Trailer boat Teasers
One of the most common questions we’re asked about marlin fishing is around the type of teasers we run from our trailer boat. In this blog we’ll look at a couple of simple artificial teasers we run that have proven effective at raising fish for us, yet are still easy to clear when fishing with only two or three people on board.
Our preferred styles of chasing marlin are live baiting, skip baiting or switch baiting and we’ll normally incorporate at least one of these teasers into all three methods. Whether you actually raise more fish with teasers is probably a whole other blog post, but we always feel confident when running a teaser which in itself is a very important part of marlin fishing.
Which teaser we’ll run can depend on the weather conditions of the day, or what’s been working at the time for us. Often we’ll run multiple teasers if we have enough people on board to clear them in a hurry when we hook up.
Skirted Lures
There’s no doubt that skirted lures are incredibly effective at raising fish, and running a couple of hookless lures with some natural baits ready to pitch at any fish that’s been raised has to be one of the coolest ways to catch marlin. If you’re uncomfortable with not having any hooks in the water, then run a skipping slimey mackerel off an outrigger as well and the fish will regularly switch over to the bait once the lures are cleared.
Lure Chain
Daisy chains of lures or combinations of rubber squid and lures are one of the most common and effective teasers that you’ll find on marlin fishing boats of all sizes. Our daisy chain is a string of Zacatak lures which have been chosen based on the great action they create in the water, creating a lot of commotion behind the boat. This daisy chain has been so effective at times that we’ve had several fish get tangled up in the chain when they refused to leave it alone.
Stripteaser Dredge
Whilst dredges are not new to Australia, they certainly haven’t gained the same traction that these underwater teasers have in the US and other fisheries around the world. One simple artificial dredge that has proven very effective for us and many others is the Strip Teaser dredge, which is comprised of a series of clear plastic strips with holographic baitfish stickers printed on them. When viewed together underwater, these teasers put out a lot of flash and imitate a small school of baitfish balled up together. We’ve regularly had marlin swim right up into our Stripteaser as they try and work out why they can’t seem to pick off the imitation baitfish. This normally leads to a super aggressive bite on the skip bait or live bait as a result.
So there you have it, a quick 101 on how we do it in our boat. What’s your favourite fish raising teaser?
