select few of New Zealand’s premier charter boat skippers and top game fishermen, our gear is proven to give the ultimate in performance.
PREMIER LURE RANGE
This is Capt. Bruce Martin’s hottest lure. This lure has caught striped marlin, black marlin, blue marlin and even 20kg yellowfin tuna!
| Head Length: 90mm | When Rigged |
| Lure Length: 400mm | Hooks: 1 or 2 x 12/0 |
| Skirt: 14.5’’ | Trace: 560lb (Stiff Rig) |
An awesome performer with exciting action that attracts big blues. Has also caught striped and black marlin as well as the occasional big yellowfin.
| Head Length: 90mm | When Rigged |
| Lure Length: 400mm | Hooks: 1 or 2 x 12/0 |
| Skirt: 14.5’’ | Trace: 560lb (Stiff Rig) |
Richard Baker’s old favourite. It has caught blue marlin, wahoo, black marlin and stripies.
| Head Length: 65mm | When Rigged |
| Lure Length: 390mm | Hooks: 1 or 2 x 12/0 |
| Skirt: 14.5’’ | Trace: 560lb |
A Capt. Rick Pollock favourite, they hang in well anywhere in the lure pattern and appeal to a wide range of species including blue and striped marlin, shortbill spearfish and big tuna.
| Head Length: 85mm | When Rigged |
| Lure Length: 370mm | Hooks: 1 or 2 x 11/0 |
| Skirt: 14.5’’ | Trace: 400lb |
The Lumo Prowler is perfect for overcast or change of light conditions – it’s lumo colour combined with a prowler head makes it a stand out performer – irresistible to both blue and striped marlin.
| Head Length: 85mm | When Rigged |
| Lure Length: 370mm | Hooks: 1 or 2 x 11/0 |
| Skirt: 14.5’’ | Trace: 400lb (Stiff Rig) |
An awesome performer at the back of your lure pattern. An exciting action attracts the big ones and it’s weight ensures the lure holds in well in rough weather. Our trials with the prototype produced two blue marlin on successive days.
| Head Length: 68mm | When Rigged |
| Lure Length: 390mm | Hooks: 1 or 2 x 12/0 |
| Skirt: 14.5’’ | Trace: 560lb (Stiff Rig) |
It is fugly! But the colour is a winner and has proved very effective on marlin and yellowfin tuna.
| Head Length: 48mm | When Rigged |
| Lure Length: 320mm | Hooks: 1 or 2 x 10/0 |
| Skirt: 12.5’’ | Trace: 400lb |
This lure was developed with the assistance of Harlequin’s skipper John Batterton. John has fished in a number of world’s billfish hot spots and his experience is evident in the ‘Harlequin’ lure. This is obviously a true blue marlin lure because of it’s size and action. It features a ‘super-tube’ style, slightly angled head, with a paua shell insert. The skirts give the lure a flying fish appearance.
| Head Length: 68mm | When Rigged |
| Lure Length: 340mm | Hooks: 1 or 2 x 11/0 |
| Skirt: 12.5’’ | Trace: 400lb |
Another producer from charter vessel Pursuit, this lure has been responsible for catching numerous blue and striped marlin, yellowfin to 60kg and even the occasional mahi-mahi.
| Head Length: 44mm | When Rigged |
| Lure Length: 330mm | Hooks: 1 or 2 x 11/0 |
| Skirt: 12.5’’ | Trace: 400lb |
This flying fish combo is a great all rounder for all pelagics. The unique colouring and the enticing action of the head ensures the Bobby Dazzler lure will produce results.
| Head Length: 60mm | When Rigged |
| Lure Length: 320mm | Hooks: 1 or 2 x 10/0 |
| Skirt: 12.5’’ | Trace: 400lb |
A very popular and incredibly productive lure in Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific, accounting for striped marlin, blue marlin, wahoo, mahi-mahi, yellowfin tuna and kingfish. The heavy head works well in calm or rough conditions.
| Head Length: 60mm | When Rigged |
| Lure Length: 280mm | Hooks: 1 or 2 x 9/0 |
| Skirt: 9.5’’ | Trace: 300lb |
The Rainbow Rocker lure ticks all the boxes – size plus the colour combination of a black oily overskirt with red lateral line and a high intensity UV rainbow under skirt. Run this lure anywhere on the spread at any time of day and it will perform.
| Head Length: 40mm | When Rigged |
| Lure Length: 240mm | Hooks: 1 or 2 x 9/0 |
| Skirt: 9.5’’ | Trace: 300lb |
A Capt. Bruce Martin favourite, this little lure has caught everything! Blue marlin, striped marlin and most of the tuna species – a great all rounder.
| Head Length: 35mm | When Rigged |
| Lure Length: 170mm | Hooks: 1 x 8/0 |
| Skirt: 7.5’’ | Trace: 300lb (Stiff Rig) |
THE FREEDOM GRAND SLAMMER RANGE
Alain Jorion’s legendary lure. This lure caught Alain’s 1043lb black marlin in February 2002, which stands as a New Zealand record for largest black marlin on any line class. The seven-hour fight seeing him earn the NZBGFC’s ‘Old man and the Sea’ award as well as the trophy for the heaviest fish of the season. It has also landed several large blues, lots of stripies, sailfish, yellowfin and mahi-mahi.
| Head Length: 40mm | When Rigged |
| Lure Length: 270mm | Hooks: 1 or 2 x 10/0 |
| Skirt: 9.5’’ | Trace: 400lb |
Also available in lumo, the skirt is a strong lumo over green and orange colours, but the head also has a liberal amount of lumo green over the lead insert within, adding to it’s attractiveness.
| Head Length: 40mm | When Rigged |
| Lure Length: 270mm | Hooks: 1 or 2 x 9/0 |
| Skirt: 9.5’’ | Trace: 400lb |
Skipjack tuna are an important part of the pelagic’s diet. A black and purple lure in the pattern is a must.
| Head Length: 40mm | When Rigged |
| Lure Length: 270mm | Hooks: 1 or 2 x 10/0 |
| Skirt: 9.5’’ | Trace: 400lb |